The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-01-19
HAYNE AND WEBSTER.

"A
Monthly, from Warrenton, Va, gives
the following account, as it fell from
the lips of his father, an eyewitness.
1t is in some respects much the finest
picture ever drawn of the scene, es-
pecially in its description of the gal
liant Col. Hayne:
In the great South Carolina debate,
which took place in the Senate Cham
Der, upon the tariff question of 1898, l
was in the gallery. The notification
question had risen almost frenzy-high.
Members of all parties had deserted
the lower House, to witness the splin-
tering of lances between Robert Y.
Hayne, of South Carolina, and Daniel
Webster, of New Hamshire(sicl.
When l entered the hall, Gen. Hayne
was speaking; he was man of gener-
al youthful appearance, with his shirt
collar turned over his cravat and his
hair smoothly brushed across his fore
head. He was of the middle stature,
and well made. He was speaking en-
ergeticslly; his eyes were peculiarly
brilliant, and his face extremely pale;
he moved up and down the aisle
formed between the desks, with rap
id and energetic step; his gestures
were vehement, and be appeared to be
under high state of excitement. /
was peculiarly struck with his whole
appearance, and the tone of feeling ev-
ident 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 embodied interest; not q word,
not gesture, of Gen. Hayne, escaped
his lion look. The Senate was deeply
interested, as a matter of course. The
language of Gen. Hayne was strong
and vigorous, and the powerful eluci-
dalton of the effect of the impost law
on the South, the description he gave
of her people, his own bold and haz-
ardous elocution and impetuous bear
ing, were evidently making strong
impression on the body. From time
to time, attention would be directed
from him to the gentleman who was
expected to answer him, and whom
the General attacked under cover of a
terrible and CALLING fire.
Cold, serene, dark, and melancholy,
that man, thus assaulted, sat apart,
black and frowning as a mountain
rock. He evidently felt the gigantic
influences that Were at work around
him; but his profound mind was
Strengthening 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
man? His countenance was the same
during the whole Of that tremendous
speech. Assault after assault was
made upon him, but yet, he neither
turned to the right nor left, but calm
ly and CALAMITY, like the soldier
awaiting the signal, he bided his hour.
That time of retribution came, swift
as thoughts of vengeance, to Daniel
Webster. Who will forget the eXor-
dunn of that remarkable effort, the
flashing sarcasm, the whitening tones
of that voice, and the temper of his
language? Gen. Hayne changed
color, and appeared much disconnected.
But, who that heard him will permit
the peroration to be fOrgott,,D-those
closing passages of grandeur, chat ma
jestiC allusion to the flag of freedom and
his country? Looking, with his dark
and lustroUs eye, through the glass
dome of the Senate Chamber, over
which he could see that banner fl oat-
ing, he delivered an apostrophe that
has never been surpassed, and seldom
equaled. 1t composed figure of the
most thrilling Interest," burst of
solemn and pathetic feeling-an0,
coming from such a source "a man gen.
orally estimated phlegmaticl, it was
electric. 1t was like the beam of
sunset, or CLEAN Of summer light
ming, radiating the brow Of cliff and
mountain.