USA > Indiana > Early Indiana trials: and sketches. Reminiscences > Part 9
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M'DUFFIE AND BATES.
and that all laws are cruel and oppressive that strike at the innocent habits of the people ? To illustrate, what would the gentleman think of me if I should offer an amendment that neither himself nor his constituents shall hereafter have more than a pint of whisky for breakfast instead of a quart? Does he not know that the disposition of all animals partakes, in a greater or less degree, of the food on which they are fed ? The horse is noble, kind and grateful ; he is fed on grain and grass. The bear (looking at Daniel, who was a heavy, short man, dressed in a blue coat, with a velvet collar) will eat hog and raw hominy. You may domesticate him, dress him in a blue coat with a velvet collar, and learn him to stand erect, and to imitate the human voice, as some showmen have done, but examine him closely, sir (looking at Daniel some seconds); you will discover he is the bear still. The gentleman told us, in a speech some days ago, that his district produced large numbers of jackasses, hogs and mules. No stronger proof of the truth of his statements can be given than a look at its representative. I ask the gentleman to keep this extra duty off of molasses, and commence its use among his constituents, and as feeble as our hold upon life is, Mr. Chairman, a man may yet, before we die, be permitted to go to his grave with two eyes in his head in the gentleman's district." Daniel wilted under the sarcasm, and few members afterward felt disposed to arouse the eminent son of Rhode Island.
M'DUFFIE AND BATES.
GEORGE MCDUFFIE was chairman of the committee of Ways and Means. The bill making appropriations to remove the Indians was in Committee of the Whole. The previous question was confined to the House, and there was no way of closing the debate and of taking the bill out of committee but to sit it out till all the members got tired of speaking, or some one could carry a motion that the committee rise and report the bill. John Wood, of Ohio, had the floor, but was immediately put down by the coughing and rattling of spittoons in the neighborhood of Mr. McDuffie, when Edward Bates, of Missouri, then her sole representative, rose, and addressed the Chair. The noise commenced. "I see that the Chair has not the will to protect Missouri from insult in my person ; let the gentleman avow himself and I will protect myself, sir." McDuffie rose, bowed, and took his seat. " Is it the gentleman from South Carolina ? I will see that gentleman another day." The debate closed, and Mr. Bates in my presence wrote a challenge to Mr. McDuffie, handed it to William
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S. Archer who was sitting near us, who stepped across the hall ; as he approached Mr. McDuffie pointed him to Mr. Hamilton as his friend. The matter was afterward arranged by Mr. McDuffic disavowing any intention of insulting Mr. Bates, having merely resorted to that means to get the bill out of committee.
There were several other interesting incidents during that Congress, that I may on some other day take time to sketch.
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REV. HENRY WARD BEECHER.
[SATURDAY MORNING, AUGUST 15, 1857.
REV. HENRY WARD BEECHER.
THE organ had been placed in the Second Presbyterian Church at Indianapolis. Sabbath evening had come. The church was brilliantly lighted up. The last bell was tolling when I entered the Church. The Rev. Henry Ward Beecher was in the pulpit, Charles Beecher seated at the organ, and A. G. Willard, John L. Ketchum, Lawrence M. Vance, Alexander H. Davidson, Dr Ackley, Master Albert Wil- lard, Mrs. Ackley, Mrs. Ketcham, Miss Graydon and Miss Merrill in the choir. The house was crowded. The Organ played ; the choir sang- The voice of free grace cries,-" Escape to the mountain !" For Adam's lost race Christ hath opened a fountain ; For sin and uncleanness, and every transgression, His blood flows most freely in streams of salvation.
CHORUS.
Hallelujah to the Lamb! he hath purchased our pardon, We'll praise him again, when we pass over Jordan.
Ye saints that are wounded ! Oh! flee to the Saviour,
He calls you in mercy,-'tis infinite favor,- Your sins are increasing,-" Escape to the mountain " --
His blood can remove them-it flows from the fountain.
O, Jesus ! ride onward, triumphantly, glorious, O'er sin, death and hell thou art more than victorious ; Thy name is the theme of the great congregation, While angels and saints raise the shout of salvation.
With joy we shall stand, when escaped to the shore, With harps in our hands, we'll praise him the more, We'll range the sweet plains on the bank of the river, And sing of salvation for ever and ever.
Mr. Beecher rose in prayer; he was deep, pathetic, and closed in tears. Gave out for the choir :
HARK !- ten thousand harps and voices Sound the note of praise above, Jesus reigns, and heaven rejoices- Jesus reigns, the God of love. See ! He sits on yonder throne, Jesus rules the earth alone.
