The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-03-27
How senator Wigfaii Talks
and Looks.

The Philadelphia Bulletin draws the fol
loving picture cfthe belligerent Texas Sen
ator:
Wigfa'l has been preparing for an assaul
upon President Lincoln's Inaugural Addres
ever since last Monday, and Thursday tn
floor was assigned to him. He figeted abou
the Senate Chamber for some time after tn
session began, occasionally disappearing il
a mysterious way into a retiring room, an,
reappearing with refreshed air. While tn
Clerk read the Journal of the previous day
and while some other matters of bushes
were in progress, Wigfall was setting him
self in his place; tumbler full of whisk,
and water was placed on his desk Senate
Douglas turned his chair around so that b
could face him Senator Mason took plac
in front of HIM, and one or other Democrat
Senator's arranged themselves in manne
to show some respect to the secession orator
whose position is even more sublimely inso
lent than was that Of the Senator's that hav,
Quilted the body. On the Republican sid,
there was no appearance of excitement OF
expectation. Mr.. Trumbull was quietly sit
ting at his desk, except when called aside
by some one anxious to cultivate Senator
so near to the President Senator Sumne,
was standing beyond the circle of desks, in
lively chat with couple of Others Sena.
tor Hale was moving about in an easy, in.
different way, seemingly not conscious that
a great Grafton was impending. The new
Senators, scarcely vet at home in their places
were looking more respectfully towards the
Democratic quarter. The galleries, especially
those assigned the men, were flied for
people 60 to see and hear Wigfall as they
go to menagerie, and since Rarey's de-
parture, there are no places of amusement
but "a onehorsc theatre" that is net half so
entertaing as Wigfall in the Senate.
WigGal! is a man by no means imposing in
figure or appearance. He has profu-ion
Of hair on his face, and he tugs and fondles
his moustaches and whi,kers all the time
that he is seated. When he rises to speak,
he puts his hands in his pockets, thus spread
ing apart his frock coat and exhibiting a
black satin waist coat such as Southern
Congressmen especially affect. Wigfall has
a good, clear voice, that fills the Senate
Chamber, and when not confused or excited
by too fr, quent refreshment, he speaks de.
liberately and in such forcible, emphatic
manner, that he almost creates an impression,
in fey inexperienced minds, that he is
talking sense. His speech yesterday was
-~f Ill .--------~I ------ ---z.-
in grammatical point Of view. Wisfall
has some advantages of education, and has
now evidently the advantage of book of
classical quotations, for he can bring in
Latin line at times. Yesterday he employed
that highly fresh quotation, "Tempora mu-
tantur, ct nos nautamur in Ills" giving it
an emphasis, as if it was something that had
been discovered since the annexation of
Texas, and was intended as her apology for
secession. But there is nothing classical
about Wigfall except his book ofquotalions
He is of the vulgar order Of orators, without
wit, without dignity, without the solemn
earnestness that must ever fill the patriots
heart and speak..through his lips. His illus
trations are common place and give no force
to his feeble ideas. AS to patriotism, his
mind is disordered on the subject. With a
pretense that Texas is his country, and with
the idea that the more ne can excite hostility
between her and the United States, the better
he will serve her, he says he is a patriot,
and thinks he can prove he is so by what
he calls "logicar' process for this most
illogical and erratc of blusterers is very fond
of using the language of scholars. He talks
about the teachings of jefferson, Madison,
Webster and Jackson, on the subject of Sc
cession, as "sophistries," which must hurt
the feelings of the august shades of those
departed statesmen, if they hover in the
atmosphere surrounding Wigfall.
After each climax or anti-clmax in the
oratorical passages Of Wigfall, he lifts the
tumbler from his desk to take fresh sip of
his inspiring fluid. He then resumes his
remarks with new vigor. But sum up all
that he says, analyze it as you may, and it
amounts to nothing less than treason. In
any less indulgent and paternal Government
than ours, the traitor orator would be i'm.
prisoned at once, and hanged as soon as it
could be done decently. But Wigfall will
be suffered to bluster at Washington and to
depart peaceably to resume his bluster at
Montgomery, for he boasts of having been
accredited to the Secession Congress, while
he holds seat in the Congress of the Union
His power for good or evil, however, is no,
great, and cannot be great, into whatever
body he may carry it.
!
WAS LINCOLN IN DANGER AT BALTIMORE
A correspondent Of the Macon, (Ga.) Tel
egraph, writing from Baltimore, states tha
Mr. Lincoln would have been egged beyond
a shadow of doubt had he passed through
that city according to the programme. Tn,
writer speaks of his own knowledge, for h,
was in the crowd at the depot, heard tn
threats Of those composing it, saw the eggs
and, what is mere to the purpose, nasal proc
Of their bad quality as they were premature
ly crushed in the swaying of the crowd.
Mr.. Lincoln's White House habits ar