Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-26

After he left this school he was en-
ployed in a store at Richmond. Va. and
thence transferred to a desk clerlsship in
the office OF the high court of chancery
in that state.
Shortly afterwards he was employed as
an amanusnsis by Chanc el'or Wyth. who,
perceiving his talents and his fondness
for books urged him to study law, gave
him the use of his library and directed
his reading. So rapidly did he devour
and assimi.ate his mental food, that it
is said the chancellor had but to name a
book and the next time he met his pupil
he found him not only master of it's con-
tents but deeply ve'sed in them and ex-
tending his thoughts far beyond his in
struc.ors. In 1897 Clay removed from
Virginia to Lexington. Ky, where he be-
gan to practice law. Though penniless
at first he soon rushed into a successful
and lucrative practice" In person. Clay
was tall and commanding, being six feet
and one inch in stature-and was noted
for the erect appearance he presented,
whether standing, walking or talking.
He had high forehead. a prominent
nose and an uncommoniy large mouth
and blue eyes-which, though not par
ticularly expressive when in reposa
had an electrical appearance when
kindled.
His voice was one OF extraordinary
compass, melody and power. Like all
/ magical voices. it had the faculty o. inns
parting to the most familiar and c"nl-
monplace expressions an ineNpressle.,
fascina ton, and probably no orator eve.
lived who, when speaking on great
occasion, was more completely absorbed
in his theme. Mr.. Cay died in 1852.
Tributes of respect We're offered from al
classes of men. He was not only one of
the greatest men in this country, but,
but OF the age in which he lived. an l his
morals were not inferior to his mental
endowments
He was probably the greatest orator
| of this country-Patrick Henry perhaps
excepted, and his words. Il would
rather be right than PRESIDENT Would
have alone immortaliZed him.
Whoever looked upon Daniel Webster,
with his massive frame and beetling
brows, deep-set searching black eyes,
felt that Titan stood before him. In his
voice, in his step, and in his bearing
there was a grandeur that took the inn
agination by storm. Clay had more
magnetic nature and showed far keener
sagacity III diyini.lS public sentiment
and sweeping the strings Of popular feel
ing: but in sheer intellectual might, in
that comprhensiveness Of vision which
sees all sides of subject and judges it
in all it's relations, in that Weight OF ut
terance which gives the greatest i'm
pressiveness to everything that one
| says, and in logic which links conclu-
/ sion to conclusion like chain Of iron,
| no American was ever equal to Webster.
l tla 10, f,f he
and for this reason. because he spoke to
! the head rather than the heart he was
not a favorte of the populace. He was
| the pride of the people rather than their
| idol Webster like Bacon, was a sickly
| child and but for that reason might
never have been sent to college. 1t is
! a curious fact also. that he was afflicted
| with such extreme shyness that he took
! no part in the declarations. MlnE
pieces We're committed to memoir and
| rehearsed again and again in lis rooms,
| but when his name was called II the
| schooroom and all eyes We're fas.s.ncd
! upon him, he seemed glued to his saat.l
| Upon entering college, however, ii be-
| came at once an easy and Impressive,
| speaker and debater, and when he took
! the floor for the first time in cor sress
| he sprang by one bound to the very
| f:on. rank of parliamentary deLar ars
! Win his advent at Washington nov
sche oil of oratory. now known as the
| Websterian, was formed, for even thus
early his oratory had mainly all the
qualities which characterized it in later
years.
Giant like as was his intellect, it was
naturally sluggish and heavy and re-
quired the stimulus of a great occasion
or a great antagonist to call forth it's
slumbering power His manner in speak
ing was unusually calm and deliberate,
expressing himself in measured sem
fences with great economy Of words.