lil. /\ SKETCH LIFE AND CHARACTER CoL Alexander W* Doniphan T), C. ALLEN, of Liberty, Mo. I.IHRKrV, Mo.: riiiitcil at the Advance OIThm I St) 7. l^ PREFACE.,.-* On December 7th. 1S95, I read helon- the Kansas Cit\' Bar Association, l\\- its imitation, the Sketch of the Lite and Cliaracter of Col. AlexandiT W. Doniplian whieli follows these words of preface. It appeared in the; issue for January, 1896. of the /\'n//strs Ci/r lurr Monthly. At a recent meetinij;' (A the sui-\-i\ors of Compan\- C, 1st Rc_L^iment of Missouri .Mounted X'ohmteers, in tlie Mexican War, who re-side in Clay Co., Mo., the)- di-- cided to jj^ive the- Sketch some i^rcater certaint}- of pre-s- er\-ation by ha\-in_L,'' a number of copit-s of it printed fin pamphlet form and strong;'!}' bound) and depositintj^ three copies ot it in each of the Collei:;'(\ L'niversit}- and ])ul)lic libraries of Missouri. They decided, also, that a ])reface should be <^'-i\-en to the Sketcli, containin;:;- the roster of Comp.\n_\- C with a few explanatory remarks. l'^)r the q-ratification of theinsel\-es and those into whose hands the pamphK't ma\- fall, the\- concluded, in addi- tion, to add to the Sketch pictures of the Cajitain of Compan\- C and of Col. Doniphan. The execLition of their purj)ose they placed on me. It is a work of pleas- ure. The names of the members of Company C, mus- tered into the ser\ice of the United State's at h'ort Le'a\- enworth ]\\wv 7th, 1*846, are intervention of his father, because of minoritw W'il- lard 1'. Mall was afterwards a member of Conj^ress, and, sui)se(jLU'ntl}", (io\-ernor of Missouri. As is known, Alexander W. Doniphan was elected Colonel and Charles v. l\ufi Lieutenant-Colontd of the 1st Rei^iment. I'arker Hcnthall became so severe!)- ill at I^'ort Leaxenworth that he was unal^le to proceed with his com pan)-. The ])ictures of Col. Donijihan aiid Cajjt. Moss, ac- compan}-im( this Sketch, arc \-ery life-like as all will bear witness who knew tliem. That of Col. Doniphan is from a photoi^raph taken in Ma\', 1S79, when lie was, for him, in excellent health, and before the shrinkai^e of old aq-c had betj^un. His expression was alwa\'s ex- tremely difficult for the artist to catch, but the photo- i^raph mentioned comes nearer to the seizure and near- er to showing us the real man than an\- picture of him I ever saw. So far as I know, there docs not exist in print or man- uscript, outside of the accompanx-inj::;- Sketch, (be)-ond a few ])hrases of compliment in \-ei-)' meajj^re biot^raphical account.s of hinij, an\ estimate of the moral character and intellectual g-randeur of Col. Doniphan. Mine is an attempt, — feeble and imperfect, — to rescue from the un- w^ritten past and C,n\'e to the future, for the bcMiefit, at least, of Missourians, some cf)nception of that ij^reat man's personalit\- and !.,rcMiius. I do this in the earnest hojjc that it ma\- serve as a core around which some man of taste, abilit\- and literar)- leisure ma\- build a bioL^n-aphical monument worthv of the splendid cjualities of our threat Missourian. D. C Al.I,EN'. Lir.i'.Kiv, Mo., Jui.v 3d, 1897. |9^ V Alexander W. Doniphan COL JlfflNltl W. IDNIPMN -IIS LIFE SNG CillUCTtll, By D. C. Allen, of Liberty. Mo. Hi,i:.\.\M)i:i; William Domimlw w.is ham in Mason count)-. Kentucky ]u\y 9. 1808. His father, loscpli l)(>ni[)lian. was a native of Kini;" (jcorij;;c. and liis mother of I-'aiujuiei- count)-, X'iri^inia. His motlier's maiden name was .\niu> Sniitli, and her paternal ances- tor was amon;^- tlie oi-i^inal colonists at Jamestowii, V^ir- i^ini.i, in 1607. His tlrst ancestor in America of the naiiie of L)onii)han, canie from haii^hind t') \'ir_!