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THE REFLECTOR. VOL. I. MILLKDGEVTLLE, G. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1817. NO. 4. CHARACTERS. lUw.'l 8KKTI II Lti OK AMERICAN UilAlOllS. MU. WIRT. T have seen no one who has such natural ad vantages and so many qualities requisite tor gen uine eloquence, ns Mr. Wirt. His person is dig nified and commanding; his countenance open, manly and playtul; his voice clear and musical ; and liis whole appearance truly oratorical. Judg ment and imagination hold a divided dominion over his mind, and each is so conspicuous that it is difficult to decide which is ascendant. His diction unites force, purity, variety and spleu dor more perfectly than that of any speaker! have heard. He had great original powers of action, butthev have been totally unassisted,hy the con templation cf a good model. His wit is prompt pure and brilliant, but these less scintillations of fancy are Inst in the blaze of his reasoning and declamation. His premises are always broad and distinctly laid down, his deductions are faultless, and h' conclusions of course irresistible from the predi cate. In this he resembles what he has observed of Mr. Marshall, admit his first proposition and the conclusion is inevitable. The march of hi.' mind is direct to its object, the evolutions by which lie attains it are so new and apparently necessary to the occasion, that your admiration is kept alive, your fancy delighted, and your judgement convinced, through every stage of the process. He leaves no objection to his reason ing unanswered, but satisfies every doubt as he progresses. His power over his object is so great, and so judiciously directed, that he sweeps the whole field of discussion, rearly leaves anything for his assistants to glean, and sometimes antici pating the position of his enemy’s battery, renders it useless, by destroying beforehand the materials of which its fortifications were to be erected.— He has been sometimes known to answer by m- ticipation all the arguments of the opposing ciiin- scl so perfectly as to leave him nothing to -ay, which had not been better said already. Tlesc great combinations are so closely connected, the succession of their parts so natural, easy and ra pid, that the whole operation, offensive and de fensive, appears but one effort. There is no weak point in his array, no chink in the whole line ol his extended works. Then the sweet melody of bis voice, the beautiful decorations of his fancy, the easy play of a reason, by which all this is ac- companied, amaze and delight. Ilis pathos is natural and impressive; there is a pastoral sim plicity and tenderness in his pictures of distress when he describes female innocence, helplessness and beauty, which the husband on whom sliesmil cd should have guarded even from the winds of Ke-aceft which wn.ilif v'.i.it It too r"tml i:.g at midnight on the wintry banks of the Ohio, mingling her tears with the torrents which froze ns they fellit is not a theatrical trick to move a fleeting pity, but a deep and impressive appeal to the dignified charities of our nature. Had one with so rich a genius, with such a soul for eloquence, as Mr. Wirt certainly possesses, seen Mr. Henry in some of his greatest exhibi tions, f should not now have had to deplore the want of a finished orator at any American bar.-- But that bright meteor, shot from its mid heaven sphere too early for Mr. Wirt, and the glory of his art descended with him. No Phoenix, lias ri sen from his ashes. But l am inclined to. think there is more than one orator now living in the Unit’d States, who, on such oocasbns as Henry thundered, lightened and electrified the people, could wield the Olympic bolt with no feeble hanll. To obtain the fame of an oratOr there must he subjects demanding the highest decorations of e- loquence. The accusation of Demosthenes a- g&iusthis guardian, or Cicero’s defence of Qniuc- tigsand Arcliias, would never have made their names immortal. It was the tire with which they consumed Philip, and Cataliue, and Verrus, and Anthony, which has covered them with unfading glory. It is an odd perversity of our nature, to admire what is past and to undervalue what i.s present. This is in the nature of our constitu tion, for when young, we are more susce pleasure; and take a pride when old, in persuad ing others that we have seen more wonderful things than they.