The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-06-23

Tor the United States. The learned and
venerable Marshall was Chief Justice.
and Taney, who appeared as counsel,
was afterward to be known in two hem
lspheres as the Judge of the Supreme
Court who made the famous Dred Scott
decision. There were giants before that
high court ia those DAYS. Pinckney.
Writ, Webster and Clay were often
engaged. Before that tribunal the youth
OF twenty-five moved with the self pos
session of a master mind. For three
hours he held the court entranced by
his oratory. He even captured the
Chief Justice, who was charmed by the
beauty, strength and uniqueness Of the
young advocate He, however, lost his
case and like many young men, no
doubt felt the world was ont of Joint.
This visi: to Washington was his first
entrance into public life. Jackson was
President, and Washington was full of
his devoted friends, as well as his bitter
est enemies. He visited the White
House, and had the honor of an intro
duet,on and fifteen minutes conversa-
tlon. OF his visit he writes: General
jackson is an odd looking man, and
answers very well to the prints you see
OF him in the shops. think him about
as fit to be President as | am"
1t was on this visit he met for the
hrst time the immortal Webster,
Calhoun and Clay Clay made the
deepest impression, and he clung TO him
with surprising devotion in all the
changes aud chances of his political
life. There was much in common be.
tween them, but they were very unlike.
Clay was an orator, and no more.
Prentiss was an orator and poet. Clay
had splendid physical presence. Prem
tiss was Of small stature. Clay was a
declalmer, whose voice and manner
thrilled audiences, but whose printed
speeches is dull reading. Prentiss was
also declaimer, but such sentences,
beautiful, strong, grand, full of reasons
wisest law, full of poetry's subtilest
essence. To-day they read like the
speeches Of the grand old masters. Clay's
intellectual horizon had never been
widened by reading or profound study.
Prentiss had been an omniyerous reader
from childhood, and his memory re-
tanned all he ever read. They were
alke in their manly contempt of fraud.
Clay would rather have been right than
President, and Prentiss stood before au
diences who had been lured away from
justice by the siren song of repudiation,
and hurled into their faces arguments
and ridicule, anathemas, anG prophecies
OF what would come to pass when a
State consented to wrong.
The case that gave Mr.. Prehtiss bis
greatest fame in Mississippi, was the
celebrated Wick case-the Wick heirs
against the city of Vicksburg He Sc
cured a reversion of the decision of the
Chancery Court. His triumph gave him
money. 1t was no longer drudgery for
bread, and it enabled him to "help the
dear ones at home"
During this time he pronounced his
eulogy on Lafayette, which attracted
attention from all parts of the country
"The friend and companion of Washing
ton is no more. He who taught the
eagle of our country while yet un-
iledged to plume his young wing, and
mate his talons with the lions strength,
has taken his fight beyond the stars
beneath whose influence he fought so
well. Lafayette is no more"
JOSEPH f. MARTIN.
Grace Church, Canton, Miss.