Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-01-05
HAYNE AND WEBSTER.
a Virginian's Picture of the FamOas
Conflict.

COnEkct.
A correspondent of Baldwin's Month
ly from Warrenton. Va, gives the fol-
lowing account as it fell from the lips of
his father, an eye witness. 1t is in
some respects much the finest picture
ever drawn of the scene, especially
in its description of the gallant Colonel
! ayne:
In the great South Carolina debate
which took place in the senate cham
Der upon the tariff question of 1928, |
was in the gallery. The notification
fever had risen almost frenzy high.
Members of all parties had deserted the
lower house to witness the splih-
tering of lances between Robert
Y. Hayne, of South Carolina, and Dan
lei Webster, of New Hampshire (sic).
When l entered the hall Gen. Hayne
was speaking; ne was a man of gen.
eral youthful appearance, with his
shirt collar turned over his cravat, and
his hair smoothly brushed across his
forehead. He was of the middle stat
ure and we'll made. He was speaking
theoretically; his eyes were peculiarly
brilliant, and his face extremely pale;
he moved up and down the aisle
formed between the desks with rapid
and energetic step; his gestures were
vehement, and he appeared to be I'M
der high state Of excitement. l was
peculiarly struck with his whole ap-
pearance and the tone of feeling evil
dent in the chamber. Mr.. Calhoun
(then vice PRESIDENT was in the chair,
with his large, steady, and vigilant eyes
witnessing the first great battle of his
doctrine; he seemed the very spirit Of
mbodied interest; not a word, not
gesture of General Hayne escaped his
lion look The senate was deeply in
terested, as matter OF course. The
language of Gen. Hsyne wss rich and
vigorous, and his powerful effect Of the
impost law upon the south, the descriE-
ton he gave of her people, his own bold
and hazardous elocution and impetuous
bearing, were evidently making a
strong impression on the body. From
time to time attention would be directed
FROM him to the gentleman who was ex-
pected to answer him, and whom the
general attacked under covering of
terrible and CALLING fire.
Cold, serene, dark and melancholy
that man. thus assailed, sat apart,
black and frowning as a mountain
rock. He evidently felt the gigantic
influences that were at work around
him; bat his profound mind was
strcngtheng itself for the contest. And
how deeply solemn was that hour, that
moment; how grand that scene, and
what were the meditations and spirit
rallying of that great, dark MAI? His
couutenance was the same during the
whole of tina. tremendous speech. As
sault after assault was made.upon him;
but yet he neither turned to the right
nor left, but calmly and CALAMITY, like
the soldier awaiting the signal, he bided
his hour. That time of retaliation
came swift as the thoughts of ven
geance to Daniel Webster Who will
forget the exordium Of that remarka-
be effort, the flashing sarcasm, the
whitening tones of that voice. and the
temper of his language? Gen. Hayne
changed color and appeared much dis
concerted. But who that heard him
will permit the peroration to be forgot
ten-those closing passages Of grandeur,
that majestic allusion to the flag of free
dom AMI his country? Looking with
dark and lustrous eye through the glass
dome of the senate chamber, over
which he could see that banner float
ing, he delivered an apostrophe which
can never be surpassed, and seldom
equaled. 1t composed figure of thrill
ing interest," burst of solemn and pa
thetic feeling-and coming from such
a source Ia man generally estimated
nhlepmatic1. it was electric. Ii was
like the beam of sunset or the CLEAN
of summer lightning radiatipg the
brow OF cliff and mountain.