The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-10-21
william I'inkney.

lie cultivated quite fondneSS for legal
subjects. Friends let him have the
money and he studied law. He was at
once very successful. He had an i'm
mense command of language and of
authorities. He had great sagacity In
resorting to just what he wanted. He
never used superfluous citation, but If
there was in all the range of legal liter.
ature anything he wished to use in his
argument, he had it. 1t was the dis.
puted point who was the stronger in
logic, he or Webster. In rhetoric he
was far ahead. He had all of Choate's
elegance OF language, bat great deal
more elegance of delivery.
As legal orator he had q mysterious
power, now frequently called magne.
tism. He had an attractive manner of
delivery, securing and holding the at.
tention 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 cotton
loom. There could be no drier subject
in all the range of the law. His argu
ment covered two whole days There
was not time during the whole of it
when the court house and all the ways
around 1T were not crowded full Of the
elite of Washington. He had a peculiar
charm of gesture which attracted the
attention of every one. He would not
confine himself to 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 con
WINGED. AS a man he was perfectly
Kind and courteous to 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
aHache were sitting in his parlor, wait.
ing for him to come to dinner. He
came In after long while, black and
dirty as any man. Without saying a
word he walked up to the sofa, jerked
off his hat, threw it and his sword
down. AT last Mrs Pinkney, returned
and asked, "What is the matter on
"Matter! have been insulted, mad
am That is what is the matter" At
this Jour narrator says my sword aud
that of my friend, as if by magic, leap
ed from their scnbbards to avenge the
insult. l ventured to ask, 'How ?"
Turning to me he said: "Sir, is not
man of my name, my position, my
country, insulted when he has got to
get up at eight o'clock to pay homage
to little girl, Russian princess ?" l
ventured to suggest that we We're in
vited at eleven. "Can gentleman
dress in less than three hours ?"
He used to bathe every day, and after
bathing he would throw thin gauze
over himself and have two body SER
wants throw fine salt at him. He had
learned, he said, "salt would preserve
the skin" 1t was true that his com.
pexion was fine, so much 81 that there
was rumor spread that he painted.
This was not true, for our narrator has
time and again seen him plunge his
head into basin and give his face such
a rubbing that no paint in the world
could remain on 1t. He paraded hi
efforts in making this show. He liked
to hear such rumors of himself lie
was fifty.four when In st. Petersburg
and sixty when in Washington, though
he looked like thirty when he went in.
to company. He was not very fond of
society, and would not remain longer
than ten O'Clock at party. When he
came Jut he would say, LET us go
home and have chat" which our mar
rator was most willing to do. When
he got there, he would begin to unmake
himself. He was laced in every direc.
tion. He would wear the fashionable
cravat Of that day, which was an i'm.
mense piece of silk about yari and a
half square. 1t was folded diagOnally,
corners turned In, and that filed with
long piece Of padding, or, rs it was
commonly called, pudding. which was
made for that purpose. 1t was then
folded and drawn tightly around the
neck, his more than ordinarily 50. His
whole dress was faultlcs5 and beautiful,
as well as most fashionable. The only
thing that troubled him was hi, thin
hair, though he was not bald. After
he had all his tight clothes off he would
fall back into his chair and tell his ser
wants to bring him a glass of "peach
drink" which was no other than most
excellent punch made with old peach
] l,r,.F al n
tor and say; "Mr p, will you have
glass of peach drink ?" "Yes, | think
l will" There we would sit and talk
until very late.
On one occasion told him | would
like very much to hear him in the Sem
ate, and would be glad if he wouII let
me know when he was going to speak
upon any question. He replied: 81 do
not know that | will have much to say
this term. l do not know of any topic
which will come before the Senate up.
on which l will be likely to speak un.
less 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: at was exactly so, but he
was great fool to say it,"
After a nights hard study he would
come into court. and in discussing Il
question would in the course of his ar
gument say; 81 think your honors
will find an authority for-that-in-
the first: of East, about 6Oi-yes-I
should say about 604-and on the right
hand side," while he knew it, having
just examined it. All this was done for
effect, in order to make the popuace
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
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