host of friends who so much admired her. Dr.
Cheesboro was one of these, and the green-eyed monster made him, in the
convictions of Taylor, the especial favorite of his wife. McDuffie was
employed in his defence, and he made a most triumphant success against
evidence, law, and justice. His speech to the jury was most effective.
The trial had called to Columbia many persons connected with the
family; and all were interested to save from an ignominious death their
relative. This, it was thought, could only be done by the sacrifice of
the wife's reputation. This would not only ruin forever this estimable
lady, but reflect a stain upon her extensive and respectable
connections. She was appealed to, to save her husband's life with the
sacrifice of her fame. In the consciousness of innocence, she refused
with Spartan firmness to slander her reputation by staining her
conscience with a lie. Her friends stood by her; and when hope had
withered into despair, and the possibility gone forever of saving him
by this means, the eloquence of McDuffie and the influence of family
were invoked, and successfully.

In the examination of the witnesses he showed great tact, and
successfully kept from the jury facts which would have left them no
excuse for a verdict of acquittal. But it was in his address that his
great powers made themselves manifest. The opening was impassioned and
powerful. Scarcely had he spoken ten minutes before the Bench, the Bar,
the jury, and the audience were in tears, and, during the entire
speech, so entirely did he control the feelings of every one who heard
him, that the sobs from every part of the courtroom were audible above
the sounds of his voice. When he had concluded, the jury went weeping
from the box to the room of their deliberations, and soon returned a
verdict of acquittal.

This effort established the fame of McDuffie as an orator and man of
great mental powers. Fortunately at that time it was the pride of South
Carolina to call to her service the best talent in all the public
offices, State and national, and with one acclaim the people demanded
his services in Congress. Mr. Simpkins, the incumbent from the
Edgefield district, declined a re-election, that his legal partner, Mr.
McDuffie, might succeed him, and he was chosen by acclamation. He came
in at a time when talent abounded in Congress, and when the country was
deeply agitated with the approaching election for President. Almost
immediately