The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-01-17
Great Men OF the Past.

A correspondent of Chicago
journal, who has lately visited the
national capital, pays an eloquent
tribute to the three great men whose
presence and influence are now so
sadly missed in the halls of Congress.
We can easily imagine the emotions
of an old visitor of the Capitol, who,
after many years, comes back to that
magnificent structure, but misses that
which was its chief glory, the illus
trlous statesmen, whose broad, At
lantean shoulders We're fitted to bear
the burthens of empire Archiuec-
tural skill may raise more gorgeous
edifice than that Of the simpler days
of the Republic, but where is the
Promethean spark that shall relume
the Light of those fires of genius which
once made it the glory of the earth?
The casket may be more splendid,
but the gems which gave it its chief
value have ceased to shine.
There was something even in the
personal presence of Webster, Cal
houn and Clay which attracted the
observation of stranger. The mas
sivs form of Webster, the imperial
bro$y, the solemn repose of the classic
features, lit up by those lustrous,
cavernous eyes; the iron physique
of Calhoun; the graceful, spirited,
chivalric person Of Clay, challenged
the attention OF strangers visiting the
Senate. It needed no one to point
them out to those who did not know
them. The hand OF Nature had
stamped upon each the unmistakable
mark of men born to lead and com
mand. When they grappled each
other in debate, it was u war OF giants.
Yet, it is remarkable fact that these,
the three greatest Americans that
have lived in the modern days of the
Republic, were never elevated to the
Presidency. If they We're ambitious
tc obtain the highest honors of the
Republican, no one had better
right to indulge such aspirations
they went down to the grave disap-
pointed men. and, so far as their per
sona1 elevation to the highest official
dignities was concerned, might as
well have been subjects of European
monarchy as citizens of the American
Republic.
Undoubtedly, the career which
each ran, long SO brilliant III fame
and influence, was sadly darkened
towards its close. The sun, which
has risen SO auspicionsly, and travel
ed in such might and spiendor
through the armament, went down
shorn of its brightness and enveloped
by melancholy clouds. Bnt it was
the disappointment of II deeper and
nobler passion than personal ambi-
tion that darkened the last DAYS of
the most illrstrious patriots of a
former era. Their prophetic vision
boheld the calamities which were i'm
pending over their country. and who
Fever else may have been blind TO the
signs of the coming storm, no one
can doubt that the experienced
mariners who had so long struggled
to avert it, felt. with pang as keen
as that of death, that the labor of
their lives was lost, and that their
own funeral dirges would scarce have
ceased before the ship of State would
go to pieces. and the roar OF the
breakers sing a nations requiem.
= Ii these great and patriotic AmeH
cans could once more revisit Ghe
scenes OF their ancient rcnown, 6ow
would they struggle to bind pp the
wounds which the war has made, and
to build that Union which th&ir lives
Sillustrated upon foundations which
the vicissitudes and convalsions of
time conld never chang9 If it is
impossible for any of ting public men
Of the present day to emulate their
sy can at Kast catch the in
their catholic, American