POLITICAL PORTRAITS WITH PEN AND PENCIL.

NO. XIII.

(With a Portrait engraved on Steel.)

WILLIAM LEGGETT.

Towards the close of the last month a profound impression was produced on the public mind by the untimely death of William Leggett, almost at the very moment of his appointment to a diplomatic situation in a foreign country, where his friends had fondly hoped that the influence of a genial climate might have had the effect of long preserving an invaluable life for his country-a life that had too surely become endangered by a self-martyring advocacy of the universal, practical, application of the broad uncorrupted principles of Democracy in every measure of legislation, the most ardent, the most unflinching, the most able, and the most successful, ever pursued by a journalist in our country.

The following biographical sketch, though it will be perused with heightened interest since the melancholy occurrence of his death, has not been occasioned by that sad event, but had, in fact, been prepared as the highest tribute in our power to the integrity and genius which, in his case, had been so signally exerted in the promotion of the great principles of political economy embraced in the creed of American Democracy; and it has been for some time awaiting only the opportunity of obtaining from the artist a satisfactory portrait of its subject, with the "pencil" as well as the "pen," to appear in this series of "Political Portraits." The subjects of the former numbers of the series have in general been selected from the individuals elevated, by a long course of distinguished public service, to such conspicuous official eminence, as served, at the same time, naturally to attract the public interest to their personal biographical sketches-especially of the party of which their position has proved them to be the recognized chiefs and favorites-and so far to identify them with the history of principles and of parties, as to add a more general yalue to the narratives of their lives, than the mere private interest of individual biography. In the case of Mr. Leggett, although unknown to the country at large by any such official passport to distinction,-his name probably being unfamiliar to most of our readers in sections of the Union remote from that which has been the scene of his public life-yet the latter title to eminence, namely, an intimate and interesting connection with the history of principles and parties, Mr. Leggett's name possesses in a degree equalled perhaps by no other that could be selected at the present time. This narrative of his life—more brief and general in its outline than, in common VOL. VI. NO. XIX.—JULY, 1839.

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with his numerous friends, we could have desired—is from the pen of an intimate friend, well competent to estimate rightly the rare worth, moral and intellectual, of such a character, and is now published with the slight alteration of phraseology rendered necessary by his death.

The subject of this memoir, as a journalist, was one who did much to exalt the character of the profession he had chosen. During a brief and brilliant career, Mr. Leggett, as the editor of a daily print, acquired a strong hold on the minds of men, gave a direction to their discussions and opinions, and won a reputation such as few are permitted to enjoy.

The class of men who figure in this country as the conductors of newspapers, are not, for the most part, in high esteem with the community. It is true that they are courted by some and dreaded by others,— courted by those who are fond of praise, and dreaded by those who are sensitive to animadversion,-courted by those who would use them as the instruments of their own purposes, and dreaded by those whose plans may suffer from their opposition; but, after all, the general feeling with which the men of this vocation are regarded, is by no means favorable. Contempt is too harsh a name for it, perhaps, but it is far below respect. Nor does this arise so much from the insincerity or the frivolousness of their commendation or their dispraise, in the thousand opinions they express in matters of art, science, or taste,-concerning all which the writers of the newspaper press are expected to say something, and concerning many of which they cannot know much,-as from the fact, that, professing as they do one of the noblest of sciences, that of politics—in other words, the science of legislation and government-they, too, often profess it in a narrow, ignorant, and ignoble spirit. Every journalist is a politician, of course; but in how many instances does he aspire to no higher office than that of an ingenious and dexterous partisan! He does not look at political doctrines and public measures in a large and comprehensive point of view, weighing impartially their ultimate good or evil, but addicts himself to considerations of temporary expediency. He inquires, not what is right, just, and true, at all times, but what petty shift will serve his present purpose. He makes politics an art rather than a science—a matter of finesse rather than of philosophy. He inflames prejudices which he knows to be groundless, because he thinks them convenient. He detracts from the personal merits of men whom he knows to be most worthy. He condemns in the other party what he is ready to allow in his own. In short, he considers his party as a set of men who are to be kept in office if they are already in, or placed in office if they are not, instead of making it to consist in the support of certain doctrines and measures which are to be recommended to the people by reason and argument, by showing their beneficial effects, and the evils of opposite doctrines and different measures. We do not, by any means, intend to say that all the class of newspaper editors answer the description we have

given, but we think it cannot be doubted that the resemblance which so many of them bear to it is the cause of the comparative disrespect into which their profession has fallen.

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Yet the vocation of a newspaper editor is a useful, an indispensable, and, if rightly exercised, a noble vocation. It possesses this essential element of dignity, that they who are engaged in it are occupied with questions of the highest importance to the happiness of mankind. cannot see, for our part, why it should not attract men of the finest talents and the most exalted virtue. Why should not the discussions of the daily press demand as strong reasoning powers, as large and comprehensive ideas, as profound an acquaintance with the principles of legislation and government, an eloquence as commanding, and a style of argument as manly and elevated, as the debates of the Senate of our Republic? It is the province of the press to act as a check upon the political leader. It is the duty of the journalist to assist in forming and propagating the opinions by which the political leader must submit to be tried; he is one of the speakers of that great constituency to which the public agent is responsible. Instead of following the chief of a party he should walk by his side.

It is because they neglect the philosophy of politics, because they forsake the true for the plausible, that so many persons of fine endowments disappoint the expectations that are formed of them when they become conductors of the newspaper press. Their profession, with its multifarious topics, tempts them to a sort of dissipation of their intellectual strength. They find it easier to assume a position to be true, and to show some ingenuity in speciously defending it, than honestly to investigate its truth. It is easier, they find, to carry on the warfare of personal politics than that of political principles; it is easier to call names than to argue; it is easier to declaim than to think, and sometimes, for the moment, seems to answer the purpose nearly as well.

The secret of Mr. Leggett's reputation lies in his having slighted these temptations, and addressed himself strenuously to the true duties of a political editor. He boldly and invariably brought public measures to av rigid comparison with first principles. He scouted the specious doctrine of expediency, which leads to so many abuses, and sanctions so many. departures from a consistent and conscientious course of conduct. He would not tolerate any of the pretexts by which the timid and selfish excuse themselves from carrying an admitted principle into practice. He inquired only what was true, and what was right; what was true he held should be declared without reservation, and what was right should be done, without regard to consequences.

Besides their sincerity and directness, his political discussions were recommended by other qualities. Mr. Leggett possessed many fortunate endowments for controversy,-vigorous reasoning faculties, a clear perception of the dependencies and connections of his argument, a perspicaous and forcible style, great fertility of illustration, an extreme tenacity