Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-03-07
ANrcporrs OF nrNRY etAr.
His BOyhOOd and His Senatorial Career,

mond:
We catch our first glimpse of the boy when he sat
in the little log schOOl-hOuse, without windows or
floor one of a humming score OF shoeless boys,
where g good-natured, irritable drinking school
master taught him to read, write and cipher as TAR
as Practice This was the only school he ever at
tended and that was all he learned at 1t. His wild
owed mother, with her seven young children, her
little farm and two or three slaves, could do no
more for him.
Next. we see him a tall awkward, slender strip
ling of thirteen. still barefoot, clad in homespun
buternut of his mothers making, tlling her fields,
and going to mill with his bag OF corn strapped
upon the family pony. ut fourteen, IN the year
1891 a place was found for him in n Richmond
drug store, where he served as an errand boy and
youngest clerk for one year.
Then occurred the event which decided his career.
His mother having married again, her husband had
influence enough to procure Tor the lad the place OF
copyiup clerk in the Office of the Court of Chance
nv The Young gentlemen then employed in the
Office of that Court long remembered the entrance
among them of their new comrade. he was fifteen
at the time but very tall for his age, very slender,
very awkward and far from handsome. His good
mother had him arrayed in full suit of pepper-and-
salt "fgginy," an old Virginia fabric of silk and
cotton His shirt and shrt-cOar were stifiy starch
ed and his coat tail stood out boldly behind him.
The dandy law clerks Of metropolitan Richmond
exchanged gances as his gawky figure entered, and
he took his place at a desk TO begin his work.
There was something in his manner which prevent
ed their indulgence in the jests that usually greet
the arrival of a country youth among city blades;
and they aferward congratulated one another that
they had waited a little before beginning to tease
him, for they soon found that he had brought with
him from the country an exceedingly sharp
tongue
Of his first service little is known, except the i'm
mense fact that he was a most dgent reader.
As he grew older the raw and awkward stripping
became Young man, whose every movement had
a winning or a commanding grace Handsome, he
never was but his Tuddy face and abundant light
hair, the grandeur of his forehead and the speaking
intelligence Of his cOuntenance, more than atoned
for the irregularity OF his features His face, too
was compromise. With all its vivacty of en-
preston, there was always something that spoke OF
the Baptist preachers sOn-lust rs Andrew Jack
sons face had the set expression of Presbyterian
elder
But Of all the bodily gifts bestowed by nature
upon this favored child the most unique and adml-
rable was his voice. Who ever heard one more me-
lodious? There was a depth of tone in it, Il vol
ume a compass rich and tender harmony which
invested all he said with majesty We heard IT last
when he was an old man, past seventy; and all he
said was a few words of acknowledgment to a
group of ladies in the largest hall in Philadelphia.
He spoke only in ordinary tone OF conversation, but
his voice filled the room rs the organ ILLS great
cathedral and the ladies stood spell-bound MS the
swelling cadcnCes rolled about the vast apartment.
We have heard much of Whitefeld's piercing voice
believe that either of those natural orators possessed
an organ superior to Gays majestic bass. No one
who ever heard him speak will find it difficult to be-
lieye what tradition reports, that he was the peer
less star of the Richmond Debating Society in
1885,
The following "reminiscences of Mr. Clay are from
the pen of the Hon. Thomas Ewing, who wrote them
as a contribution to a Sanitary Fair:
Mr.. Clay, with all his terrible power of denuncia
ton, was in ordinary debate pleasant and playful.
When dealing with an ordinary adversary, he often
reminded me of the lines III Mlltons description OF
Eden before the fall:
"Sportiye the lion ramped, and in his paw
Daudled the kid"
On one OccasiOn-the year do not remember, but
it was the first time the Wings carried election in
the city OF New York. found him early in his seat
with newspaper in his hand. As soon as the jour
nal was read he rose, quite out of order, announced
to the President MIR Van Buren, the Wing victory,
spoke of their noble efforts in the cause OF their
country and of their brilliant success. Your own
fellow-citizens Mr. President-the proud capital OF
your noble State-has made its voice heard IN our
halls in defence of the Constitution OF our country
Al! Mr.. President, does not this iUarm your pa.
triotiC heart ?"
The impudence and absurdity of this appeal was
too much for the dignity of the presiding officer
Mr. Van Buren's face drew itself into | know not
how many indescribable lines in which the cOmical
nothing of him was visible but the smooth top OF
his head He soon called some one TO the chair
came down, took pinch of snuf with Mr. Clay,
and after wholesome laugh between them the
morning business went on.
