The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-03-27

talked constantly ever since. On Saturday
night he very nearly killed the resolution
Had his amendment been adopted the reso.
luton must have gone back to the House
which had adjourned to Monday at 1O O. clock
A. NJ, and it could not have passed. Out ol
38 members. present, 10 voted for it; and
Vice President Breckinridge-an opponen,
of all settlements-eiving casting vote in
the affirmative, the amendment was carried
CHANDLER AND WILKINSON.
! A French gentleman, of large public ex.
perience, who heard this debate. remarked
that Wilkinson and Chandler were fair types
of Northern, while Wigfalt was fair type OF
Southern statesmen. Without going so far
as this, one must admit that there are super
| fetal grounds for the assertion. Western
men like Chandler and Wilk msoa-and they
are nearly all alke-are very unpleasant
| orators to listen to. Their language is not
well chosen, and their delivery offensive.
Trained to address out of door audiences,
they never overcome the habit Of bawlng ;
their tones alternate between couac and a
roar Their geSticulation is abomlnable -
When they become excited, the hearers
anxiety fer the safety Of their blood vessels
nbsorbs every other feeling. To see them
sit down is his only wish Men like Jeffer-
son Davis and William H Seward speak in
ordinary tones. yet are heard throughout
the Senate Chamber. But these Western
Ciceros always seem to be addressing some
one who is three miles off, They appear to
consider themselves oratorical ColumbiadS,
warranted not to burst with any charg..-
Their matter, too, is generally illdiyested
They take an hour to say what could be bet.
ter said in ten minutes. The noise of their
own voice disturbs their memory, and they
repeat themselves endlessly
wIGFALL.
He is a finis',ed orator-prol.ahly the most
charming in the Senate His voice is clear.
melod,onS, and sufficiently powerful to be
heard everywhere. He speaks grammaticalv,
elegantly and without effort He never bawls
He never screams His delivery is perfect,
and his actions suitable When to these
merits I add that he is witty and smart. I
have said everything that can be said in his
favor. For he has the misfortune of being
almost always Illogical, incorrect, and often
absurd. He is duelist, and carries his life
in his hand When he was a young man.
he went to ,.ractice law in Ashmore's district.
in his native State. South Carolina. lie
wrote articles for the county paper, md made
enemies. One Of them challenged him
They fought. and Wiafa'l winged his man
Ano'har took up thr cudgel, and was winged
likewise The leading men Of the country
notified the young stranger that he did not
suit their temper, and must go. Wig'all re-
Piled that he preferred to stay. 81 will shoot
regiment Of you.n said he, "but won't
go" He shot eight altogether, believe, in
clu,'ing the brother Of the late Preston s.
Brook, who shot him too; the two belliger-
ents Law seven or eight weeks side by side,
on their beds. in tavern on an island in the
Savannah river The end Of the war was
tina. Brooks died, and Wigfall, notwithstand
ing his bravado, left the State, and migrated
to Texas.
His reply to Wilkinson and Chandler was
extremely smart Mr.. Chandler had abused
Gov. Flovd ne common thief and scoun-
dre' Wigfall tvit'ed him with Offering in
suits for which he would not answer in the
field. 81 will make a bargain with the SEN
ator." he sal I, .If he will write letter to
Gov. Floyd. saying. sGovernor Floyd, You
are scoundrel and am gentleman. Hez-
ikiah'-no. mean 'Jeremiah'--no, I beg
pardon. 'Zecharah Chandler will cocen.
ant that Governor Flovd's friends shall paw
the whole amount which he is accused Of
stealing from the United States Treasury
The Norlh.rn trains had ust arrived. and
the gallery was full of Northern spectators.
Waving his hand gracefully to them, Wig
fall continued: "The difficulty between you
and us, gentlemen, is. that you will not send
the ri7ht sort of people here. Why will YOU
not send either christians or gentlemen p
Either people who will not insult us with
gross words, or people who will admit their
personal responsibility for their language.
caITrENDEN's SPEECH.
An hour or more after midnight the Sen
ate adjourned to meet on Sunday evening.
When it met, Senator Crittenden had the
floor, and delivered thee hour.' speech in
favor of compromise. Senator Crittenden
viii 60 down TO pnsterity as good man.
He is pure, honest and patriotic. He has
served his country many years with credit
His weak point is in The backbt ne. When
Lincoln was elected, Crittenden. like good
citizen. was for uncond tional submission.-
But Breckenridge and others fell upon the
old man, and heguil d him to father the res
olutlons which they had contrived. In an
evil moment he yielded, and has ever since
repented the act in sackcloth and ashes. The
seceSsionist~ had to sit up with him at night
to prevent his denonncing the "Cri;tenden
compromise" )" and. in fact when the vote
was taken on Sunday, he voted against it,
III; e,,ool, ,,ac n,tr;nt;o hut II uas ypry