Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-06-26

Marshall, of Kentucky. One of the
most brilliant orators of his time, and
man Of large scholarly attainmcnts,
who had as much of. that mystical
quality called genius as any of his CO.
temporaries in Congress, was full OF
affectation in this regard. He spoke
readily without preparation, his ideas
following each other consecuiively and
with uncommon force but he never
trusted to the inspiration of the mo-
ment when thore was opportunity for
studying up the subject and arranging
his thoughts in advance. He had a
habit of absenting himself from the
Capitol Tor days at time, every hour
of which he devoted to reading and
study, his acquaintances generally sup
posing him to be engaged in de-
bauch. After getting thoroughly
crammed and armed at every point, he
would come into the House looking
exhausted and haggard, giving color
to the notion that he had been on a
frolie, and watching his opportunity.
would pour forth the fruits of his study
in strain of off-hand, striking elo-
quence that hardly ever failed of as
tonishing his hearers. And the re-
mark was often heard, What brill
liant man What could not he accom-
plish if he was industrious and regu-
lar in his habits p
Mr.. Preston, for some time Mr.. CAL
houn's colleague in the Senate, was au
accomplished gentleman and very
popular orator. He never spoke with.
out commanding the attention of his
hearers, and few men in Congress had
higher reputation for brilliant extern
poraneous eloquence But he never
spoke without the most ample and
careful preparation. Soon after he re-
tired from Congress he was chosen
president of college in South Caro-
lima. In an address to the students.
he said he knew Of no such thing as
genius or natural inspiration. What
ever OF reputation he had acquired was
by dint of constant, nntiring labor
He had trusted to study and hard
work solely. He never spoke In Con-
gress or to q popular assemblage with
out arranging what he had to say, and
even premeditating his sentences and
the precise c0llocation of his words.
And he assured his hearers that the
only road to public distinction lay
through the field of study and re-
search.
Mr.. Webster was so thoroughly in-
structed upon all subjects which camo
under discussion in Congress that he
was equal to almost any occasion, and
rarely needed any special preparation.
And yet he was not above the weak
ness of concealing his studies, and the
sources whence he drew his inspira.
tion. No man better understood the
weight and value of language than
Mr.. Webster, and what he said was al
ways marked by precision and perspi.
Guilty but when coping with a formi.
dable antagonist he omitted no means
that promised to aid him in the con-
test. lie was accustomed to speak OF
the master-production of his life-his
celebrated reply to Hayne-as sort
of casual effort, made on the spur OF
the moment, without much previous
consideration.
Probably the two men in public life
who could most safely trust to their
own resources and requirements, un-
der all circumstances, were Mr.. Adams
or aMf CaIhohn were OF higher or
der, and his creative power was supe-
rior to that of Mr.. Adams; but the
sold man eloquent" as he was called,
had memory so tenacious, and his
knowledge was SO extensive and ex-
act, that he never seemed to need any
special preparation. He was the most
laborious and methodical. man in Con-
gress, and probably in the country. 80
He kept a voluminous diary, in which
every event, incident, or circumstance
OF the day was carefully noted down /;
and this, with his habits of industry.
made him very doctor in all matters
of controversy and argument. 1t was
knowledge of his complete equip
ment and his power as an antagonist
that prompted the reply of MIR. Clay,
When asked when he purposed to re-
new the discussion with Mr.. Adams
on the veyed question of the fisheries
of the Mississippi, as connected with
the treaty of Ghent. Finding himself
getting the worst of the argument, Mr..
Clay closed the consideration of the
matter, so far as he was concerned,
with the remark that he should drop
the subject, hoping to renew it at some
future day more favorable tor calm dis
cussion, when he expected to show that
MIR. Adams was altogether in the
wrong. Sometime afterward a friend
asked him when he proposed to re-
open the controversy. Never!" was
his emphatic reply. "a man must be
born fool who engages i'm contro-
yersy with Mr.. Adams on a question
of fact. l doubt whether he was ever
mistaken in his life. And then, if he
happens to be in doubt about anything,
he has his inevitable diary, in which
he has recorded everything that has
occurred since the adoption Of the
Federal Constitution From g Recol-
lections of an Old Stager," In Hdlper's
Magaziae for July.