Rhode Island American And Providence Gazette

MR. GILES.—The career of this gentleman's political life is so familiarly known to most of our readers, that it would be unnecessary to detain them with any particular account of the distinctions he has attained to. Whatever may be thought of his principles as a politician, or of the wisdom and expediency of the measures he advocated, it will be conceded on all hands, that as an accomplished debater and the skilful leader of a political party—he has rarely been equalled in the American Senate. During the long period of his service in that body, he was the acknowledged organ of the party in power, and contributed perhaps more than any other individual, to the particular direction which was given to public measures at a moment of peculiar embarrassment and excitement. After the election of Mr. Monroe, whom he cordially detested, he withdrew himself entirely from public employment—and has only been heard of occasionally through the medium of the press, as the advocate of the doctrines peculiar to Virginia. His recent appearance in the Legislature of that state, on the question of amending her defective Constitution, has naturally excited a good deal of interest—and our readers perhaps will be curious to witness the last exhibition of this veteran statesman of which the particulars are given in the following extracts:

"According to expectation, Mr. Giles took the floor against the Convention on Friday, and spoke nearly two hours and three quarters. His emaciated appearance excited great sympathy in his spectators, and his renown as a debater commanded for the whole space, the fixed attention of the largest audience ever before seen in the Capitol. Much of his speech displayed profound thought— no inconsiderable portion of it, seemed to us at least, common place, unconnected and trivial.—While the entire display rather reminded us that 'here Troy once stood,' than satisfied us that the citadel of his great mind had not suffered a little from the common spoiler, time. We mean not to insinuate that the solidity of Mr. Giles' faculties is impaired by age, but that contrasting this speech with his fame they must have lost somewhat of that elasticity and ardor which has distinguished them in former times."

"He gave several specimens of that good humour which we have always heard characterised him in debate. Being invited by the Speaker to sit, while he addressed the House, he said he had found in the course of his life, the force of habit, and he was persuaded if he sat down, he should be tongue-tied. (Credat Judæus Apella, non ego.) He apologized to the House, for the necessity he was under of using artificial stimulants to sustain his strength, though he said there was the less need of apology, as 'they had become the order of the day.' (Construed as a direct hit at Tims.) He was likewise facetious upon the gayer part of the audience, who he said thought constitution-making as easy as footing down a cotillion. These sallies, particularly the pass at Tims, were well received."

We extract the following paragraph from the same paper.

"Mr. Giles Resolutions.—It will be seen that Mr. Giles yesterday introduced a string of resolutions, proposing enquiry into the legitimacy of certain powers exercised by the General Government. His ulterior views were not fully developed, and we are therefore left at a loss to know whether they are intended as merely declaratory of Legislative opinion, or whether they are to be followed up by more decisive measures. We have heard it hinted, that if the opinions of the Legislature are found to correspond with his, Mr. Giles means to propose a counteracting policy against the operation of the tariff—to subject northern manufactures to a state duty, which shall in the Virginia market place domestic and foreign manufactures on a footing of fair competition. We had heard too, that Kentucky hoes and horses, were to be made to pay duty, by way of retaliation on that state for her tariff propensities. But we vouch for the accuracy of none of these conjectures."