The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-04-23
Judge Curtis Speech.

The opening speech for the defence was
quiet and grave reminder of sort OF legal
eloquence that was trite forty years ago. 1t
brought to mind, in its stately periods, DIS
passionately, nationally, concisely uttered,
the DAYS of Marshall, Kent and Story.
Mr. Curtis is a man without a smile or
trifle Sombre is his vesture, purple Is his
color. He is very like Daniel Webster IN
stature. face and manner. He seldom walks
in anybody's company-but with slow, de-
liberate stride, leaning on a cane, he comes
alone TO the Capitol, ponderously mounts
the steps. wipes his forehead in the ante
room, and, entering the Senate, sits IN a
condition of vigilant retirement, like turkey
pobbler bottling up his rage and working
his craw. He exchanges no words with his
legal brethren. If he is introduced to any
| body in any pause or recess, he shakes
| hands with that gravity that Webster used
| to revel in. He weighs about q hundred and
ninety pounds, perhaps more. Nature gave
| him a good, large, Webster head, and his
face is q fine old liver-eolor. He perspres
with great freedom, but never from excite
ment. His paunch is stately his cloth gal
tiers are eminently legal; no gold seal dis
| turbs the occurrences of his vest; his blue
ewes retreat into his brows, and his head
| into his standing collar, and he listens like
a phosphorescent bull dog in dark cellar.
Such Is Judge Curtis, with the additions
of straight, brown hair and face smoothly
shavsn.
Rising to speak, to-day, there were about
twenty books of reference before him. de
put his hands on the baize table, looked his
gloomy grandest, and began with the man
ner of a funeral Grafton. His voice Is no
strong, but naturally trained by the temper
ament of the man, and pitched upon th'
same easy key, it reaches the ear very pleas
autly and strives to do no more. As it car
ried on its calm burden of argument at al
equal pace, the minds of all of US left the do
| main of politics, aud arose with its cadencel
| into the atmosphere of law. 1nsensibiy W
all began to feel that Gen. Buffers speecl
: which we all had supposed great perform
/ ance, had been no more than q smart auds
, city. This oldtime man, never In hurry
never in zeal, addressed himself to the sur
: position that his auditors were oil learne
T and selfrespecting gentlemen. Every tim
= he said "Senators T. he made q cold chill g
| through the Senate for during the past tw
weeks one-half the Senators have forgotte
their rank. venture the supposition tbs
: this speech got more respect in every Sens
tors silent mind than any utteranee OF h'
h own has had for q year past. / did not TO
;, low it closely enough to tell you the effect
It as an argument But it did this, whic
!, Butler, Stanbery, Wilson and Bingham ha
Q failed TO dot reminded the Senate OF itse
n and of the occasion. Everything that he
been said before grew little and mean a
y ter Curtis had talked an hour. In all tn
8 time he never changed his place, never IA
IF tered for a word nor used any undign'h'
4, expression whatsoever Judge Chase hea
. the argument with the gravest care. II WI
;, study to look at the Chief Justice and q
81 solid old pleader, taking his time so treme
: dously.-Wash. Cor. Gin. Com.