Page:Republican Court by Rufus Griswold.djvu/91

He is perfectly unaffected and simple in his manners, as modest as he is learned, and singularly disinterested. If you should hear him speak, you would be struck by his logical arrangement, his chaste language, and his easy elocution. He is also exceedingly courteous in debate. He is not, however, what would be termed a brilliant man. His mind indeed is of very high order, but not the most rapid in seizing upon the prominent points of a subject. Labor has made him what he is. Allow him time for consideration, and then will appear his profound penetration, his well-linked logic, and his demonstrated conclusion.

And here is another delegate from Virginia. I cannot speak of all, but may not pass unnoticed James Madison. He is now thirty-seven years old, and has been trained as a lawyer by Chancellor Wythe. He possesses fine talents, and is remarkable for his close reasoning. Though younger than many here, he is, notwithstanding, a worthy companion to them, for his views and attainments are much in advance of his years. He was always a thinker, and is a bold and forcible speaker. If there be any one here of whom I would say, "he never was a boy," I think it would be Mr. Madison. Virginia considers him one of her ornaments, and is justly proud of him.

Let us see whom we have here from North Carolina. There are two of that delegation of whom we will speak. First, there is William Richardson Davie. Tall in person and well formed, he is possessed, as you perceive, of features remarkably handsome, and strikingly expressive of his manly nature. His voice is melodious, his manner dignified, and he is a very accomplished orator. He has been a hard student, and his influence is great in North Carolina. He deserves all that he possesses, for he is one of the tried patriots of that state, though not a native. He was born in England, and brought to this country by his father at a very early age.