ance which early engaged the attention of Sen- during this period, that Webster, Clay, Calator Benton were the "Tariff and American houn, Jackson and many other eminent statessystem. It came up in the session of 1823-24, men flourished. It was during this period that and began to assume something of the import- some of the greatest debates of the American ance which subsequently it attained. From Senate took place, and some of the greatest that period until its last revision, in 1846, it movements of the Government were made. perhaps, for the length of time, has been the Who does not remember Jackson's memorable most prominent topic before the country. On Administration, and the astonishing excitement this subject the views of Mr. Benton were uni- into which the country was at times thrown; formly and constantly expressed in opposition the war with the United States Bank, the reto Protection. moval of the deposits, the treasury circular, the pet bank system, the nullification proceedings of South Carolina, the compromise tariff, etc., etc. With this book of Mr. Benton as our guide, we go behind the scenes and inspect the motives which actuated and controlled these measures, and learn the wisdom they should teach.

The manner in which Mr. Benton has performed this work is admirable. The style is as graphic and interesting as if he was narrating

In fact, the life of Mr. Benton is more or less intimately interwoven in all the measures of the Senate of the United States during the thirty years of which he was a member. No full sketch of his life could be given without considerable enlargement upon these measures. This would require greater space than our limits permit, and would be departing from the general plan of these outlines. Those who desire more details, or who are interested in pub-in our presence the particulars, and enriching lic men and public affairs during this long period, will find an inexhaustible fund of information in the last great work of his life, "The Thirty Years' View; or, A History of the Workings of the American Government for Thirty Years." Here is a biography of Mr. Benton to its fullest extent, as comprised in the period above designated; and to this volume we refer for the facts of his political life; it is, indeed, the greatest achievement of its author.

Mr. Benton, in political life, always acted with what has been known of late years as the Democratic party. Naturally ardent and impetuous, he commenced his public career with all the warmth inspired by these traits of character. Time and experience, however, calmed the one and cooled the other, and thereby afforded a rare opportunity for the exercise of candor and judgment. It is with such elevated and disciplined powers that he has compiled the materials gathered during his long career in these two extensive, interesting and valuable volumes. As an intimate view of the working of our Executive and Legislative systems, it will take the place of every other work which has been, or may soon be published. All the important topics which came up for discussion in Congress, the arguments on the opposite sides, the character and manner of the speakers, the action that was taken upon them, the character of the prominent public men, the action of the Executive, the State papers, the position of the parties, and, in a word, everything calculated to interest or to be of value to the American citizen, which occurred in these thirty years, is here spread out in full. It was VOL. III-23.

them with personal anecdotes and sketches of a most striking character. His pages are entirely free from all asperity and bitterness, and with the utmost frankness, kindliness and candor he writes of political friends and foes. It is truly an American work in its spirit and in its contents, and we urge every one to render themselves familiar with it as the foremost political work of the country.

Mr. Benton, as a public speaker, is forcible and impressive. Not possessing that captivating, popular eloquence of Clay, nor the power or stately grandeur of Webster, or the clear, compact reasoning of Wright, he yet has always maintained a rank among the ablest debaters in the Senate. It is seldom, if ever, that there has been a member of that body whose mind was so richly stored with the facts of either American or English history, or who could use them to much better advantage.

PHRENOLOGICAL VIEW OF COL. BENTON.

Mr. Fowler, the distinguished phrenologist, from whose Journal we have drawn most of the facts in the preceding brief notice, gives the following view of Mr. Benton's physiology and phrenological character.

"Mr. Benton's physiology is a very marked one. For massiveness of chest, and size and vigor of the vital apparatus, he has few equals. He must have descended from a long-lived ancestry; and, unless he grossly violates the laws of life, he is destined to live to a very great age.

"His head is not large; it is, however, more round and less elongated than most heads, so

battalion of light infantry which rendered to General Washington the last respects of the Revolutionary army, when, on the 4th of December, 1783, at Francis's Tavern, New York City, he took leave of his brother officers and comrades in arms.