Jesus, hail ! whose glory brightens- All above, and gives it worth ; Lord of life! thy smile enlightens, Cheers and charms thy saints on earth. When we think of love like thine, Lord ! we own it love divine.
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King of glory! reign forever-
Thine an everlasting crown ; Nothing from thy love shall sever Those whom thou hast made thine own. Happy objects of thy grace
Destined to behold thy face.
Saviour hasten thine appearing; Bring-oh ! bring thy glorious day, When the awful summons hearing, Heaven and earth shall pass away. Then, with golden harps we'll sing- "Glory, glory to our King!"
The music ceased ; the eyes of the congregation were fixed upon the youthful preacher as he arose and announced the text. " And I say unto you, that many shall come from the East and West, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven." It was the evening sermon, and Mr. Beecher made little use of his notes, but gave reins to his imagination. His mind took in the whole race of man, as included in the text. The discourse held the congregation over an hour and a half in deep feeling. The great powers of the orator were brought to their highest pitch. He closed-" Yes they shall come from the East and the West, from the North and the South, from every part of the globe where man ever lived, or died-of every color, nation, kingdom-of every sect, of every tongue, from every congregation, from every people, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. If I should be there, and I trust that my great Master will vouchsafe me that glorious blessing, if I should prove faithful to the end, I shall expect to meet some of the misguided followers of the false prophet, Joe Smith, the Mormon, who had come up out of great tribula- tion with pure hearts and contrite spirits ; should I meet with one such I should feel like the mariner at sea, in a dark night, when his founder- ing vessel is tempest-tossed ; he easts his eye above and if he sees one twinkling star peering through the darkness, he hails it with a thousand times more joy than he would on a clear night the whole galaxy of the heavens overspread." The sermon closed and the congregation retired.
Mr. Beecher is below the medium size ; his complexion fair, his eyes prominent, his forehead large, his features fine, his voice strong and musical, well-trained and completely under his control. His elocution is of the highest order, his command of the English lan- guage seems to be perfect, indeed he plays upon the language as a skillful performer does upon the keys of the piano. He is one of the finest mental philosophers of the age, while his mind is stored
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REV. CHARLES WADSWORTH.
with knowledge drawn from all possible sources, his imagination is brilliant. As a preacher, he is a landscape painter of Christianity. Mr. Beecher has no model. He is the original of himself. He is always new. Ile imitates no man and no man can imitate him. The great power of Mr. Beecher over his congregation consists mainly in the clearness of his mental vision, the range of his thoughts, and the deep interest he imparts to whatever he touches. He speaks as if conscious that he is telling the truth, and his audience believes he thinks so. Mr. Beecher is emphatically an off-hand man. His mind is quick and impulsive, and should he never again write a sermon for delivery he would lose none of his pulpit force. He was never intended for the straight-jacket, nor the jacket for him. He always makes the best use of his materials, and he has at command an endless variety. Mr. Beecher will always have a large audience, he holds his own congregation, and draws to his church the traveling public. The theater for his genius and talents was too circumscribed at Indianap- olis. The Plymouth Church at Brooklyn, seating its thousands, is filled to overflowing whenever he preaches. It may be safely said, that Henry Ward Beecher is this day among the most popular pulpit orators of the United States.
REV. CHARLES WADSWORTH.
WHILE on a visit to my brother's in Philadelphia, I attended the Old-School Presbyterian Church in Arch street. The Rev. Charles Wadsworth, the pastor, preached. I found the house filled when I got there. A deacon kindly gave me a seat in front of the pulpit. Mr. Wadsworth is a small, spare man, of dark complexion, good face, hair and eyes black, musical voice, but I thought rather careless of his gestures. His sermon was written, lying before him. He is near sighted, and his eyes were too much upon the manuscript for effect.
The organ played, and the choir sang the beautiful hymn-
Rock of ages, cleft for me ! Let me hide myself in thee, Let the water and the blood. From thy wounded side which flow'd, Be of sin the perfect cure ; Save me, Lord! and make me pure.
Should my tears forever flow, Should my zeal no langnor know, This for sin could not atone, Thou inust save, and thou alone: In my hand no price I bring; Simply to thy cross I cling.
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While I draw this fleeting breath, When mine eye-lids close in death, When I rise to worlds unknown, And behold thee on thy throne, Rock of ages cleft for me ! Let me hide myself in thee.