_;inia near the middle or latter part of the 17th centur\-, aiid settled near what is known as the Northern Neck. The ij;i\en name- of that ancestor w-as Mott. It is a trad.itioii in the Doniphan famil\- (a ti'adition which I neither a\'ouch nor den)-) traceable and full)' l)e- lie\-ed b)- its members for more than a centur)-, that it IS of Spanish oi'ii^in. According to the tradition, their ancestor, who separated from the parent stock in Spain, was a N'ouni^ Castilian, of noble blood, who serxetl un- der Ferdinaiid and Isabella in the concpiest of (ii'anada, and w-as knij^hted b\- Kin;j; h'erdinand for L;"allantr)- on the field. Afterward aiid durini;- middle life he indica- ted a preference for Trotestantism, and to escape the terrors of the Iiupiisitioii and eiijo)- the freed(Mn of relii^;- ious belief, he aljandoned his natixe land aiul took ref- ui.,re in lMi<4lan(l. There he married an h"aiL;lish lad\' named Mott and from that union haxe descended the Doniphans of America. The name -so s])eaks the tradition — of the \-ounij^ ca\'alier was I )on Alfonso. This name, in hait^lish use- was insensibl)' corrupted into 1 )oniphan. "■■' A lineage which is traceable to the chi\alr\- of the battle field and the highest de\-otion to con\iction, will *So says the tradition. — 6— alwaN's command the respect and admiration of men. The sc\'cn hundred years o{ battle betwecMi the Span- iards and MocM's left the impn^ss of sii])reme couras^e, undoubtinq" faith and imcoiuiuerable will on the farmer, which easily made of them the foremost men of all Christendom four centuries aijo. Perhaps the tradition is true. If so, I can explain without looking' further, the tiiiLje of old romance in Col, Doniphan's character, his wonderfully delicate respect for women, and his stern adherence to sentiments of honor; as if he were bound to these thini^s — H\- the dead gaze of all his ancestors: .\n(l hy the mystery of his Spanish l)loo,|, Charge conclusion of the re\'olutionar)- strui^ij^le. .\Iarr\in<.,^ Anne Smitli, he returned to Kentucky in 1790, and made his home in Mason county. Miss Smith was a lad\- of e.xtraordinar)- mental j^owcrs and brilliant wit. She was an aunt, I ma)' add, of the late (jo\-. William Smith of X'irj^inia. Joseph Doniphan was for a i^reat many xi'.irs pri(M- to his death, the intimate frieml of the f.imous Simon Ken- ton. It will hr srcn. tluTcfnrc, thai tlu- suhjrct ot this sketch was honi (Im'iiiL;" llu' Li'riu'i-ation iinincdiatcl)' suc- cccdiiiL;' the conclusidu of the striiL;L;lc foi- indepenclciice 1)\- the colonii's and the wrestin;^' ol the soil ol kL-ntuck_\' from the sa\ai;'es. lie was hoiai amid the odoi's of the forest. The tu-st tales poured into his ears when he was old enouLj-h to l)e intelliij;"iMit. were thost- of stern con- Hicts for lihert}' and ci\ili/.ation. Idle first names by him lisped were those of W'ashinL^toii, \\'a\-iie, Marion. Li^ht- horsi' I iarr\- Lee. and the whole immoital host of the Rexolution. lie was horn when .\meiican manhood was at its acme, ami tlu' same i)rofound feeling;' of patri- otism thi-illed e\'er_\- bosom from the Atlantic coast to the deepest recesses of the Western wilderness. Joseph Doniphan died in the year icSi^. and tlie sub- ject of this sketch was left to the watchcare of his moth- er. She was adecpiate to the rearing;' of tlu' n'ouul;' eai^let. At the ai4;e of eij.:^ht years she placed him under the in- struction of Richard Kcene. of Au^-usta. Kentucky, a learned thf)u_L^h eccentric Irishman, who was a q-raduate of Trinit)^ College, Dublin. Mr. Keene was of that \'er}^ considerable bod\- of educated Irishmen -ardent follow- ers of Robert iMiimi't— who found theii' safet\- in emi- i^rration to America at the conclusion of the Irish Rebel- lion in 179S. Ardent, enthusiastic, boiling- witli cour- a_L;'e, entertaining;- the most romantic ide.is of freedom, the\- were a denamical process in tlie liistor\- of e\'er)- youiii( mind l)rouL;ht in contact with them. An exam- ination into the family Iiistor)' of our countr\- will ckwel- op the fact that tlu'sc _\ounL( Irish teachers wei'c an in- tellectual power and blessinj^- all over the then settled poi'tion of tlu' I'nited .States. Col. Doniphan nex'er ceased the expression of iiis L,M"atitude to Mi'. Keene. . One who was familiar with tlu- absolute ease and ac- curacy witli which Col. Doni])han wreaked his thoUL^dits — 8— upon expression would he astonished .it the declaration that he e\er lacked for words. He said. ]iowe\-er, that in his youth liis \-ocabular\- was limited and his expi-c^s- sion clums)- and difficult. Mr. Keene assured him that onl\- throu_q;h acquaintance with the q'reat poets could ex- act, powerful, lirilliant ex])ression be acquired. Throujj^h knowledi^e, said he, of the ptx'ts could alone come tlie ])recise meaninq' of words, the perfect pronunciation of them, the melody of s])eech. and the majestic declama- tion of the orator. 