Major Sumner died on the 16th of September, 1789, and was buried, with military honors, in St. Paul's Churchyard, New York City. Alexander Hamilton was one of the pall-bearers at his funeral. Major Sumner's tomb is inscribed as follows:

"This tomb contains the remains of Major Job Sumner, of the Massachusetts line of the army of the Revolution who, having supported an unblemished character through life, as the soldier, citizen and friend, died in this city, after a short illness, universally regretted by his acquaint: ances, on the 18th day of September, 1787, aged 35 years."

Charles Pinckney Sumner was the only son of the foregoing, and the father of the present Senator from Massachusetts. He graduated at Harvard College with distinguished honor in 1796, and studied law under the guidance of the Hon. Josiah Quincy; and, though he never rose to extensive practice, he acquired a reputation for the accuracy and extent of his legal lore. He early attached himself to the Democratic party, and was, throughout, a firm and consistent advocate of its principles.

School. He won golden opinions from the students who enjoyed his instructions, and enlarged the basis of his professional reputation.

Deciding to devote some years to the study of European institutions, he sailed for England in 1837. He was speedily introduced to the best circles of society, was received with marked distinction by the members of the bar and the bench, and was admitted to a degree of familiar intercourse with the highest intellectual classes, at that time rarely enjoyed by private gentlemen from this country. While residing in Paris, he formed an intimate acquaintance with Gen. Cass, then United States Minister at the French Court, and, at his request, prepared a defense of the American claim to the NorthEastern boundary. This able argument was republished in the American journals. He remained abroad three years, and upon his return again occupied the chair as Lecturer at the Cambridge Law School; and after the death of Judge Story, in 1845, was unanimously pointed out by public opinion as his successor. He was disinclined, however, to the office, and accordingly the appointment was not made.

Though decided in his political opinions, Mr. Sumner abstained from all active participation in the politics of the day until the movement for the annexation of Texas. Although his He served for many years as Sheriff of the tastes and habits were averse to public office, County of Suffolk. Through life he was charac- he consented to become a candidate for the terized by the ripeness of his scholarship, his United States Senate as successor to Daniel integrity, and the ease and grace of his deport-Webster, and was elected to that post by the ment. He was often styled the "best-mannered Massachusetts Legislature in 1851.

man in Boston." His memory will be venera- Since that time his career has been well ted in his descendants as long as eloquence, known to the country, and it has been as honliterature, science and moral purity are es-orable as it is conspicuous. Distinguished for teemed among men. the soundness and moderation of his political doctrines, for the fervor and brilliancy of his eloquence, for his varied accomplishments in literature, for the sunny warmth and kindness of his disposition, and the genial courtesy of his manners, he has won the friendship and admiration even of his political antagonists.

Charles Sumner received his early education at the Boston Latin School, was graduated with brilliant reputation at Harvard University in the year 1830, and soon after commenced his professional studies at the Law School in Cambridge. He was a favorite pupil of the late Justice Story, and, at his instance, was appointed editor of The American Jurist. Admitted to the Boston bar in 1834, he was at once recognized as a young man of rare legal erudition, of singular devotion to study. and of elegant classical attainments. He became reporter to the United States Circuit Court soon after commencing practice, and three volumes of reports attest his assiduity and legal acumen in that office. During the absence of Professors Greenleaf and Story he lectured, at the request of the Faculty, for three successive Winters, to the classes in the Cambridge Law

After the prostration of Mr. Sumner by the Brooks assault, he remained for many weeks an invalid in Washington and vicinity, hoping to be able to resume his seat in the Senate. At last he was obliged to give up that hope altogether. He then went to the sea-shore and other retreats, with but little improvement in his health and strength; and at last, by the advice of his physicians, he retired to the mountain air of Western Pennsylvania. In that retreat he was lately visited by a "strongminded woman" and a strong writer, Mrs. Swishelm, of Pittsburgh, who has for several

years edited a paper in that city. The descrip- under the influence of a paroxysm of nervous tion of the invalid Senator by Mrs. Swishelm, as communicated to the New York Tribune, under date of August 23, is so graphic and interesting that we cannot do better than to append it to this notice:

