Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-04-23

The Washington correspondent OF the
Boston Post draws the following pen
pictures of Senators Johnson, Trumbull
and Cowan:
REvERDY JOHNSON.
During the delivery of Johnson's re-
ply to the smart sophistries of Trumbull,
Mr. Bingham never left the Senate, sit
ting most of the time in the seat of Sen
ator Doolittle, and occasionally CONVEX
sing with Wilson, of Massachusetts.
johnson is now accepted as the leading
constitutional lawyer of the country and
il was pleasant to see Bingham enjoy the
argument Of his political opponent,
though, in this case, agreeing fellow-leg-
islator. As johnson would pause after
one of his quickly uttered CLEANS of le-
gal light, Bingham's eye would brighten,
and he would nod his head in enforce
ment Johnsons delivery is peculiar,
and the very antipodes of Bingham s.
He is not over five feet seven, white
haired, with one defective eye, and per-
son rather inclining to obesity. To a
reporter in the gallery he is the most
tantalizing Of speakers. tie commences
in voice so low that not a word can be
caught; gradually increasing its volume,
but also the swiftness Of his enunciation,
till in a very passion of logic, shaking
his right hand, and keeping his left in his
pocket, he strains the power Of phonog-
raphy to its utmost, then his voice sud
denly dropping renders it almost as diff
cult TO catch his last clause, as il was to
secure his opening. This is the more
tantalizing than his oratory like De
Quincy's writing, is SO built up, that not
one reporter in thousand can supply
the unheard word, and no other will do.
Intellectually he needs no description
What was said Of Daniel Webster as a
lawyer, is exactly applicable to johnson
in Senatorial debate. He never can
win in a bad cause and can never lose a
good one - His logic is a despot to him
self His mind won't work illogically,
try what he may and in this he is some
times q most amusing contrast to
TRUNBULL, OF ILLINOIS.
This gentleman, younger than John
son, lacking also his senatorial expert
ence, possesses mind that debates
against truth just as smartly as for it,
He can argue Just as well that black is
white as that white is not black, and as
readily convinces himself Of the one as
of the other Emphatically casuist,
whose style Of argument would be best
described by one Of Pascars paragraphs
on Escobar or any'other Of the Jesuit
school Of casuists He is what in the
British House Of Commons they would
call "a clever speaker, and what we
generally mean by a smart talker
His hair and beard are brindled, not ex-
actly gray, but a mixture of white and
black which does not fuse into one posi-;
tive shade. He wears spectacles always.
In speaking, he is clear and loud, and
therefore much liked by speakers in the
gallery He stoops much, and when
warmed into quick speaking, screeches
to avoid a huskiness 10 which his voice
tends from over exertion OF the larynx.
1t is not a pleasant voice at all, remind
ing one Of the falsetto by which failing
tenor strives to supply the place Of the
natural tones in which he could once
reach a coveted c. As Trumbull and
johnson occupied the leading positions
in the exciting debate on the Civil
Rights bill, ] find have left myself too
little space in which to strive 70 convey
some fair idea Of
COwAN, OF PENNsYLvANIA,
measuring some six feet three inches,
possessed Of a voice like the diaposon Of
a small church organ, and habit Of
using il in two distinct octaves Sena-
tor Cowan is certainly a most peculiar
and impressive. speaker; and possesses
ono great merit, that Of never speaking
unless he has something TO say When
he rises In the central aisle, and, With
his tall figure dwarfng everything about
him. sends his rolling voice sailing on
the waves Of fetid air that forms The at