The Mystery of the Pinckney DraughtNott, Charles C.
History
The Mystery of the Pinckney Draught
Nott, Charles C.
Constitutional history -- United States; Pinckney, Charles, 1757-1824
"Mr. King is a Man much distinguished for his eloquence and great
parliamentary talents. He was educated in Massachusetts, and is said to
have good classical as well as legal knowledge. He has served for three
years in the Congress of the United States with great and deserved
applause, and is at this time high in the confidence and approbation of
his Countrymen. This Gentleman is about thirty-three years of age, about
five feet ten Inches high, well formed, an handsome face, with a strong
expressive Eye, and a sweet high toned voice. In his public speaking
there is something peculiarly strong and rich in his expression, clear,
and convincing in his arguments, rapid and irresistible at times in his
eloquence but he is not always equal. His action is natural, swimming,
and graceful, but there is a rudeness of manner sometimes accompanying
it. But take him _tout en semble_, he may with propriety be ranked among
the Luminaries of the present age."
"Col. Hamilton is deservedly celebrated for his talents. He is a
practitioner of the Law, and reputed to be a finished Scholar. To a
clear and strong judgment he unites the ornaments of fancy, and whilst
he is able, convincing, and engaging in his eloquence the Heart and Head
sympathize in approving him. Yet there is something too feeble in his
voice to be equal to the strains of oratory;--it is my opinion that he
is a convincing Speaker, that (than) a blazing Orator. Col. Hamilton
requires time to think,--he enquires into every part of his subject with
the searchings of phylosophy, and when he comes forward he comes highly
charged with interesting matter, there is no skimming over the surface
of a subject with him, he must sink to the bottom to see what foundation
it rests on.--His language is not always equal, sometimes didactic like
Bolingbroke's, at others light and tripping like Sterne's. His eloquence
is not so defusive as to trifle with the senses, but he rambles just
enough to strike and keep up the attention. He is about 33 years old, of
small stature, and lean. His manners are tinctured with stiffness, and
sometimes with a degree of vanity that is highly disagreeable."
"Mr. Charles Pinckney is a young Gentleman of the most promising
talents. He is, altho' only 24 [29] y's of age, in possession of a very
great variety of knowledge. Government, Law, History and Phylosophy are
his favorite studies, but he is intimately acquainted with every species
of polite learning, and has a spirit of application and industry beyond
most Men. He speaks with neatness and perspicuity, and treats every
subject as fully, without running into prolixity, as it requires. He has
been a member of Congress, and served in that Body with ability and
eclat." (_William Pierce of Georgia_; 3 Amer. Hist. Review, 313.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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