"I found him," says Mrs. S., " at the private residence of Dr. Jackson, whom, with his amiable wife, I have for some years claimed as personal friends; and I remained with them two days to find out the secret of the conflicting accounts of his health. The Rev. Mr. Furness, of Philadelphia, is staying with him; he has been his companion a greater part of the time since he left Washington. He consulted Dr. Wistar, of Philadelphia, who gave it as his opinion that there was serious danger of a chronic congestion of the brain, and recommended Cape May. He went there, and returned to Philadelphia nothing better, when Dr. Wistar insisted upon Alleghany Mountain air; and, wishing to avoid the publicity of a hotel, he took lodgings at Dr. Jackson's private residence. The doctor is a Democrat and most accomplished surgeon, and says he thinks there is blood now settled or congested in the vessels of the membrane which lines the brain-pan, but that with plenty of mountain air, generous diet and exercise it will gradually be absorbed, and he be restored to his full vigor.

headache; but he says, with a kind of lofty, incredulous scorn, that his head does not ache! Sometimes he feels a pressure on the top of his head, and it appears to hurt him when he walks; but he will be ready to go to Washington in two weeks.

"It is a remarkable fact, that I never saw a sick man who was not either going to die in half an hour, or would not be ready to go to Washington in two weeks.

"Mr. Burlingame came on Friday evening about six o'clock, in company with a gentleman and lady from Philadelphia. He had not before seen Mr. Sumner since the Brooks challenge, and we all sat together until after eleven o'clock-there was so much to be told, and said, and explained. Without any personal resemblance, these two appeared together like father and son; but I could give no idea of their interview, even so much of it as the sacredness of private conversation would permit to be made public, in less than a column, and Mr. Sumner crowds every thing from my thoughts just now. When his friends left, he had no disposition to retire, and when he did, slept but one hour. Next morning his pulse was very rapid, but he took his usual morning ride in company with Mr. Burlingame, the doctor, and the ladies of the party who wished to go. They "For the two days I was there I watched Mr. | returned in a great flow of spirits, and after Sumner closely, bringing to bear upon his case dinner the Senator from Massachusetts was a thirty years' experience of frequent and some-expelled from the library by a vote of the times long periods of nursing the sick, and house. He retired, but did not sleep. think there is ample room for the worst apprehensions of his friends. He rides on horseback over the roughest mountain paths, twelve or fourteen miles a day, and returns with a good appetite for dinner; but a walk of a quarter of a mile prostrates him very much. Prior to this injury he was considered the best pedestrian in Washington, and ten or twelve miles was only pleasant exercise to him.

"He has all the impatience of ordinary men in illness, or in the prospect of restraint, and assures everybody that he is doing very well, feels very well, is quite strong, and will surely be able to go to Washington in two weeks. Mr. Burlingame assures me, with tears in his eyes, that this is what he always said. Ever since his injury he has been going to be quite well in two weeks; but when he rises from his chair he takes hold of the table. His gait, at a first glance, appears that of a man of ninety years of age; but, watching him a while, I felt that it was the very kind of step one takes when creeping through a darkened chamber

"He only reads and writes about ten letters a day, laying his hand every few moments, while absorbed at his desk, upon the top of his head, creeping, with his unsteady gait, his hand upon a table or back of a chair, or on the small of his own back, to lie down upon the sofa; and when he feels rested, back to his desk again. But he says these are letters which require no intellectual effort. He must write to his friends in Washington to stand fast by their position on the Army bill. O! if he only had a seat in the House now! Everything depends upon the House. He must read the Tribune and quite a number of other papers, then the dispatches from Kansas. The Free-State settlers, he fears, will be exterminated, and he watches every conflicting account with about that degree of interest which a man out on a plank at sea would feel for a sail in sight. He appears to forget that the civilization of the world, that God and humanity have sent him up to the Alleghany Mountains to take care of Charles Sumner's head; that the ardor with which he