His classical illusions English classics) were few,
but sufficiently happy. His attempts to cite poetry
generally failed On one occasion he attempted the
hackneyed quotation from Hamlet
Let the CALLED jade vince, our withers are un-
wrung."
He mistook the last syllable, and, with great dis
tinctneSs and fine emphasis, made it "unstrung. =
Watkins Leigh sat on his right; on his lett both
at the same instant IN suppressed voice. pronounced
the word "unwrung." The double prompting con-
fused him; he drew himself up and with strong
emphasis made the word "unhung." He stood with
a very pleasant and unembaraSsed countenance
until the laugh which had become general, subsidized
and then, with gentle shake of the head and long
drawing out of the first word, said: "Ah! murder
will out" | almost imagined he had slipped on
purpose to show his adrotneSs in recovering.
But his wit was sometimes displayed in less
kindly spirit. All well remember Mr.. Buchanans
disengenuous letter on the subject of bargain and
corruption" Mr. Clay never forgot, never torgaye
it, and never failed to take occasion, and if none
arose, TO make occasion, to punish it. About 1884
or 80 matter of some interest was under discus
SION A leading Wing or two had spoken, and two
or three of the rank and file of the Democratic par
ty, but:no Democrat then prominent. Walker, of
Mississippi, was speaking. As he was drawing to
close observed that Mr.. Clay was paying unusual
attention The moment Walker closed he sprang to
his feet and spoke for five or ten minutes with great
yehemenCe of manner, saving nothing, but simply
vaporing He claimed that the noble Wings came
out on every question that arose, with prOmptness
and decision while the Democratic leaders put their
rank and file forward to skirmish, while they lay by
and waited and watched the popular Indications
Come out" said he, "cOme out like men, and de-
fine your positions Let us hear from you; | call
for the leaders of the party Mr.. Wright and Mr.
Buchanan sat near each other, on line with Clay,
who obviously directed his remarks to one or both
of them. Mr.. Wright looked up for n moment,
picked with his finger the hair behind his ear, and
turned to his writing. Mr.. Buchanan looked up and
listened, and when Mr.. Clay took his seat arose and
replied, with high indgnatiOn-was surprised at the
gentleman from Kentucky. He knows well, and
the Senate can bear me witness, that am prompt
and direct in expressing my opinion on subjects as
they arise, but choose to take my own time and
consult my own conscience The gentleman from
Kentucky need not expect to force me into this dis
cussiOn any other till choose to engage in it,"
Mr. Clay, in his baudest manner, assured the gen
tleman from Pennsylvania that he had no reference
whatever to him" far from it, said he, and with
mighty emphasis, " called for the leaders Of the
party Mr.. Buchanan appealed to tho Senate-the
gentleman from Kentucky fixed his eyes upon him
and addressed his remarks to him throughout Mr..
Clay, in his s0ftest and most concatory tone and
phrase, said he could well conceive how the gentle
man from Pennsylvania had fallen into an eTrOr,
" often" said he "suppose that gentleman is look
ing at me, when in fact he looks quite another way"
Mr. Buchanan had cast Of the eye,) | said to Mr..
Clay when he took his seat, "YOur first blow was
cruel, but magnificent, tho last savage warfare
tomahawkng.'
All! d-n him" said Mr.. Clay, he writes let
ters."
FOREIGN APPRECIATION OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON.
In the British Parliament in the course of the de-
bate upon the Queens speech said the Earl of Der.
by:
We all must concur in rejoicing that, after years
OF bloody warfare, sangRinaTy war has been put an
end to in the now reunited States of America
fully concur with the speech in commencing the
wise and prudent manner in which, after the war had
terminated, the President has sought to repair the
ravages of civil war. Hear, hear He seems to
seek the best means of restoring the tranquility of
the country and we cannot refrain from hoping that
his efforts will be crowned with success. The dim
mutton of the slave trade and the abolition of slave
ry must always be subjects of congratulatiOn, but
fear that the abolition of slavery in America has
entaed much misery on the slaves themselves, and
that they are but very impertecty prepared to un.
dertake the duties and responsibilities of freedom.
The mangle in operation at the royal laundry IS
undoubtedly the most perfect and expensive machine
of the kind ever made. The bottom and upper plates