The music was of high order, but I did not think it surpassed that of the choir of the Second Presbyterian Church at Indianapolis, in the days of Mr. Beecher.
Mr. Wadsworth pronounced the text in a solemn voice : "For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind."
I had heard much of Mr. Wadsworth as an eminent, learned divine. I expected much, and was not disappointed. He commenced low, but silence reigned. " Can a man violate the laws of nature with impunity ? Can he expose his body to the elements, at all times, with safety ? Can he take fire in his hand without burning? Can he step from the steeple's top without falling ? Can he spend his days and nights in dissipation and feel well? Can he violate the com- mandments of God and feel happy ? Let him try it, and he will find in this life, that he has sown the wind and shall reap the whirlwind. Think it not strange then, that we preach that those who sow the wind in time, shall reap the whirlwind in eternity."
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ITINERANT PREACHERS.
[WEDNESDAY MORNING, AUGUST 19, 1857.
ITINERANT PREACHERS.
I SHOULD be false to the history of Early Indiana were I to pass by in silence the itinerant Methodist preachers who contributed so much to the establishment of good order, quiet, intelligence, morality and religion among the first settlers, and without intending to give offense to others, I venture the remark, that early Indiana, nay, more, Indiana to-day, owes more to the itinerant Methodist preachers than to all other religious denominations combined.
Their system carried their churches into every settlement, aud where two or three were gathered together, there was a Methodist preacher or exhorter in the midst. They were at the bed-side of the dying man on their knees, and at the grave their voices were heard in songs of praise, Other denominations waited for the people to come up from the wilderness to worship, while the itinerant Methodist preacher mounted his horse, and sought out their cabins in the woods, held. his meetings there, carrying the Gospel, and leaving the Bible and Hymn Book as he went.
The woods of Indiana were not settled without much sickness, many deaths and great suffering among the people. Of course we were too sparsely settled, aud our towns too small, to be the subjects of such awful epidemics as visited New Orleans in the year 1853, the last time the yellow-fever made its appearance in that devoted city; when the waters of the Ohio and Mississippi had almost forsaken their channels, when at intervals only there might be seen a solitary steamer, loaded to the guards, with passengers leaving the city, and slowly wending her way up the crooked channels of the rivers, leaving thousands of citizens behind to perish; when the hum of business ceased, and nothing was heard in the streets but the sound of the lonely hearse slowly and solemnly bearing to the grave the silent dead; when the levees were deserted and Commerce had spread her sails for happier ports ; and when a Nation's sympathy mingled with her cries of woe.
While we had none of these awful visitations, there were few families some members of which were not laid upon the bed of sickness and death .- Connersville was so sickly that I was advised by my friends to leave it and fly for my life .- Indianapolis was no better, indeed its reputation was still worse, and the whole country was in the hands of the physicians and nurses.
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LORENZO DOW.
IN the year 1819 I was one of a congregation assembled in the woods back of Rising Sun, anxiously awaiting the arrival of Lorenzo Dow. Time passed away, we had all become impatient when in the distance we saw him approaching at a rapid rate through the trees on his pacing pony. He rode up to the log on which I was sitting, threw the reins over the neck of the pony and stepped upon the log, took off his hat, his hair parted in the middle of his head and flowing on either side to his shoulders, his beard resting on his breast. In a minute at the top of his voice he said : "' Behold, I come quickly and my reward is with me.' My subject is repentance. We sing, 'while the lamp holds out to burn, the vilest sinner may return.' That idea has done much harm and should be received with many grains of allowance. There are cases where it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a man to repent unto salvation. Let me illustrate : Do you suppose that the man among you who went out last fall to kill his deer and bear for winter meat, and instead killed his neighbor's hogs, salted them down and is now living on the meat, can repent while it is unpaid for ? I tell you nay .- Except he restores a just compensation his attempt at repentance will be the basest hypocrisy. Except ye repent, truly ye shall all likewise perish." He preached some thirty minutes. Down he stepped, mounted his pony, and in a few minutes was moving on through the woods at a rapid pace to meet another appointment.
SKETCHES OF PREACHERS IN EARLY INDIANA.
I MAY be excused for naming some of the itinerant Methodist preachers of early times, to whom I allude in the commencement of this sketch-James Jones, Augustus Jocelyn, John P. Durbin, James Conwell, John Hardy, Aaron Wood, James Havens, Elijah Whitten, John Morrow, Thomas Silvey, John Strange, and Allen Wiley. I had the pleasure of frequently hearing all these eminent preachers. John Strange had a brilliant imagination, and was a splendid preacher. Sometimes I thought him a little too high in his thoughts for the audience he was addressing. He would talk of the " zigzag forked lightnings playing through the concave vaults of heaven, " and again of " the cherubim and flaming swords guarding the paradise of God." I loved to hear him.
