The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-03-22
4 SOUTHERN LEADER.

~~-,'''
Colonel John w. DuBose. gives tile pub
lie one of the most valuable AID interest
ing biographies of this gene alton.
Cololcl DuI}osa was the contemporary
and friend of William Low, les Ian;ey,
and be Las made this booE a labo- Of 1--we.
Yet there is no strained IalIdation, no evil
dent hero worship in this big. iphy. The
writer gathered his facts and si'tel oil doe
umentS with painstalsing care, and now
leaves the world to max up its verdict. A
writer III The !irmi ,s''am Agc-iirral'l
says of the book:
To ~. Dul!ose. Yancey is the representa-
tive the very embodiment Of side OF a great
social, ethical, economic, political question,
which Is Older than the government; which,
Cor n time, was trampled under foot by brute
force of strong-battaionS, but which,
e'thousL ~sl;;siled TO earth" has arisen again,
1irTd will continue paramount as long rs Anglo
Saxon Iioerty remains to bless and civii,Ee
Che world. Every one knows what this great
question is. The William L. Ianccy of Hif.
SDuIio>e is the south perSoniGcd. The pur-
nose Of this book is to furnish facts that sent
our fathers and brothers to battle and die on
every battlefield from the Potomac to the
Rio Grande, for n holy cause; and also TO
supply argument and answer to those VINO are
seeking still to destroy 1.-THE rights OF the
states anu Inc people illtTt'tI' II 10 N'i'iN'i
that Mr. DuBose has, with great palms, care
Tul study and untring industry thoroughly
prepared himself, and now nc enters the list
like Knight of the olden time, with his visor
down. his spear at rest net Il feather CULVER
ang in his plume, and "L'Cutrance" on his
pcnnon. That he will hold his own against
all corners, those who know him do not for
moment doubt.
IL reading 1.-The Life of Yancey." the first
ching that strikes is the language. 1t is
$crsc, vigorous, pointed English, of the Anglo
Saxon. ana not of Norman-French character.
The author believes every word he writes.
and docs not intend to mislead his readers or
let them deceive themselves.
The book is certainly child of the south.
1T does not contain yankee phrase, and
doubt if all the culture of New England could
have produced single page. Mr. DuBosc is
a disciple of Calhoun, and familiarity with the
speeches and writings of that great man has
undoubtedly had its influence upCn him. But
sir. Calhoun was educated at Yale and his
etyie cannot be called distinctly southern.
The cratic genius. Henry \. Wise, spoke elo-
0uantIv and his ''Sevcn Decades is an In
Sercsting book, but his style no nearer
southern than "1he Johns ouese" of the au-
thor Ct .'Easseaa' WAS Eng..h. Hugh S
I.cgqr, vi otc classical not southern English,
and the recent excellent work OF HanniS TaE-
Lcr is very good legal English. Mr.. Dni}ose
writes our language like McDuiiie spoke it,
and / heard William c. Preston once say,
George McDufIie spoke English rs no man
had since Lord Bolingbrole died" What is
this southern speech? Perhaps no one can
Cell exl NV but he who has heard McDuilie
and Y:uccy knows. and he who reads Mr..
DuBose's life of Yancoy'' will have pretty
clear i12a Of 1T.
This criticism does not overshoot the
marx and in general terms very fairly
describes the plan and the work OF Aan-
cey's LioGrapher.
William Lowndes Yanccy was born in
Warren county, Georgia, in 1914, and was
fhc brother of the late Benjamin c. Yam
coy. lie enjoyed the best educa-
{ioual advantages south and north
and after a brief residence III South Car
olina. settled in Alabama, where he soon
became famous as Il journalist and as Il
lawyer.
At that time the plantation society Of AL
ALBANIA was composed Of many of the best
people Of Georgia, the Caronas and Nir-
ginia. They We're people Of culture and
wealth and no man could be leader
amorE them unless he was pre-emincntly
worthy.
EIr. Yancey was soon drawn into poll
tics. and served two terms in the legisla-
.1ure aud two terms in congress, where he
displayed conspicuous ability. From the
beginning of his public career he was a
strong states rights democrat, ard when
he resigned his seat in congress his letter
TO his constituents sounded the keynote of
She educational movement, which finally
resulted in secession.
1t is clearly shown by the biographer
that Tie south marched into secession
maintaining the fundamental principles of
Che federation of sovereign states estab-
Ishcd 10y Mr.. jefferson in the ordinance Of
11Sf. and that Mr.. Iancey was the ablest
exponent Of that idea.
After retiring from congress, Mr.. Yam
cey began his career as the leader Of the
south Holding 40 official station, his bril-
liant genius and eloqucnce We're so gener-
ally admired that he invited to deliver
hundreds Of addresses in all parts of the
south, and also III the north.
In the chapter on Yaucey and billiard
Tye have two attractive pen pictures. The au-
thor says:
IIliafd studied the construction of SEN
fences and the manner of delivery. His die
lion was elegant and his uttcrance extremely
fluent. His tall figure ever graceful, hand
some features, brilliant eyes, distinguished
appearance, indeed, ana well trained voice as
sisted his words, as Hay BE imagined lie
grouped his facts well, avoided WOundn;, the
prcjudiccs Of his hearers seldom employed
She great power Of sarcasm he was known 10
90:3srss. and told OF the defeat of his party
as II it were triumph. The democrats
charged against nlI0 that, Wnuc he ADVANCED
with The point OF his lance concealed uE4ief d
garland of roses, he often succeeded In III,
settling the convictions of thr uuWary by tho
argument the flowers concealed. He had Il
richer fancy than Yanccy, employed more
art, and was more adroit. He had the self
confidence and the surtlety of conscious pow
er. lie was courteous, animated ana bril-
liant. billiards friends likcncd Yanccy to
the ieye ling rush Of the storm; Yapccy's
friends A-ened billiard to the reposc of ma
surc when the rainbow spans the sky.
Those now living who best remember Yam
cey's 0ratory compare it TO the oratory of
no one else. They remember that by his
speech complex things We're made smooth ard
the warm blood enthuscd, while even tanner
natures We're transported, but they do not ad-
init that the rules Of the school of oratory
were brought much into the result His ora
Cory was his own-straightforward common
sense impassiOned. He was ardent rather
than ingenious, ha had passion and employed
1t, he left suspicion that he spoke to