1^\- Mr. Keene's advice he carefull_\- studied the poets, and results in the pupil went \'ery far to prove correct the theor\- of the mastei'. At the aij^e of fourteen }-ears, he was entered a student at Augusta College, in Ikacken county, Ki-ntucky. h'or man\- years it was an institution of \er\- high repute, but. as I undcM'stand. it has not been in existence for quite a length of time. He graduated then- at the early age of eighteen \xMrs, with great distinction, particular!}- in the classics. While at Augusta College, he had the benefit of the training and molding infiuences of several ver)' able instructors. I mention, as l)eing among them. Drs. Durbin and Bascom. He constantly through life expressed his deep sense of obligation to those two gen- tlemen. Dr. iJurbin was a \er>- accomplished man — suave and refined - and was the author of a scholarly and elegant book- of traxels in tlu' I.e\ant. Dr. Bascom was. in his day, the greatest pulj^it orator in the Union. Though a .Methodist in creid, the stern theolog\- of John Knox was much nearer his nature. In thetimi-of Crom- well he would have been a Fifth-Monarch)- man. He was ever as if in his great Task Master's e}-e. He seem- ed to hear the last trumpet and to see the smoke of the Pit ascending forever and forever. Sixt\- }-ears ago "Young's Night Thoughts," a book now unread, was on ever)- parlor table. Dr. l^ascom seemed to ha\ e absorb- ci\ its protouiul im-laiicholy. I Iutc- were in his clo- ([ULMici' a soinhrc ina^nilict'iicc and a distant roar as it of tlu' L^athcrin^" stonn. In 1 )r. Duihin Col. Doniplian .idniircd tlic man and lo\rd tlu' iVicnd, hut in I )r. I^as- coni lu' saw the orator and tVdt his scizun- u])on tlu; soul. A rradini;' of the srrmons of l)i'. Hasconi will show that his inlliu'nce on thr pupil w.is L;rcatcr and more lastinj^' th;in that of Dr. |)uil)in. It is true that in C"ol. Doni- ph, Ill's orator)- there was nothins^- gloomy. There was often, howex'er, a se\ere ma^nificencL- which could claim kinship with the terrors whdch peopled the imai;-ination of Dr. J-Jascom. There were times in that orator}- when men felt as if tlu'\- la)' helpless on some loft\-, naked pi'ak, where the li!4;htninij;s flashed in their midst and the thunders rolled arouiul them. In lin_<4'erinij;- thus on the te.ichers of Col. Doniphan, it is because I clearly recoi_;nize the influence through life of an able teacher on his pupils, and for the further rea- son that he himself mf)st distinctl\- saw and ap[)reciated it Besides, all men are, in a w-a\', chameleons, and take on color from their eiuironments. In his \-outh the predilection of Col. iJoniphan was for the law as a !ife-])rofession, and this w;is larj^el)- throuLjI'i the influence of liis mother, who was a woman of i,n-eat and far-reachiiiiL;- mind. L^pon quitting;- college, therefore, for t'ne purpose of !e!j;al stud\-, lie entered the law- office of the Hon. Martin 1*. Marshall, of Aui^usta, Keiituck}-. In the o])inion of tlie pu])ii, his lei^al pre- ceptor was one of tlu' most h'ariK'd and able of ali the members of the famous Marshall famil)-. In the course of stud)- recommended l)\- Mr. Marshall and re(|uired l)\- him ot his j)u[^il is to be discovered the first instance within m)- knr)u-ledjj;e, in this countr)-, of the strictU' his- torical method in the stud)- of the law. T'irst of all he recpiirt'd his [)upil to reatl and carefull)' stud)- portions of tlic classical authors of the I'",n!4"lish laiiL^-iia^c In this occupation he expended six months. It was. as Mr. Marshall phrased it. t.i fructify and chasten tlie jnipil's imagination and i:;'ive him winci's for more arduous flisj^hts. Secondly, he recpiired him to read the histories of l^nt^- land and America and cod L;a\e clear exidence of tlu' dawning;' of the reputation as a criminal lawN'er which hv vcvv soon aftt'i'wartl acijuired. In iS^^ he remoxcd to Ial)ert\', Missouri, where he made his home for the SLicceedin^- thirty _\-ears. There he found, alread\- established in the ])ractice, those em- inent lawyers, l)a\id R. Atchison, Amos