The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-04-13

away. | went up to him, and said very
calmly, Can see you alone in one of the
lobbies9' He replied Certainly I sup
pose that he thought was going to beg
his pardon and ask his assistance.
We passed into one of the ante-room of
the capitol. | looked into one of the grand
jury rooms, rather remote from the main
court room. There was no one in it, and
we entered AS we did SO | looked at the
door, and found that there was key in
the lock, and, unobserved by him, turned
the key and put it into my pocket. Mr..
Pinkney seemed to be waiting with some
establishment. | advanced toward him and
said, Mr.. Pinkney, you grossly nsulted
me this morning in the court room and not
for the first time, either. In Difference to
| your position, and to the respect in which
hold the court, | did not answer you as |
was tempted to do, on the spot He began
to parey. | continued, You know you
did; don't add another sin to that; don't
deny it; you know you did it, and you
know it was premeditated. 1t was DELHI
crate; it was purposely done; and if you
deny it you state an untruth.
"'Now, l went on, Il am here to say
to you once for all, that you must ask nv
| pardon, and 60 into court to. morrow morn
ing and repeat the apology, or else either
you or | will go out of this room in diff
ferent condition from that in which we en-
tered it, | was never more in earnest.
He looked at me, and saw that my eyes
were pretty dark and firm. He began to
say something. | interrupted him. No
explanations, said I, admit the fact and
take it back. l do not want another word
from you except that. will hear no ex-
panation; nothing but that you admit it,
and recall it, He trembled like an aspen
leaf. He again attempted to explain. l
said, there is no other course. | have the
key of the door in my pocket and you
must apologize or take what give you'
At that he humbled down. and said to me,
You are right; am sorry; did intend to
bluff you; l regret it, and ask your par
dom Enough l promptly replied
Now, one premis Use before open the door:
and that is, that you will to morrow morn
ing state in the court that you have said
things that have wounded my feelings, and
that you regret it, Pinkney replied, Il
will do So Then unlocked the door and
passed out. The next morning. when the
court met, Mr. Pinkney at once rose, and
stated to the court that very unpleasant
affair had occurred the morning before, as
might have been observed by their honors;
that his friend, Mr.. Webster, had felt
grieved at some things which had dropped
from his lips; that his zeal for his client
might have led him to say some things
which he should not have said; and that he
was sorry for having thus spoken.
"From that day, while at the bar there
was no man," said Mr.. Webster, " Who
treated me with so much respect and defer
ence as William Pinkney."
When Mr.. Webster was about to deliver
his 18th of March speech, he invited me to
come on to Washington to hear it. He in
tended to make it a great effort, the crown
iuS auuiCss vi hlS ldbCl puuliC lllt. duu, DIS
he knew before hand that his action and
motives would be misconstrued and that
the speech would bring down upon him
condemnation from many quarters, he was
resolved that he would make use of all his
powers to render it worthy of his really
high motives and his fame. Early on the
morning of the It'll, was sitting with him
in his house, when the sergeant-at arms of
the Senate came in. He told Mr.. Webster
that already not only the Senate chamber
itself, but all the approaches to it, were
crowded by an eager multitude. great
speech from Mr.. Webster was national
event. Mr.. Webster looked at me, and, in
sad voice, spoke of this as being the last
time that he should address listening
masses on the floor of the Senate, and of
the rapidly approaching close of his public
life. Recovering his spirits again in
moment, he turned to the sergeant. at arms
and said:
However crowded the Senate chamber
is, | want you to be sure and save two
good seats; one for Mrs. Webster, and the
other for my old friend Harvey. here, who
has come all the way from Boston to hear
my Speech
The sergeant-at-arms promised that he
would do SO. On going to the Senate
chamber at the proper time, found an
excellent seat reserved for me near and
little in front of the spot where Mr.. Web
l.
While he was speaking, an affecting incl
dent occurred which illustrated the warmth
OF feeling between Mr.. Calhoun and him
self. 1t appeared that several days before,
Mr.. Webster had paid visit to MIR. Cal
houn in his sick room at the old Capitol
building. The venerable South Carolina
Senator was very i'll, and it was thought
that he would never be able to appear in
his seat again. The conversation turned
upon the speech that Mr.. Webster was
about to make, the sick statesman express
ed an earnest wish to hear it. Mr. Web
ster replied that he hoped he would be able
to get to the Senate, as he himself was
anxious that Mr.. Calhoun should be pres
cut MI. SdlhOuu SuOUh HIS ueaQ Sadly,
and said that he feared he was on his death
bed; and Mr.. Webster parted from him
fully impressed with the belief that the
venerable invalid must soon pass away.
Mr.. Webster had not been speaking long,
on this occasion, when l saw tall, gaunt
figure wrapped in long black cloak, with
deep cavernous black eyes and a thick mass
of snow white hair brushed back from the
large brow and falling to the shoulders,
advance with slow and feeble steps through
the lobby behind the Vice Presidents chair,
and then, aided by one of the Senators,
approach and sink into a chair on the CD.
posite side of the chamber. ! looked at
Mr.. Webster, and observed that as he
spoke his face was turned the other way,
so that he had not seen the almost ghostly
figure come in. He went on speaking in
nc nd i