Mr. Jocelyn was, at times, one of the ablest sermonizers of the age. At others, he would lose the text, and forget his entire discourse. I saw him at one time at Centerville, standing silent before the congre-
SKETCHES OF PREACHERS IN EARLY INDIANA. 99
gation, his eyes gazing at vacaney. "I am lost-the text and the subject have left me, " and down he sat. A hymn was sung, the meet- ing was closed; and the congregation retired. On one occasion he was preaching at Connersville; I was sitting just before him. He seemed to preach long. I became uneasy about the fire in my office- I could not tell why. The moment he closed, I stepped out and saw the smoke issuing from the windows. I arrived barely in time to save the building. I told him why it was I left so abruptly. He said he noticed my uneasiness and closed the sermon sooner on my account.
James Jones lived at Rising Sun. He was what might be called a good, sound old-fashioned preacher, who contributed his aid with all his power to the cause of morality and religion. I have heard him often, and was always one of his attentive listeners.
John Hardy and Thomas Silvey were of the class known as " local preachers, " though they traveled and preached up and down White- water at times. They preached directly at the heart, leaving doctrinal and controversial matters to others ; and yet I have often thought that they did quite as much good as many others of much higher preten- sions.
Allen Wiley was a preacher of a different cast. I have heard him preach some of the most powerful sermons I ever listened to. He commenced slow, deliberate, and cautions, feeling his way to the hearts of his congregation until his feelings would take charge of his tongue, and then he threw his whole soul into the subject, and closed with such appeals to the congregation as left few dry eyes at the singing of the closing hymn.
James Conwell was a zealous preacher, and at times I thought him strong. His elocution was not very fluent, but his strong common sense made him very acceptable to his congregations. He did much good as a co-worker in the cause of morality and religion.
John Morrow was much of the order of Jas. Conwell. He was a good preacher. I had heard him often, and had but one fault with him; he carried no watch, and sometimes, in his zeal, would forget the time of day. While I was a candidate for Congress, I met Father Morrow and several other Methodist preachers at Conwell's store, in Decatur county. They were on their way to Conference. Our horses were feeding, dinner not ready and we took a short walk to the spring, under the shade of some spreading elms. Father Morrow proposed that I should make a speech. The motion was seconded by all the preachers, and I addressed them for about two hours, with as much sound as if I had been speaking to thousands. At the close father Morrow remarked that he liked the speech, but it was a little too long. " Ah,
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father Morrow, I thought it was my last chance to punish you a little for what I have suffered under your long sermons." The other preach- ers smiled, and I was told the remark was like seed sown on good ground.
John P. Durbin was a young, ardent preacher, but as I may notice him again, I will pass him by and come to James Havens, the Napo- leon of the Methodist preachers of eastern Indiana. I knew him well. Ile seemed to be made for the very work in which he was engaged. He had a good person, a strong physical formation, expanded lungs, a clear and powerful voice, reaching to the verge of the camp ground, the eye of the eagle, and both a moral and personal courage that never quailed. ITis powers as a preacher were of a very high order. I never heard but one man that was like him in his meridian days, and that was father Newton, who visited this country years ago from England, as the delegate to the American conference .- The great characteristic of Mr. Havens as a preacher was his good common sense. He could distinguish his audience so as not to throw his pearls before swine. IIe could feed his babes with the " milk of the Word," and hurl the terrors of the law at old sinners. He seemed to know that old blood never runs in young veins which so many preachers and presidents of colleges too often forget. Mr. Havens was one of the most powerful preachers I ever heard, and I have no hesitation in saying that the State of Indiana owes him a heavier debt of gratitude, for the efforts of his long, and valuable life, to form society on the basis of morality, education and religion, than any other man, living or dead.
Aaron Wood was young as a preacher when I knew him, but he was of high promise. He had a good mind, a happy elocution, and zeal without bounds. I thought the last time I heard him, in the Court House at Connersville, that his work would soon be over, as he preached with all his power until he was exhausted and fell into the arms of a brother. The last time I saw him, however, he was in good health, with a green old age upon him.