Rees, James M. I Iu_L,dies and ( jen. Andrew S. IIui(hes. llis experi- ence at Lexin,i4-ton had been preparator\-; at Lil)ert)- his reputati(^n attaineil its zenith. Nor was the state of s(^- ciet\- tliere at the time unfaxorable to the ile\eloi)ment of an\- of the maid\-, social or mental c[;ialities. I feel sure that I will be excused if, in the l:)riefest manner, I rend the \eil of the past and portra\' — imper- fectl) indeed — the environment, characteristics, oriij;-in, condition and social life of the men and women of Lib- ert)- and Cla}- count)- sixt\--fi\e \-ears ago. h^rom the standpoint of art, such a poi'tra_\'al is L^ermane to m\- subject. l^\er}' picture should ha\'e its background. The facts stated by me, when not t,dom the uni(Mi of IcKal intellect with the brilliance of the arm)- the societ)- of Libert)- became exceptionall)- charm- ing and elegant. Lito such a societ)- and into the midst of such a peo- l)le Col. Doniphan went from Lexington in 1S33. He w-as young, ambitious, higld)- cultured, and hds mind ex- panded w ith ease to meet the magnitude of each new occasion. The faculty of read)-, powerful and tempest- uous speech, the flashes of brilliant thought, had come to him. Alreatl)- the {)eo])le of the state liad recognized in him the orator. The people of Cla)- count)- received him with open hearts. h^-om iS^oto I. S60 he continued in the active prac- — 14— ticc of his profession. His fame was i^reatcst as a crim- inal la\v\-er, and durini;- tliat period there was no crim- inal cause of mai^^nitiide in north\\c>st Missouri in which he was not retainc-d for the defense. He never prose- cuted. The reputation of a qreat advocate usually ab- sorbs that of the counsellor. And this was true to a i,n-eater dei^ree, {jerhaps, sixt}- years ai^o than now, l)e- cause then the jur}- was more often demandetl. Me was employed to make the threat, the decisive, argument on the side by which he was retained. \'o client would think for a moment of excusing- him from s]ieakini;. lie was employed and paid to sjx-ak —he must speak. A silent Doniphan in a cause would have meant defeat an- ticipated. As a natural result of this, the work and la- bor of the cause, the prei)aration of the pleadin-s, the p-atherini^ of tlie testimon\-, the interroijation of the wit- nesses, etc., dexolvetl on his associate counsid, Occa- sionall}-, in examining- witnesses, he would interject some far-reachin<; question. In the councils of war which precede tjjreat trials, his view of the line of defense or attack was alwa\s adopted. He saw b\- a flash of intui- tion the stront:^ points. Not one of his oratorical efforts as a criminal or civil lawyer has been preserved. Opinion, therefore, of their power and s[)lendor can onl\- be formed from old tradi- tion. All traditions and opinions concur as to their sin- <(ular brevity, wonderful comprc-ssion, vast force and dazzlini^ brilliance. I will merel\- c.dl attention to two of his orations in criminal defenses and ijjive one opinir)n in each. The)- are tliat in defense of Thomas Turnham, indicted in the Cla>- Circuit Court for the murder of Hayes and tried in November, 1844, which resulted in his con\-iction of manslauL;hter in the fourth dei^n-ee, with a fme of $100; and that of John H. Harper, indicted in the Jackson Circuit Court for the murder of Meredith, — I q — and tried in I'lattc Circuit Court in .\o\'cnil)cr, i<^47, fwhithcr the case had been taken by change of \enue), which resultetl in Harper's acciuittal. There can hardl\- be a ch:)ubt that Turnham's case was one of miircK'r. Af- ter threat ])ressure. lie was a(hiiitted to bail and his Ijond fixetl at $8,000, an enormous amount in those da\'s. Col. Doniphan was constantl}- afraid that his client would disa])j)ear. The ])risoner's father, the late Maj. Joel Turnham, of C'lay county, was a stern, fdd-fashioned man, "more an anticjue Roman than a Dane, " plainly educated, well achised, howex'er, as to all current e\ents, of stroni^^ penetratiu!:,'' sense, familiar with the threat sjjeakers of Missouri and Kentucky, possessed of a will and coura;^''e of adamant; but none the less, not at all conscious of the fact that his was the onl_\- name in the state which could be