—One might have heard at Home, from those who were old when Cicero was young, that he was inferior to Crassus, to Anthony, and to Hortensius. But the universal tradition of the effects of Mr. Henry’s eclipsing eloquence silen ces all these cavils by which less orators might vindicate the equality of their pretensions. I tear itliliold our admiration of the ability with wliicji ityvas uniformly supported. The extent of his knowledge and the fecundity of his mind enabled Mr. Fox whenever it suited his views, to Swell trifles to consequence, and to enhance even t ie magnitude of important questions, lie was gift ed with n force and sagacity that enabled him in stantly to comprehend the most multiplied details, to analyse the most complicated arguments, and to reduce the most refined and elaborate positions to the standard of first piiliciplcs. Always ani mated himself, he never failed to animate others. Unambitious of the melody of sounds, or the de corative embellishments of polished language, lie studied only the lucid exposition ofliis matter, and the precision and force of hi* reasoning were principally directed to guide the judgment and inform the understanding. He neglected, we think culpably neglected, that most essenti.il re quisite ol a finished orator—fluent, copious and correct diction. Attentive only to h s matter he was often betrayed into solecisms in language and violations of grammatical accuracy, that were unpardonable in a leading public speaker. In this respect he was infinitely below his great illilstri ous rival. While we could discern in him all tin cliara teristics of a vigorous and active mind, we bad always to regret the absence of those exter ior graces that uniformly accompanied and enrich ed the lino powers of his adversary, enhancing their influence without diminishing their strength. Mr. Fox as a speaker might be compared to a rough but masterly specimen of the sculptor’s art; Mr. Pitt to the exquisitely finished statue. The former wuited a polish to render him perfect; the latter possessed in a transcendant degree every requisite of an accomplished orator. The force of Mr. Fox’s reasoning flashed like lightning up on the minds of his hearers : the thunder of Mr. t'ht’s eloquence gave irresistible effect, to his pow erful amhconviuciiig arguments, Tho’ Mr. Fox’s reasoning was always cogent, and occasionally conclusive in tire detail, it was frequently defec tive in point f arrangement for establishing hi? geneial conclusion. Like the lightning to which we have compared it, numberless distinct flashes succeed each other in rapid order, without pro ducing any impression correspondent, either to their number or their individual force. Bursting in frequent but often unconnected succession from his fertile mind, they electrified when they did not convince, and always left a sense of admi ration at their acuteness and splendor, even when their light was eebpsed in the glare of subsequent flashes. Mr. Pitt’s eloquence, on the contrary, proceeded with all the majesty of sound and all the force of fire ; uniting the rapidity of the flash with the solemnity of the peal, it. enveloped bin auditors in the light of conviction, and made the pa tided like the wild flower that unfolds its beau ties in the desert. “ Csuld blow tho bitter-biting north Upon Ida early bumble b'.rtli, Yet cheerfully he glin'ed forth Amid the strum.” Ilia numbers are fraught with simplicity.— To ., breathe tire warm language ot his heart. While listening to Iris lays, wc fee! by turns, the raptures of love ; the wildness of joy; the despondency of grief; the appallings of terror. We are involuntarily bopne upon the wings ol ur.doected fancy, ami sweetly partake of all his poetic visions. TOPOGRAPHICAL sembles basket salt; in others it forms an incrus tation, and may be taken up like thin ice in vast sheets. The dews at night dissolve if, and in wet weather it wholly disappears. Along one of the borders of tht-Balt Prairie flows thi branch of the Arkansas alluded to, the rain frequently drives the salt into it, where it concretes, and is depo ■ sited iii vast quantities along the banks of it; and impregnates tpe waters of the Arkansas fora cojj siderable distance below the junction. FOREIGN. ARKANSAS. The Arkansas is a north west branch ol Missis sippi river, which falls in by two mouths, &. firms an it.'and, whose north west rn point lies in N. lut. 33° i. W.Ving. 91®. Its length is thirty-live, ap'U'PlvMh ten,miles. .W 'rte Arkansas falls into' the Mississippi, 158 miles above the Yazoo river. It is called from a nation of Indians of the same name. It3 source is nearly in the latitude of Santa Fee, in Nevv- Mesico";. and it is said to be navigable for bat- teanx 750 miles. It runs through an immensely rich and fertile country. About ten or twelve miles up this river, from the Mississippi, there was formerly a fort, garrisoned generally by a company of Spanish soldiers, for the purpose of defending the trade carried on betw#5n Nevv-t)r- leans and the severul villages of St. Gene vieve, ,&c. and particularly for defending the commerce with the Arkansas Indians, consisting of about 