The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1870-04-09
MEN OF TIE OLDEN TIME,
SOME OF EX-GOv. SEYMOUR'S REC
OLLECT1ONs OF THEM.
From the Utica Herald. March 10.

The last lecture of the course
| before tho Utica Mechanics AS
sociation was delivered at Me-
chanics' Hall by Gov. Seymour,
last evening. The subject select
ed, ,"Recollections Of Public Men,"
together with the reputation Of
tho speaker, brought together a
large audience.
Gov. Seymour introduced his
subject by referring to the re-
markable body Of men. who forty
years ago assembled in the halls
OF Congress, and occupied prom
inent places before the American
public. These were men who
lived during eras marked by re-
markable events, who had been
schoo!ed in Oratory and had prof
tied by the study of eminent mas
ters of e!ocution. The habits Of
the people at that time we're such
that the utterances of public men
made deep impression, and their
course was closely watched and
keenly criticised. OF his personal
recOllectiOns of some Of the emf
nent men of that. age, Mr.. Sey-
mour proposed to speak. John
Randolph he characteristics las the
sensational man OF his day; a
man OF strange appearance, a
strong mind and keen wit; III
face and dress somewhat remind
ing one OF an old woman. Alex
andcr Stevens, of Georgia., bears
a resemblance OF Randolph In
disposition, Randolph was sharp,
shrewd, impatient and disposed
to be malignant.
Mr.. Seymour met John Quincy
Adams in Washington, and at his
residence met Henry Clay
Adams he described as a small
man. with a frigid, uninviting,
formal manner. This reserve lie
attributed to the early associa-
tions thrown around Adams in
his youth, when his native New
England was governed by sys-.
tenn Of mutual inspection. Clay
was, on the contrary, genial and
winning in his manner and ad-
dress. In private lite Mr.. Adams
possessed ability to interest from
his vast fund of personal observa-
ton, and in a great measure cast
aside his reserve. He was a man
of great strength of will: thor
oughly in love with public life,
and determined to die, as he did
die, with his harness ON.
Gen. jackson was tall, erect,
commanding man, with much Of
the military chieftain in his ap-
pearance, strong willcd, and per-
haps possessed Of a quick temper,
but holding his temper well un-
der control. No man of his time
could get mad so judiciously. He
was a good judge of human ma
ture. and always knew his man
before losing his temper. Uned-
ucated himself, and surrounded
by able and disciplined minds,
he always did his own thinking,
and to the last moment Of his
life exercised great control over
the public mind. To this day
public men are advised to "do as
jackson did"
In person, John 9. Calhoun
was not unlike jackson, except
that Calhoun possessed wonder
Iul eyes. I1C llst(l ~ kCcn lNSiSlC
into the future, and was a proph-
ct rather than Il conspirator. In
speaking he depended entirely
upon his reasoning powers. The
FIRST word Of his speech was the
first word of his argument, and
the last word of his argument
was the last word of his speech.
He possessed no faculty of judg-
ing character, but fascinated by
his straightforward, frank way
with his fellow men.
Between Clay, Jackson and Cal
houn the resemblance was Won
derful. It was because Clay and
jackson were so much alike that
they hated each other as they did.
Clay possessed a rich, musical voice
even to his enemies. He was
chivalrous, patriotic; by nature a
politician as we'll as statesman.
Webster was characterized as
the greatest, and yet the weakest
OF them all. By nature intended
for a. writer and q student, and