The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-08-19
William PinkneY.

great Sagaclty IN reSOrtlng TO Just what he
wanted. He never used a superfuous cita-
ton, but ifthere was in all the range of
legal literature anything he wished to use
in his argument, he had it. 1t was a dis
puted point who was the stronger in logic,
he or Webster. In rhetoric he vas far
ahead. 'He-had ali of Choate's elegance of
language, but a great deal more elegance
of delivery.
As a legal orator he had a mysterious
power, now frequently called magnetism.
He had IN attractive manner of delivery,
securing and holding the attention of his
hearers until he brought to bear the power
of subduing their minds. Webster opposed
him in his last case,-a patent question,
involving something about a part of a cot
ton loom. There could be no drier subject
in all the range of the law. His argument
covered two whole days. There was no
time during the whole of it when the Court
House and all the WAYS around it were not
crowded full of the elite of Washington. tie
hal a peculiar charm of gesture which at
tracted the attention of every one. He
would not confne himself 10 one spot, but
in the course of his argument he would
move about before the Court. Let him
talk upon what subject he ~would--you
could not help listening, and listening be-
ing convinced. As a man, be was perfect
ly kind and courteous toward all, but he
had one weakness which swallowed up all
the rest. He was the vainest person alive.
He was vain of his vanity. While l was in
Russia, 1 and another dttdche were sitting
in his parlor, waiting for him to come to
dinner. He came in, after a long while,
black and dirty as any man. Without say
ing a word he walked up to the sofa, jerk
ed off his hat, threw it and his sword down.
At last Mrs. Pinkney returned, and asked,
what is the natter" matter! l have
been insulted, madami That is what is
the matter" At this (our narrator says)
my sword and that of my friend. as il by
magic, leaped from their scabbards to
avenge the insult. I ventured to ask,
''How?" Turning to me, he said, "Siri Is
not a man of my name, my position, my
country, insulted when he is to get up at s
O'Clock to pay homage to a little grl IA
Russian Princess)?" Iventured to suggest
that we were invited at IL. 'FCan a gentle
man dress in less than three hours?"
He used to battle every day, and, after
bathing, he would throw a thin gauZe
over himself and have two body SER
wants throw fine salt at him. He had
heard, he said, ''salt would preserve the
skin" 1t was true that his complexion
was fine, so much so that there was a ru-
NOR spread that he painted. This was not
true, for our narrator has, time and again,
seen him plunge his head into a basin and
give his face such a rubbing that no
paint in the world could remain on it.
He paraded his efforts in making this show,
He liked to hear such rumors of himself.
He was "a when Ia ST. Petersburg and 60
when in Washington, though he looked
like 80 when he went into company. He
was not very fond of society, and would
not remain longer than 10 O'Clock at q
party. When he came out he would say,
'Let US go home and have a chat" which
our narror was most willing TO do. When
he got there, he would begin TO unmake
himself. He was laced in every direction.
He would wear the fashionable cravat OF
that day, which was an immense piece of
silk, abouta yard and a half-square. 1t
was folded d~iagonally, corners turned in,
and that filed with a long piece of pad
ding, or, as It Was commonly called, pud-
ding, which was made for that purpose.
1t was then folded and drawn tightly round
the neck, his more than ordinarily so. His
whole dress was f~aultless and beautiful, as
well as most fashionable. The only thing
that troubled him was his thin hair, though
he was not bald. After he had all his tight
clothes of, he would fall back into his chair
and tell his servant to bring him a glass of
''peaeh drink" which was no other han
most excellent punch, made with old peach
brandy. He Wouldturn to our narrator
and say: MIR. P, viii you have q
glass of peach drink" Eyes, 1 think 1
will" There we would sit and talk until
very late.
On one occasion 1 told him 1 would like
very much to hear him in the Senate, and
1 would be glad if be would let me know
when he was going to speak upon any
question, He replied: 81 do not know
that 1 will have much to say this term. 1
do not know of any topic which will come
before the Senate upon which L will be like
" to speak, unless the Sen ate gets into a
confused, chaotic state, and will need me
to set them right" Our narrator once told
Webster of this, who did not like him. He
said: ait was all exactly so, only he was a
great fool to say it."
After a nights hard study, he sgsould
come into court, and, IN discussing a ques-
ton, would'in the ourse of his argument
say: 81 think your honors will find an au-.
thority for-that-in-the first of east, about
604-yes-I should say about 604-aRd on
having just examined it. All this was done
for effect, in order to make the populace
think he knew not only the law, but he
knew the location on the page.
1t was generally supposed that he died,
from over-exertion in the case in which he
was opposed by Webster, though knowing
his habits of life as 1 did, 1 do not think
that was so.-Lecture Room Talk By Prot.
Parsons, of Reading. 2 .