280 warriors, who were as much at tached to the French interest as the Cliiekasaiw? were to that of the English. No settlemci® were made here except one or two for the im- .meifiate accommodation of the garrison. The inundation of the Mississippi occasioned the evacuation of the above post, and the establish* incut of another on the northern bank of the ri ver 36 miles higher up. This post consisting el a subaltern’s command, six pieces of cannon, and eight swivels, was attacked about eighteen months »ftj®A> r a party of Uhickasaws, who kill ed ten solW of the garrison, and soon after concluded a peace with the Spaniards. There is a hamlet close to the fort inhabited only by met* chants and traders. During Mr. Dunbar’s excursion up the Red ri ver and the Washita, he was inhu med by a hull ter, who had resided 40 years in the latter and had also explored the Arkansas, that this river is of great magnitude; having a large and broad channel—and when the water is low, has great impression indelfble by the irresistible energy sand banks like those in the Mississippi, so far with which it was urged. JPerhaps the world tie- “ s I |e l’ a d been up; that the navigation is sale ver produced at any one period, two individuals so eminently superior to their con emporaiies, so peculiarly calculated to be mutual rivals. It was bv their collision with each other that their pecu liar perfections were brought to light.—Had they commenced and continued their political career on the same side, neither would perhaps have at tained the eminence which both acquired.' The planets shine with im re lustre in opposition than in conjunction.—Life of Fu.r. as has been said of the Swan of Avon’s music vas a d> ing strain, “ v\c ne'er slu’.l ser. his l:ke again.” CHARLES FOX. As an orator, Mr Fox deservedly possessed a most prominent rank among the ornaments of the Biitish Senate. With powers of mind of the ve ry first order, and habits ol thought and reflec tion of the most profound description, it was im possible for him, while he mixed in pu-Tic affairs, not to establish an ascendancy in every discus sion respecting them. Accordingly w e have seen him on every such occasion, with excepti-n only of his ill judged secession from parliament, ta king the foremost ground in oppnsing the mea sures and policy of that truly great minister and transceiKlaut statesman the fate Mr. Pitt—whilst t' e minor members of his party were employed in skirmishing, or making feeble attacks oil the out works, Mr. Fox uniformly assailed the citadel He disdained to enter the lists against any ad ver s ii v but tile great leader of his opponents, whilst lie remained to be encountered. The object of iiis attacks, however, was too firmly entrenched on the advantage ground of policy and patriotism, to allow any serious impression tube made on him. ED MUNI) BURKE. Tiiis luminary in the hemisphere of science shone with a brilliancy unextinguished by the black clouds iif opposition, and undiined by the va pors of intrigue. Ilis eloquence, spontaneous and rapid., hurried away evey impediment to his progress. His youth formed no obstruction to his talents; burst asunder the fetters of time, with all tint hardihood of gigantic superiority. He was a tree that bare at. the same time the blossom and the fruit—.Sonic of ttl4 sublimes! passages in tne languages were the immediate offspring of his imagination, which, forever excursive, held its flight through the regions of rverv art and science. His account of the disturbances which took place in Wales, on the appointment of Mr. Pro bate. to improve the crown rents,of that princi- utibia ofi I 11 "' 1 .' - ’ a picturesque and well drawn sketch : ' *' *• He went, like his masters on other occasions, to seek revenue, and like them he found rebellion : he was no sooner arrived, than all were in arms to meet him: tumult, alarm, and uproar, were heard through the region of Prestatyn ; Snowdon shook to its base, and Cader Edris was loosened from its foundation : the fury discord blew her horn oil the mountains, the rocks poured down their goathards, and deep caverns vomited out their miners ; every thing above ground and every thing uinfkr ground was convulsed.” Air. Burke, during Lord North’s administra tion, delivered a speech on American taxation, which renders this motion (repealing the duty on tea,) an epoch in philosophical and poltical elo quence. His ground of argument was expedience proved from experience. He traced the history of the American colonies from their first settle ment to the commencement of the present reign, demonstrating the advantages of the former poli cy. “ The measures of the present ministry were, ho said, a deviation from that system. Ne ver have the servants of the state looked at the whole of