The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11
HAYNE AND WEBSTER.
A Virginian's Picture Of the Famous
Conflict.

| A correspondent of Baldwin's
Monthly from Warrenton, Virginia,
gives the following account as it fell
from the lips of his father, an eye-wit-
ness 1t is some respect much the
finest picture ever drawn of the scene,
especially in its description of the gall
liant Col. Hayne:
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
spllntering of lances between
Robert Y. Hayne, of South
Carolina, and Daniel Webster of New
Hampshire (sic.) When l entered the
hall Col Hayne was speaking; he was
man of general youthful appear
ance, with his shirt collar turned over
ms cravat, and his hair smoothly
brushed across his forehead. He was
OF the middle stature and well made.
lie was speaking energetically; his
eyes were peculiarly brilliant, and his
face extremely pale; he moved up and
down the isle formed between the
desks with rapid and energetic step:
his gestures were vehement, and he
appeared to be under high state OF
excitement. l was peculiarly struck
with his whole appearance, and the
tone OF feeling evident in the chamber.
Mr.. Calhoun Qhen vice presidenD
was i'll 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 a word, not a gesture of Gen.
Hayne escaped his lion look. The
senate was deeply interested, as
matter of course. The language of
Gen. Hayne was rich and vigorous,
and his powerful effect OF the impost
law on the south, the description he
hazardous elOcution and impetuous
bearing, were evidently making a
strong impression on the body. From
time TO time attention would be di-
rected from him to the gentleman who
was expected 10 answer him, and
whom the general attacked under
cover OF a terrible and Calling fire.
Cold, serene. dark and melancholy,
that man, thus assailed, sat apart,
black and frowning as a mountain
rock, lie evidently felt the gigantic
lnilueuces 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 rallylng of that great, dark
man! His countenance was the same
during the whole of that tremendous
Cra A of
made upon him; but yet he neither
turned to the right nor the left, but
calmly and calamity, like the soldier
awaiting his signal, he bided his
hour. That time of retaliation
came swift as the thoughts
of vengeance to Daniel Webster.
Who will forget the exordium of
that remarkable effort, slashing sar-
casn, the whitening tones of that voice,
and the temper OF his languagep Gen.
Hayne changed color and appeared
much disconnected. But who that
heard him will permit the peroration
to be forgotten-thOSe closing pass
ages of grandeur, that majestic allu-
sion 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 floating, he de-
livered an apostrophe which has never
been surpassed, and seldom equaled. 1t
composed figure Of the most thrilling
Interest," burst of solemn and pathet-
ic feeling-and, coming from such a
source Ga man generally estimated
phlegmatic), it was electric. 1t was
like the beam of sunset, or the CLEAN
OF summer lightning, radiating the
brow of cliff and mountain.