Elijah Whitten was one of the most energetic and ardent preachers that ever traveled the Whitewater country. He was strong in doctrine, but I thought his great forte was in exhortation. No man I ever heard could bring more mourners before the altar, than he could. He was highly respected as a preacher, and I have no doubt did great good in his day.
I have now briefly sketched some of our pioneer itinerant Methodist preachers. It is intended to be the best portrait I can draw, but still, no doubt, their relatives and friends may be able to discover many defects which I have overlooked in my sketch. I hope, however, that the general physiognomy of each may be recognized.
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SCENE BETWEEN BURGESS AND M'DUFFIE.
[THURSDAY MORNING, AUGUST 20, 1857.
SCENE BETWEEN BURGESS AND M'DUFFIE.
THE House of Representatives had been in session but a few days after the appointment of the standing committees, when Mr. Mc Duffie, chairman of Ways and Means, made his report, fully sustaining the free-trade doctrines of the South, and repudiating protection in all its phases. The report was read and Mr. Burgess arose and sarcastically remarked-" I am glad the chairman has taken his ene from the Bos- ton free-trade report," and sat down. Mr. Me Duffie sprang to his feet. "If the gentleman charges me with taking my report from the Boston free-trade report, I pronounce it false, and call upon the gentle- man to take baek what he has said." The excitement in the House was intense, when Mr. Burgess was seen rising on the opposite side of the hall, his bald head, high forehead, and long hooked nose giving prom- inence to his appearance. The House was as silent as midnight, and all eyes were turned upon the old man. I can yet see him and hear his voice. He began in the most subdued manner, in a low tone. " Mr. Speaker, I rise to take back every word I said about the report of the Committee of Ways and Means. The chairman says it is false that he took his report from the Boston free-trade report. He says he is the author and he is an honorable man. Now a word as to myself. I beg to assure the House that I was induced to make the statement by facts before my eyes that I thought at the time war- ranted the charge ; bnt the gentleman says it is all false, and he is an honorable man. The Boston free-trade report was published and sent to the Members of Congress weeks before the session. I read page after page of the report of the Committee and find it word for word with the Boston report. I send to the Clerk these reports and ask him to read from the marked pages." The Clerk read aloud from the two, alike in word and letter. As he read the head of Mc Duffie sank to his breast. The Clerk ceased. Mr. Burgess raised his voice to its highest pitch, "I take it all back Mr. Speaker, the chairman says it is false and he is an honorable man," and took his seat amid applause from the galleries, and deep sensation in the House. Mc Duffie made no reply and the Speaker proceeded to the business on his table.
GENERAL NOBLE AND MR. CALHOUN.
A FEW days after, I crossed the rotunda and entered the Senate Chamber. Mr. Calhoun was in the chair and General Noble had the floor. The subject seemed to be of a personal character and the Gen.
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was alluding to the relation that existed between Mr. Calhoun and Mr. Van Buren and their standing with Gen. Jackson. As I first caught the remark of Gen. Noble, " I tell you Mr. President the ' little Magi- cian ' will spoil your dish with the old hero, he is as cunning as a ser- pent and as harmless as a dove." " The Senator will confine himself to the subject." " Which subject ?" " The one before the Senate." " I am trying to do so. I see but one subject before the Senate, the other is at the White House." " The Senator will take his seat." " As I was saying, the little magician-" "The Senator was directed to take his seat." " So I did, but the Chair did not expect me to sit there the balance of the session." I have not sketched this scene merely to show the sensitiveness of Mr. Calhoun at that time on the question touched by Gen. Noble, nor to show the ready wit. and tact of the General, but to record the fact that it was early known in politieal circles that Mr. Van Buren was winning his way to a position in the regards of Gen. Jackson, destructive of the political relations between the General and Mr. Calhoun. The breach between these great leaders, as is known, became wider and wider, until the President's proclama- tion and Force bill, directed at Mr. Calhoun and the Southern Nulli- fiers, was published and widely circulated. Gen. Jackson became greatly exeited, and fixed his eye upon Mr. Calhoun with a determina- tion to bring the whole force of the Government upon South Carolina, and Mr. Calhoun, as their leader, at the commission of the first overt act. James K. Polk told me that he was the first person, one rainy morning, that entered the audience-room of Gen. Jackson. "I found the General up, early as it was, walking the room, evidently under some excitement. 'Good morning, Col.,' said he, 'any overt aets of Mr. Calhoun yet ?'" It is not my purpose here, to go further in this matter : that belongs to Mr. Benton's "Thirty Years," or the historian of the times. These are only intended to be sketches.
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