The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-01-18
The DAYS ot The Giants ,of the United
States Senate-Glay, Calhoun and Web
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t thS Vu'N w tiSe / w way
4 States Senate-Glay, Calhoun and Web
Ster.
2 A correspondent of the Times and
Witness, of Chicago who witnessed the
United States Senate "in the days q!
the Giants" furnishes from Washing.
ton the following graphic picture of
"Auld lang Syne" in that city:
1Gibbon relates the celebrated story OF
the Seven Slcepers. During the perse.
cution at Ephesus, seven noble youths
concealed themselves in cave. They
Immediately, so goes the legand, fell
into deep sleep, which was niracu. ,
lousy prolonged for one hundred and
eigEty.seven years, On awakng they
entered the city, but found, everywhere,
Christians so degenerated, churches SO
conformed to the world, all, in short, so
changed. that they burst into tears and
earnestly prayed to God. that they
might Ieturn to their slumbers again.
Such are my feelings as l sit here and
; look upon this body and listen to their
debates, with the light of other days
around me. Only a few years ago l
occupied this very seat, and heard with
pleasure, the great men of the land
dcliberating for the general veal of tile
whole nation. Now, how many seats
are vacant; and the discussions are
about the late war, the treatment Of re.
bellion, and the reconstruction of shat.
tered Union; topics, the very sound of
which might cause the founders Of this
great Republic to turn in their collins
Among many sad reflections, there is
one which especially depresses my
heart, as l look down on this conclave
!. of grave, venerable, and patriotic Sen,
ators. 1t is, that there survives not a
single one Of these statesmen whose
voices used to be heard throughout tile
entire county. Once it was a great
privilege TO pass morning here, when
"there were giants in the land" Yon.
der reposed, in silent grandeur, the mas.
sy form Of Mr.. Webster. To his right
taking snuff and conversing pleasantly
with his ncigh|prs, was the light, grace
full person of Mr.. Clay; while far to the
left, dark, sombre, with keen, flashing
eyes, was that incarnation Of dignity
and severe logic, Mr.. Calhoun, looking
like casl-iron man. When either Of
these men was to speak, the chamber
was crowded early IN the day, and
everybody studied speeches. And
in reason; for in genius and true pre-.
liminary cloquencc, they We're mon OF
pre.eminent greatness, differing intclec.
tually and morally. very much as they
did in their personal appearance.
So remarkable were the head. and
figure of the Massachusetts Senator
that, when he was in London, the po:.
ters and day laborers in the street S,scd
to cease from their work to gaze at him;
and here each day, asho entered the
Senate, all eyes were convergedtowards
"the man." and the whisper was heard
on MI sides in the galleries, "That is
he." Everything in his presence was
imperial. For; myself / never looked
upon that brow, that majestic aspect,
those "Atlantean shoulders fit to bear
the weight Of mighty monarches," that
face, on which "deliberation sat, and
y public care" without something, I
know not what, of awe and reverence
which could not shake of, even in ia.
miliar conversation with him. AS a
writer, his style is the very best in our
. language; not SO elaborated as DR..
Channings, but easier more flowing and
transparent. Mrs. Fanny Kemble told
me that her father, man of exquisite
taste, used often to say to her, "Come
let lis read Webster his style does me
{, good" Tn many passages, especially in
his argument on the trial of the Knapps
and in his reply to Gen. Hayne, that
was true of him which was said OF Lu.
ther Ellis words are half battles"
But he was tame, ponderous speaker.
In the peroration ofihis speech on Foot's
resolutions, he glowed as with ETHEREAL
fires, but generally he was dull, heavy.
!, ,phlegmstic. He was perfect master
Of language. Most public speakers
would find words exceedingly unman.