The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-04-12
.COWED BY HIS LOOK.
HOW DANIEL WEBSTER ONCE Dis
FER5ED A MEETING.

HOW DANIEL WeBS Tx -ONCE@ LILO.
PER5ED A MEETING.
some of the Personal Chnracteris-
tic. OF Cold Dlooded, Courteous
Aaron Burr -peculinritles OF the
Eccentric John Randolph.
The personality and the peculiarities
Of our great statesmen are worth study
ing, says writer in the Atlanta Con-
stitution They throw side lights upon
character and conduct.
Among our early statesmen Aaron
Burr was easily the first when consid-
cred as an elegant gentleman and man
of the world When he visited Savan-
nah, in the height of his popularity, he
charmed everybody, and the city over
whelmed him with social attentions
Burr detested handshaking and per-
mitted no familiarities. He would mo-
tion avisitor in his Office to chair and
talk to him quietly, never making any
gesture beyond the occasional motion
of a long white hnger.
Despite this rather offish manner.
Burr charmed and fascinated He had
wonderful conversational powers, and
upon one occasion his oIatory melted
the whole United States senate to tears.
He never spoke longer than 80 min
utes even in his most important law
cases. He was cold blooded. After his
famous duel, when the death of Ham
ilton was announced to him. he showed
no emotion.
.sDid he suffer much pain 2 he asked.
Yes. was the reply.
81 regret it, said Burr; '.it was my
purpose to spare him needless pain. "
Then he turned the conversation to
another subject.
He was always courteous. and 1t ls
said that he never passed countryman
on dusty road without first asking his
permission.
People who knew them said that An
drew Jackson owed much Of his polish
to his intercourse with this man.
The duel with Hamilton ruined him.
and the charge of treason when he at
tempted to organize an expedition for
the invasion Of Mexico killed him as
public man. The charge was not proved.
but it made him an object of suspicion.
It should be stated that this elegant
society man showed at all times excep-
tional nerve and pluck in war and in
his personal difficulties. There was not
a Drawer officer in the Revolutionary
army.
John Randolph had some peculiar
ways. He scorned to court the favor OF
the masses when candidate. lie would
not bow to any but his friends nor
shake hands with his constituents. Yet
he was always elected.
He was almost a scarecrow in ap-
pearance. eccentric and oddly dressed
with disagreeable. high keyed voice.
But his keen wit, cutting sarcasm and
crushing irony made people crazy to
hear him.
Such a politician in our day would
be regarded az crank and would stand
no CuduCc UGlOIc GuC pCOp
Daniel Webster was always posing
He seemed to know that people were
looking at him AS rule he was cold
and digni6ed, but there were convivial
moments when he was very genial and
entertaining
Upon one OCCASION at Rochester, he
came out on the balcony of his hotel
and made the following speech to
crowd of hilarious admirers
ssA1en of Rochester. am glad to see
you, and I am glad to see your noble
city. Gentlemen, I saw your falls
which 1 am told are 80 feet high. This
is a very interesting fact. Gentlemen.
Rome had her Caesar, her Scipio. her
Brutus, but Rome in her proudest days
never had waterfall $50 feet high
Gentlemen Greece had her Pericles. her
Delnosthenes and her Socrates, but
Greece in her palmist days never had
waterfall $50 feet high! Men of Roch-
ester, 90 on. No people ever lost their
liberties who had a waterfall 15O feet
high.
1t is needless to say that the crowd
went wild with delight. aud Webster
was hustled off to bed.
His cold manner was offset by his
magnificent personal appearance. An
English lord who accidentally saw him
in the house of commons, when the
American senator was addressing that
body during a recess, exclaimed:
.tThere. That is the first real man |
ever saw!
When New England failed to stand
by Him for the presidential nomination,
Webster was called upon to speak while
on a train which had stopped at towr
Of some Importance. The statesman
walked to the rear platform of his car,
folding his arms across his breast and
simply looked into the faces Of his false
friends.
The effect was marvellous. The crowd
dispersed at once. each man going his
own way, with his head down. without
saying IL word to the others.
A wedding Superstition.