Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1868-05-29


public speakers find words cxcccdy unmana
gcabc things. at his command the best,
fittcst phrases came and fell into perfect
phalanx." His logic was perfect, also dcmol
ishing every thing like error, hammcriug
away" smashing everything in its path" (to
use tho pithy words OF our two great gone,
rals,) but it was not I" logic on fire." and his
orations will always receive moro admiration
when read than they did when delivered L..
His address at the completion of Bunker Hill
Monument is itself monument Of classical
taste, Of profound thought of elevated states
manship, which will outlast the solid granite.
Yet Mr. Choate, who was OH the platform
with him, tolls us that he never suffered moro
in his life, tho delivery was such failure
Much has been said as to the morality of
Mr.. Webster, but tic mortuiS MI ntSt donum
Of one trait in his character I can testify.
mean his great reverence for tho Bible When
first camc to this city, J. found that buying
male slaves and sending them South was a
regular business, and / was SO shocked that
won't to Webster to see if anything could
be done to stop 80 ncfarous a traffic. In con-
vcrsing with him on the subject of slavery, l
found that he was most anxious that some
measure should be inauguratcd for its grad,
ual abolition. He confessed however, that
he could not sec any remedy, and thought it
a 0mlnus tmn,ultcuJHc. But whenever [
quoted passage from the Word of God, he
- ~, II,
should yield entire obedience.
In this rcvcrcnt submission to the sacred
oraclcs, I gricve to say Mr.. Calhoun was as in
fcror to Mr.. Webster MS he was superior to
him in the unimpcachablc purity Of his mo-
raj character. l knew him well, both in
Washington and at Fort Hill, his residence
iii South Carolina, and never knew a man
moro upright, conscientious, and yirtuous.--
lie waa, too, q somewhat regular attendant of
tho Episcopal Church in Fcndleton, though
never COMMUNICATE in any church But his
intellectual pride and independence made him
intolcrant of any authority higher than his
own reason. lie profcsscd to believe in the
inspiration of the Scriptures, but forgetting
that important part of knowledge which in
forms us Of the Limitation Of tho human un-
dc,standing-jc Of faith, lest it should be
credulity accustomed to inquire as to cvcry
doctrine, not whether it was conformable to
Gods will, but to his own loving truth, yet
loving system more than truth satisfy Him
self that he had established his point, if he
could show tho objections to any one position,
without considering those to all others; III
shoro, never suspcctinS his own Judgment,
always confident in his own decisions, and
therefore resolved that no argument could be
adduccd which might change his opinions, be
knew nothing of that humble, tcachablc spir-
it which is the great clement in Christian
faith. He snoorcly regarded slavery as a d.
vine and bcnefoent institution. The negro
and the white man." he said to me, "arc both
elevated by it."
If I quoted text which expressed his
views he would give it his hearty assent, and
dwell upon its certainty. But if it condem-
ned his cherished convictions, he as prompt
ly questioned it. was with him during his
last illness, and upon one occasion, when ci
ted that command, "IIonor all mcn," he
turned quickly to me and said: "What,
honor all men Never, impossible; God ncv-
cr said that God cannot require mo to hon
or the man in the White House, nor the un-
principlcd politicians, tho sclfsh dcmagogucs
now in both Houses Of Congress, who arc
bringing ruin on the country"
OF his power Of conversation, great many
have spoken but in fact he never convorscd;
he harangued as earnestly when alono with
you MS when in tho Legislative halls. He
loved the society of young men, and won
their hearts by the courtesy and condcsccn-
sion with which he listened to them 1t was,
however, only that politencss Which was a
striking trait in his character. If he paused
to listen, it was but the interval between tho
flashes Of lightning, which soon blazcs out
again, shifting and shivcring all opposition
AS an orator, ho was perfect contrast to
Mr.. Webstor It is well known to his friends
that he proposed Domosthencs as his model,
and studied closely those Grecian lnastorpie-
ces to whicl, ll,wbo, know what oloquoncc
, ,'neans, how it is as high above nero rhetoric
NJ The hoayous arc above the earth, will ever
Hook ND in admiration aid rapture i, in
his woll-known remark about "Aetion" as