found amoni;- the paladins oi Rich- ard Creur de Ler)n when he charL^etl the Pa\-nim hosts on the plains of Palestine. Kver\'thin^- melted awa\- before Col. U)oni])han's orator}-. At the conclusion of the speech Maj. Turnham was asked what he thought of Doniphan's speech, and his answer was: "Sir, Aleck Doniphan spoke onl\' forty minutes, but he said e\er\'- thing." The case of Harper more easily admitted of defense. Mc-redith had — LovL-d not wisely, but too well. Harper belie\-ed, whether witli or without good rea- son, that Meredith had invaded the sanctit\- of his home. Such a circumstance in the hands of a genius like Col. Doniphan's was sufficient to enable him to stir to the uttermost all of the passions and to "call s])irits from the \'ast\- deep." The f)CCasion was great. He had return- ed oid\- a few months before from his wonderful Mexi- can campaign, and the whole countr\- was full of his glor\-. l^ver\bod\- —lawyers and all, —had gathered in — 16— Platte City. — where the case was tried, — to hear him, and expectation of his elocjuence was on tiptoe. 1^\' uni- versal atj^reement he even surpassed ex[)ectation. The late James N. Burnes, of St. Joseph, (then of Weston) heard it, and declared that it determined him to become a lawyer. He, also, declared that he hatl ne\er heard or read an\- speech in defense of a criminal which eciualled Col. Doniphan's in that case. Anyone who did not know Col. I3oniphan intimateh', and who saw him in his prime, or even in his latter }-ears, would have supposed, from the larf^eness of his frame, the freshness of his complexion, and his erect bearin<^, that he was a man of vast physical strenc^th and endur- ance. The exact CfMix'erse was true. He was plu'sically, one of the most delicate of men and least able to endure exposure or excessive or [protracted strain. liis whole life was one lon<:^ stru_r\- wa\es of a West X'irsj'inia brook in — 18— 1858. From blows so severe as these, it can be well understood wh\' the life of Col. Doniphan, durint:^ more than thirty years before its close, was \-oid of ambition. Of the Mormon war in 1838, I will simpl}- state that Col. Doniphan was present, in command of a brij^'ade of state militia, at the surrender of Joe Smith, the so-called prophet, at h'ar West in Caldwell county, and aftei'ward defended him in the criminal proceedinq-s which were instituted aijainst him and other Mormons. In 1846 the war with Mexico be<^^an. In Ma}- of that }'ear, Gcnernor Kdwards requested Col. Donii)han to as- sist him in raisint;- troops, in the western counties of the state, for the xolunteer si-rxice. Me acceded to the re- quest, rhe enthusiasm of the ])eople was extremeb' high, and, in a week or so, the eii^ht companies of men had \dlunteered, which, upon ori^anization at I'^irt Leavenworth, formed the famous ist Rei^iment of Mis- souri Mounted Volunteers. The counties which fui-nish- cd those companies were Jackson, Lafaxette, Cla)', Saline, I'^ranklin, Cole, Howard and Callawa}-. Col. I)onii)han x'olunteered as a })ri\ate in the compan\- from Clay. The desire to volunteer was so ^'reat amoni^'' tlu^ counties that each of the companies was much o\-erful. That from Clay numl)ered i 18 men, r.mk and file. The subject of this sketch was elected colonel of the regiment almost b)- acclamation. There nt'xer was in the service ot the United States a i-egimiuit of finer material. It was com- })osed of imlividuals from the best families in the state, and the)' were }'oung men in tin- prime of life, equal, ])h\'sicall\- and mentall\-, to e\-er\ dut\- of the soldier. The)' were, mainl)', the sons of pioneers of Missouri, and had the courage and manliness, and prissessed the en- durance anfl \irtues of their fathers. This regiment formed a portion of tlu^ column known as the Arm)' of the West, commanded b\- that chi\alric soldier. Gen. 19 Stc'pluMi W . Kcanu'}-. All of tlic troops of tlu- column rciulc/A-ouscd at l^'ort I A-axi-iiwort li. I'hc x'oliiiitct'rs having uiuk-ri^'onc a fi'w \\i'c-l;s.' a nuisic, scarct- cnntc-sscd its nwn, — How can these be comcycd to tlie mind of another h_\- the force; of worcls.