Homes of American Statesmen; With Anecdotical, Personal, and Descriptive SketchesVarious
History
Homes of American Statesmen; With Anecdotical, Personal, and Descriptive Sketches
Various
Historic buildings -- United States; Statesmen -- United States; United States -- Biography
"Sir, the eloquence of Mr. Calhoun, or the manner in which he exhibited
his sentiments in public bodies, was part of his intellectual character.
It grew out of the qualities of his mind. It was plain, strong, terse,
condensed, concise: sometimes impassioned, still always severe.
Rejecting ornament, not often seeking far for illustration, his power
consisted in the plainness of his propositions, in the closeness of his
logic, and in the earnestness and energy of his manner. These are the
qualities, as I think, which have enabled him through such a long course
of years to speak often, and yet command attention. His demeanor as a
Senator is known to us all, is appreciated, venerated, by us all. No man
was more respectful to others; no man carried himself with greater
decorum, no man with superior dignity. I think there is not one of us,
when he last addressed us from his seat in the Senate, his form still
erect, with a voice by no means indicating such a degree of physical
weakness as did in fact possess him, with clear tones, and an
impressive, and, I may say, an imposing manner, who did not feel that he
might imagine that we saw before us a Senator of Rome, while Rome
survived.
"Sir, I have not, in public, nor in private life, known a more assiduous
person in the discharge of his appropriate duties. I have known no man
who wasted less of life in what is called recreation, or employed less
of it in any pursuits not connected with the immediate discharge of his
duty. He seemed to have no recreation but the pleasure of conversation
with his friends. Out of the chambers of Congress, he was either
devoting himself to the acquisition of knowledge pertaining to the
immediate subject of the duty before him, or else he was indulging in
those social interviews in which he so much delighted.
"My honorable friend from Kentucky[20] has spoken in just terms of his
colloquial talents. They certainly were singular and eminent. There was
a charm in his conversation not often equalled. He delighted especially
in conversation and intercourse with young men. I suppose that there has
been no man among us who had more winning manners, in such an
intercourse and such conversation, with men comparatively young, than
Mr. Calhoun. I believe one great power of his character, in general, was
his conversational talent. I believe it is that, as well as a
consciousness of his high integrity, and the greatest reverence for his
talents and ability, that has made him so endeared an object to the
people of the State to which he belonged.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account