Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-03-09
sls STAUNTON, VIRGINIA, FRIDAY, MARCH y 1861.
dfia IFrom the New Orleans Delta.] 50 saisso
S. S. PrentiSS--Orators and Ora
fOrical Models.

Sc . II -
tOriCal Models.
It was about thirty years ago that Prem
tiss commenced, in Mississippi, his brilliant
career as legal advocate and popular ora
tor, First a school teacher and law student
at Natchez, and next lawyer at Vicksburg,
his earliest forensic display was an authentic
the success and fame which
awaited him.. From that moment his rise
was as rapid as it was cleaning, The blaze
of his genius. was hardly visible on the hor-
lions verge, before it flashed up gorgeous
~ to the zenith Competitors were at once
cclipsed all who beheld were .dazzle9 /; the
times were entranced. t
j. i. H. Claiborne, in his Life and Times
of General Samuel Dale. thus sketches
giving in his own language the impressions
of General Dale-the most Distinguishing
traits Of Prentiss as a lawyer, an orator, and
a public man. i, The occasion referred to in
the beginning of the sketch, was the session
of the Mississippi Legislature in 1886.
3t.'TLe opposition was led by Mr., ,Prentiss,
whom I then saw. for the. first time, He
was the Tecumseh Of the Legislature, and
very much like that great orator in the con-
troll Of kis voice. the play Of his countenance,
and a peculiar way he had Of hurting cut his
words-a sort of Kissing thunler In speak
ing he was always energetic, often violent,
and at such times the frown OF Radguantlet
was stamped on his brow, and his express
sion mot only sardonic, but satanic He
could be pathetic and persuasive, and then
his voice became plaintiye as a flute, his eye
grew humid. his face sad, and he seemed to
cast himself lie a, child into ones. arms
When he was in good hnmor his manner
became playful, his eyes sparhled, his cheek
dimpled, and there was no resisting him.
The prevailing tone Of his voice was spirit
stirring, clarion note, only harsh and gut
tural when dealing in denunciation He
had read much particularly the Bible ,shaks
peare, Milton, Byron and Scott. He had
many traits of character in common with By
ron and many poin sofphysical resemblane.
There was much that was sensual in his face
but la moments Of excitement it was thor
oughly Illuminated and purely intellectual
He had the fancy and Imagination of a poet
an extraordinary memory, faculty for sar-
casm and wit never surpassed, wit and hui.
NOR in inexhaustible stores, and rare pow
er for analysis and in Aktigation add to this
bis indomitable courage and frmness pur-
pose, and we have q combination of mental
and moral attributes such as the world rare
II secs. He selected the law for bis profess
sion, but in any other, demanding great a.
bility and resolution, he would have become
eminent. He had the genius that would
have made him great poet, great scholar
a great. general or great mathematician.
At the bar be never had superior. lie
had not much turn or public life, not much
ain bition for office, and made no great figure
in mere party discussion /; in fact, his poiti-
Cal information was not extensive and in the
controversies Of the hustings, Geo Poindex-
ter, Rob'tJ Walker. Henry s. Foote, Jno.
D. Freeman, and others were his superiors.
He seldom read newspapers, and had no ex-
aggerat ted respect for the wisdom of the soy
ereign people In the days Of Hamilton he
would have been his devoted friend He
respected Madison, but abhorred Jefferson.
He was compelled against his will, to admire
the heroic character Of jackson, but he
strongly expressed his contempt for John
Tyler. He admired and loved Mr. Clay,
his big brain, and his lofty patriotism. But
Mr.. Webster, with his antique head, his
Homeric imagination, and grand ideas Of
nationality, was the real interpreter of his
political opinions On all constitutional
questions Mr. Prentiss concurred with that
great jurist. In their tasteg, as we'll as in
their humor and convivial propensities, there
was some resent lance between them. The
exclusion Of these illustrious men for Gen.
Taylor, literally mere chiettain, without
the commanding faculties Of Jackson or the
scholarship and experience Of Harrison-a
veteran warrior, but wholly ignorant Of
public affairs and the structure of our gov
ernment-deeply disguised Mr.. Prentiss."
If Prentiss had ''lnany traits of character
in common with Byron, and many points of
physical resemblance" the influence of his |
genus and example produced effects very
analo gsns to those produced by the genius
and example of that English poet. Prentiss
was so unfortunate as to have shrunken leg
which caused him to walk with difficulty
aided by stick. Wherefore certain class
of his admirers considered it fortunate fthey
could resemble him. however remotely or
uncouthly, in that particular. limping be-
came almost epidemic among them. Those
who already llmped exaggerated their lame
ness. Those who did not limp, lcnged for
an OCCASION to do so. So it was with regard
to bis peculiarities as a speaker Hardly a
young limb of the law was to be found that
did not blossom forth into fierce exaggera-
tons Of all Prentiss' iuimitable peculiarities
and into feeble efforts to- reproduce his ini-
mltabie excellences His little mannerisms
at the bar did not escape their indiscriminate
mania for imitation. A sort of Prentiss
ophobia ragged with dreadful virulence, and
nearly ruined, morally, intellectually, and
professionally, a whole generation Of young
lawyers; for, as always happens in such ca
SEES, it was his faults and his vices that were
most easily and most generally copied.
% Now, the fact is, there was much about
Prentiss that twas anything but exemplary
None out fools and ,sycophants could con
found the ferocous bqllyistn in which he oc-
INDUCED as an advocate, or as a
public speaker, with the exuberant express
Sion Of a high chiyalric spirit. Chiyalric
feelings and refined and elevated sentiments, |
Prentiss no doubt possessed in abundance,
but that is no reason that, when impelled by
a,Ox,k To u