^ In so far as action is concerned, what is true of the actor is equall\- true of the orator. Who wouhl attempt to paint Alexander W. Doniphan in the tr)rrent of liis eloquence on some momentous oc- casion? Who woukl attempt to conxey an idea, b}- lan- i^ua^t^e, of his i:;-rand person, towering- above all the jjeople — his eyes burning; with tenfokl the lustre r)f tliamonds — the sweep of his arm when raised to enforce some splen- did conception — his pure and flute-like voice, thrilling' e\'er\' bosom like electricity — his rapitl, explanator)- sketch of preliminarx' matters, each word a picture to the life — his conclusions, remorseless as death — liis tkim- ing excursions into e\'er\' realm of fanc\' — his wit, his humor, his pathos, his passionate energ\' of utterance? All this must fore\er remain unknown, sa\'e only to those who were so fortunate as to have heard his oratory when he was in his prime. In the absence of mental efforts preserved — which can be studied and meditated — in order to a proper meas- urement of the intellect of .Mexantler W. Donij^han, and a due aj)preciation of his genius, some one is needed who was familiar with him in his prime, that is to say from 1H35 ti) ICS55, ami who was himself of ma- ture mind during that period. I heart! none of his great ef^(M'ts in criminal causes. I heard a few of them in ci\'il cases. M)' opinion of his intellect and genius is formed from a copious and sure tradition, a few of his ])olitical and public efforts, worthy, in m\' judgment, of the re[)utation of the greatest of American orators, the expressions of men of high intellects themselves, and —24 — f.iiniliar and intimate oi)ser\ation of the action of his mind since m}- earh'est recollection. Great men onl\- appear after \nn^ intervals. Kif^dit centuries prior to the Savior of men, the mightiest poet of the antique world sang the tale of Tro)-; more than seven centuries elapsed beffjre the Mantuan hard sang of .Eneas; and sixteen centuries must then roll a\va\- ere time was prepared for the birth of Shakespeare. Three hundred years intervened between the great Macedonian conqueror and imperial Caesar; antl eighteen hundred be- tween Caesar and Xapoleon. Between Thucydides and Tacitus are near five hundred, and between Tacitus and Gibbon, near seventeen hundred \-ears. hVom Demos- thenes to Cicero were three hundred years, and from Cicero to the majestic line of Chatham. Sheridan, Hurke, Fox, Clay, Webster, Calhoun and Doniphan were eigh- teen hundred years. The genius of Col. Doniphan can only be estimated, in all its height, depth, breadth and splendor, b\' one who had known him in his prime, and under all circum- stances and conditions. He must have known him in the field of Sacramento, v.hen, six hundred miles in the enemy's countr}-, he led his little arm\' of Missourians to the assault of works manned b\- four times their number; when, in the defense of some jjrisoner, charged with the greatest offense known to the law, in order to succeed, he called into action all of his intellectual powers, and thundered and lightened in addressing the jur\-; when, before a great audience of his fellow-citizens, assembled to hear him f)n some momentous occasion, he brought into pla\- the whole range of his stores of thought, senti- ment, eloquence and wit, transported his auditors from grave to ga\', from tears to mirth, with a certain di\ine ease and rapidit\-, and molded their opinions and hearts to his will with a thoroughness onh' possible to the <^rcatcst orator; and when, ihc cares of the tOruni aiul politics laid aside, at his own or a friend's fireside, or. beneath the spreading' branches of some monarch of the forest, he relaxed liis i^ii^antic intellect to the needs and uses of social con\"erse. and charmed all listeners with a flow of wisdom, humor, anecdote — strong^, }"et air\- and c^raceful — so rich, so \aried, so flashini^, that it would ha\-e made the literar)' fortune of a dozen writers. It is and has been the clear opinion of all who ha\"e known him well, that, in all the qualities of the loftiest intellect, — breadth of \'ision. foresight which could farth- est in ad\-ance discern matters that would come to pass, intuiti\'e perception, rapid it)' of determination, sharp analysis, precisic^n of judgment, corroding