your complicated interests at one con nected view. They have taken things by bits and scraps, just as they pressed, without regard to their relations and dependencies ; they never had a system right or wrong, but only occasionally have invented some miserable tale of the day, in order to sneak out of the difficulties into which they lud proudly strutted.” ROBERT BURNS. Burns was a favored bard. The strains of his mu e were the inspiration of nature. Though combatting the *waut of education, he rose •»t if M,-. Fox failed in his hostile operations, he I poetic excellence. Reared amid the heaths ami as never disgraced by his defeat. . Though we | rugged bills of his native country, far from tin* uld net S'unrov and commodious, without rocks, shoals or rapids. —T he soil on it is of the first rate quality ; and the country of easy access, being lolty open for ests. unembarrassed by canes or undergrowth. A multitude of creeks which flow into the Arkan sas famish fresh water, which the voyager is obliged to carry with him for the supply of his immediate wants. This hunter confirmed the ac count of silver being abundant up that river. Since the cession of Louisiana to the United States, a knowledge of its extensive regions has bee ime highly desirable, and this can be most advantageously effected by means of its vast, ri ver*, of which the Arkansas is one. The subject was early laid before Congress, and in a report made to that body on Feb. 18, 1804, by Hr. Mit chell, as chairman of a committee appointed to enquire into the expediency oi authorising the President of the United States to cause certain routes and unknown parts of Louisiana tube ex plored, it is observed, that “ the Arkansas which lias been already traced above one thousand miles, seeiis worthy of being explored with more care, and to a greater extent than has hitherto been done. A spacious plain and valley increased an nually (like the soil in some spots about the Per sian gulf) with native salt, in quantity sufficient to impregnate a branch of the Arkansas, and oc casionally the river into which it falls, with its briny quality, and ta make it a Salt River down to the settlement of Onisarque, for considerable more than six hundred miles of its course, might be mentioned as no ordinary occurrences. The masses of virgin silver and gold that glitter in the veins of the rocks, which underlay the Arkansa- itself,& minglo with the minerals near certain o- ther of its streams, and otter themselves- to the hand of him who will gather, refine and convert them to use, are no less uncommon and wonder ful. These extraordinary productions might be dwelt upon to considerable length in this report, but credible as both the relations are, the com mittee forbear to offer any thing more than that the existence of a salt river, precious mines and , and of some other remarkable objects, are stated upon solid and credible testimony.” The existence of a spacious plain encrusted with salt mentioned in the above report, seems confirmed by the following information communicated by captain Stoddart: Near the sources of one of the eastern branches of the Arkansas, says this gentleman, and about one hundred miles from that river,is situated what is called the Salt Prairie, which is of considera ble extent. The Indians represent it as about sixty miles by twenty ; but an intelligent gentle man who has frequently passed over and alonj the borders of it, makes it include an area of a bout twenty-live miles diameter. It is composei of hard dark colored snad, and is entirely free from vegetation. When the moisture of the sand is exhaited by the heat of the sun, this immense surface is covered with fine white salt. The quan tity depends on the degree of heat; and when Hie mercury in Fareuheit stands at 96, ami no clouds appear to obstruct the interim rays of the the salt will rise to the thickness London. Uct^ 2.—In the southward and for ward counties the white corn is generally secured —it is locally abundant and of good quality, but a month hence will be sufficiently early to report more specif rtlly r,n these points. The same may be said 6f the southern and best parts of Scotland. Tfo not^iern ai d backward district: have hern ciVnti.q'ly benefited by the finest of the cur.ejEmoti.h ; but, for the completion of .heir IrtrvcsijTOf;- ieoend entire!” upon the suc ceeding, since much of their corn is not ev**'i vet ripe. Beans will be nearer to an average crop than was lately expected ; barley, eats and peas, the largest. Fruit generally deficient, both in this country and upon the continent. Potatoes and turnips in great abundance. Great damage has been sustained both in the last and present year by the lent com being suffered (in the south) to lie in the swathe. Oct. 3.