ce of education, and
partaking of the natural phlegm peculiar to inhabitants in colder
regions. While Southern eloquence seemed to endeavor to elicit feeling
and passion, Northern orators looked for their success rather to the
conviction of the understanding than to the indulgence of the weaker
elements of human nature. By pleasing and subtle sophistries, by
enthusiastic ebullitions of resentment and indignation, or by the more
amiable contrivances of patriotic and virtuous sentiment, Benjamin and
Davis sought, if they could not convince legislators, at least to
attract to their peculiar doctrines the impulsive and credulous masses
among their own people. On the contrary, it was apparent that Northern
statesmen, confident in the exercise of intellectual resources, relied
on the intelligence and reason of their auditors and constituents, and
seldom resorted to that species of oratory which was employed by their
adversaries, and which may be called in a manner strategetic, when
logical accuracy was likely to meet with more satisfactory and more
permanent success. Before we proceed to notice the eminent Senators from
the North, we propose to dwell briefly upon several who, though
representing slave States, were, in the last Congress at least, loyal to
the Government; several of whom, however, are now engaged in treason,
while others remain true to their allegiance.

The person who, both from the position he held in the Senate and from
his imposing personal appearance, first attracted the attention of the
visitor, was the Vice-President, Breckinridge, of Kentucky. His later
treachery has made him justly the object of bitter popular odium,
inasmuch as his delinquency was aggravated by his former professions of
loyalty. It was hoped by many who had witnessed his early elevation to
the highest dignities, his undoubted ability both as an orator and as an
administrative officer, and his apparently manly and ingenuous bearing,
that talents which promised to be of so great service to his country
would, in the approaching struggle, be exerted in behalf of its entirety
and honor. Southern 'chivalry' in him was exhibited in a nobler and more
amiable light than in his more petulant and less generous colleagues. A
certain graceful dignity was united with the most attractive felicity of
manner, and one could not help regarding him, when viewed in private
society, as a perfect model of a gentleman. His courtesy and delicacy
were exhibite