logic, sub- tilit\- of thought, ricliness and xariet}' of fanc)'. aptness of illustration, powerful and unfailing memory, compres- sion of words, ease in mental action, and intense, ner- ver\ous, crystalline and electrical language, — indeed in all the elements of genius, — he has ne\'er had a superior in America. This opinion I will accentuate b\- that of a man well able to judge and whose opportunities to form a safe judgment, were better than those of an\- man. living or dead, — I mean the late Gen. David R. Atchison. Gen. Atchison was a man of education, of .strong, judicial intellect, trained thought, had been sen- ator from our state from 1(^43 to 1855, and his observa- tion of and experience among men had been of the larg- est. A few \-ears prior to liis and Col. Doniphan's death, he said to me: "I was familiar with the cit\- of Wash- ington in my earl}- manhood. I knew all the great men of our countr}- in the earlier da\-s — Cla\". Webster. Cal- houn. John Ouinc}- Adams, Cla\-ton, Crittenden and others. I have presided in the United States Senate when Cla\\ WY-bster and Calhoun sat before me. I knew .\leck Doniphan familiarl}-, intimateh', since 1S30, -26- aiul I tell you, sir, wiicn he was in his ])rinic, I heard him climb hi_L,''hcr than an)' of ihcni." liut hii^iuT than Col. l)()hii)han's L^'ifts of mind were those of his heart — his marvelous humanit}'. A Roman said — X'iclrix causa l)iis |)lacaiil. seil vicia ('ati>ni. The (lods lo\-ed the victors, hut Cato the wancjuished. The nobilit}/ of tliis sentiment is the more to be admired because of the rarit\' of ex]:)ressions of s\-mpath\" !))• vic- tors for the \'an(|uishe(l in tlie classic world. He knew that Roman con(|uest meant the marcli of the lei^ions to the devoted countr)' — the overthrow and slaughter of opposing" armies — the siege and sack of cities — the des- ecration of temples — the capture of spoils of sih'er and gold and men — captives following at the chariot wheels of the triumpliant general — the sale of men and women into slaver}- — the pr.ctor and tax-gatherer, following the sword — the exactions and extortions — and his great, compassionate heart overn')wt'(l with pit\' tor the en- slax'etl, the feeble, and unha])p\'. Like C'ato, Col. l)on- i])lian had this wonderful compassion foi- the weak, de- fi-nseless and miseral:)le onl_\- that it was broadened and made; more tender, gracious and personal l)y Christian culture. To comi)assion, he united, in the liighest de- gree, courtes}- and modest), antl, therefore, he was ac- Ce'ssible to all alike - the rich, the ])oor, the high, the low, the stati'sman and tlie peasant. No one who knew hini will fail to remember with what charm he drew all to him, nor how a child, a humble slaxe, a modest wo- man, a poor laborer in tin- Held or shop, could address him with as nnich ease and as free from embarrassment as the ])roudest potentate in the land. There was no oppression in his presence. The great man was torgot- ten in the genial friend and faithful counsellor. In ihr xaricd circunistancrs of his life, Col. Doniplian exerted a wt)- ;^reat intliieiice. In ])ai-liainentar\' liodies, he did this mainl_\- throui^li social iiii])i-ess and ])ersonal contact. lie was wonderfully fascinatinL;" in coiu'ersa- tion, and his societx' was sought with tlie !^"reatcst eag'cr- ness where\'er he went. The people all ox'cr Missouri thron;^\'d around him when he was anionq- them, and, it seenu-d, the\- nex'er couUI sufficiently drink in his utter- ances. Perhaps there newr was a more deli^litful or instructive ami amusiuL;' conx'ersatioiialist. His faculties of L;-enerali/.ation, perception and analysis were ver}- re- markable. Mis temperament was p(K"tic, even roman- tic, but i^aiarded b}- fine taste aiul the most delicate sense of the ludicrous. Imleed, his mind was so well ors^'anized, so nicel}" balanced, its machinery so happily fitted, its stores of information S(^ well digested and so completely incorporated into his e\"er_\--da}' thouj^lit, that its riches, without effort, apjKirently, fiowed or Hashed forth on all occasions, and placetl all it touched in a Hood of lii^'ht. His personal ap])earance was trul\' imposini^" and mag"- nificent. His was of the