—This morning we received German papers to the 20th ult. They confirm the ac count cf the death of her imperial highness, the consort of the archduke Pala-.ine, in giving birth to a son ami daughter. The children are said to be in good health. The. plague continues its rav ages in Constantinople : but a letter from Peters burg of the 29th August, seems to threaten an aggravation of this misery, by superinducing the horrors of a n@r between'Russia and 'Turkey.— Our readers have been already apprized of the execution of Czerny Georges, by order of one of the Turkish governors, who, it seems, did not think his character, as a rebel to the Porte, su perceded by that of a lieutenant general in the service ot Russia, the knight of St. Anne of the first class. The intelligence of this event crea ted a lively sensation in Petersburg, and a cour ier was immediately despatched to the Russian minister at Constantinople commanding him to require categorically, and within 14 days, a pub lic declaration from the Porte, disavowing this act, and the exemplary punishment of the perpe trators ; ar.d if this be not complied with in the course of 14 days, he shall immediately leave Constantinople. Oct. 4.—Ships continue to be equipped in the river for the purpose of convevjng officers, non commissioned officers, and privates, to aid the patriots in South-America. Vt present one ves sel is quite ready to sail, having on boa-d officers fully equipped, and 200 privates, to form a rifle corps. Another is in a forw ard staflfc of- prepara tion, and has appointments for a cavalry regiment, 600 strong ; a third is freighted with the equip ments of a lancers’ corps. The officers are alt men who have seen active service, and are of every rank, from lieutenant-colonels to ensigns. The organization is so complete, and the arrange meats so happily made, that they will be ready lor immediate service on their arrival in Ameri ca. Letters fr*m a central part of Spain men tion, that the tnops destined for South America, a descent down to Cadiz and other parts of An dalusia, had bean recalled into Kstremadura, the government not having the means to subsist and pay them in the districts in which they were first ordered to assemble. We understand that Spain is making an effort to restore its naval and mil itary force, and that a very considerable order for naval and artillery stores has lately been re ceived in this country, to be shipped for Spain. Trade with America.—There have been impor ted from the United States of America, in the course of the last twelve months, above one mill ion of barrels of flour into the different ports of the united kingdom. The town of Liverpool a lone has imported nearly 500,000 barrels. The average pi ice a barrel is about 60s. The amount paid to America for thi;..article by Great-Britain alone, may therefore be estimated at three mill ions of pounds sterling. But, besides this large, sum from Great-Britain, the bad harvest of laPt year throughout a large part of Europe, enabled America to levy contributions from France, Spain and Portugal to a very considerable amount for flour ; and the Americans appear to have man- sun, the salt will rise to the thicKncss of about of'the cause, we could not! friendly illuminations of science," his genius ex'one inch and a half. In some instances it re aged the business very skilfully—for when a de mand was first expected from Europe, it was uni versally given out that the U. States could att'ord but a small quantity of flour to Europe—some few hundred thousand barrels were talked of at the utmost. In addition to this artii le Europe pays large sums to the U. States for tobacco, cot ton, v ol, pot and pearl ashes, rice, flaxseed, (a- bout 50,001) hogsheads of seven bushels each an-* nually imported into Ireland, value from Si. to 5l. a hogshead or at an average of 41. a hogsliecd, 200,000/.) turpentine ami staves. The London Courier, of the 2d of last month, observes : **The American papers which we have lately received continue to speak of the efforts making to increase the strength of the Navy of the U. States, with a view, no doubt, to a more desperate competition with Great Britain, should any unforeseen circumstances unhappily occasion another rupture between the two countries. Such an event is most earnestly to be deprecated ; but as, ill the various and fluctuating relations of states, it is impossible to say how soon trai quility, apparently the most profound, may be w asted it may be worth while again to call the public atln- tion, while it can bo calmly dnected towards the subject, to the practice oYi the part of the Amo i- cans of under-rating their vessels ; all oi' winch are in fact of much greater strength than t,.e cla- \ to which they belong. America is at pi es :it the