impassioned declamation. But
when Pinkney turned from the President of the Senate and, flashing his
eye upon King, continued in words hissing in whispers, full of pathos
as of biting indignation, Mr. King folded his arms and rested his head
upon them, concealing his features and emotion from the speaker and the
Senate. For two hours the Senate and galleries were chained as it were
to their seats. At times so intense was the feeling, that a pause of
the speaker made audible the hard and excited breathing of the
audience, catching their breath as though respiration had been
painfully suspended and relief had come in this pause. When he had
finished and resumed his seat, there was profound silence for many
seconds, when a Senator in seeming trepidation rose and moved an
adjournment.

Mr. Pinkney was in every respect a most finished gentleman, highly
bred, only associating with the first men and minds of the country;
courteous and polished in his manners, and scrupulously neat in his
dress, which was always in the height of fashion and always of the
finest and most costly materials. He never came to the Senate but in
full dress, and would have been mortified to find a mite of lint upon
his coat, or a dash of dust upon his boots.

At that time the United States Senate was the most august and dignified
body in the world. What is it to-day? _O tempora, O mores!_ In the
House, the palm of oratory was disputed between Mr. Clay and Mr.
Randolph. Their styles were so different, and both so effective, that
it was difficult to distinguish by comparison, to which belonged the
distinction of being first. Mr. Clay was always collected and
self-possessed--he was, too, always master of his subject; and though
he was a ready debater, he never made a set speech upon any important
subject without careful preparation. He was not easily disconcerted;
courageous, with a strong will, he feared no intemperate opposition,
and was never restrained from uttering his sentiments and opinions of
men or measures. He was kind and generous, until aroused or offended
and, then, was merciless. His sarcasm and invective upon such occasions
was withering, and his vehemence daring and terrible. No man of his day
had a mind better balanced than Mr. Clay. His judgment was almost
always correct; his imagination brilliant, but always under the control
of his judgment; his memory and preceptive faculties were wonderful;
his education was defective, and the assoc