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492
Mississippi Historical Society.
a public dinner was given him at Fletcher?s old tavern, then the headquarters at Washington, and he made his speech, which the chronicles of that venerable village say has never been equalled on such occasions. His conversational powers and talent for declamation have rarely been surpassed. Indeed the great drawback upon Mr. Mead?s influence has been the licentiousness of a poetic imagination. He never could restrain it enough to appear practical; his style savored too much of Bombastes Furioso; his speeches were a succession of beautiful pictures, instead of dry commentary, and hence, although unquestionably a man of genius, he was considered a visionary, and had frequently the mortification to find himself outstripped by very inferior men. In these utilitarian times, however, this is no uncommon instance. No politician now should venture to be eloquent. Rhetoric is fatal to success. We doubt very much whether Mr. Burke himself, with his profusion of metaphors, so elaborated and settled, would be duly appreciated. Men would not pause to scan the deep philosophy and profound wisdom that repose at the bottom of his figures?they would skim over the surface and pronounce him?the most original and prophetic thinker of his generation?a superficial writer. This is the consolation of obtuse intellects. Stupidity, as solemn and as useless as a Chinese Mandarin, will look grave and shake its head wisely over the most splendid efforts of a cultivated mind and a refined taste; and the various commonplace, the most naked truisms, are preferred to those beautiful thoughts, that come burning from the soul, lit up with the fires of genius and warmed by the sunset glow of a poetic imagination. It was upon this rock that Mr. Mead wrecked himself. His speeches in the Legislature and in the Convention of 1817, always produced a sensation, but seldom exercised any influence, and his name is generally found in the minority. He scattered gems from the cornucopia of his genius until the circle around him grew bright and dazzling; but like phosphorescent fires, his eloquence left no impression, and the recollection of it ceased with the melody of his tones. Mr. Mead however was notwithstanding popular with the people; he was an ardent Jeffersonian, and would have been elected to Congress from the territory but for one fatal error he committed. In 1812 or
A Trip Through the Piney Woods.?Claibortie.	493
1813, we think, during the war, while he was stationed at Baton _>.ouge in command of a battalion of militia, he was reluctantly induced by his political friends in the territory, to throw up his command, and return home to canvass for Congress. The .-movement was fatal to him; his opponent, the late Christopher .Rankin, a practical and able man in every sense of the word, then a young attorney of Amite, was elected by a large majority and Col. Mead never recovered his popularity. It is due to -'the Colonel to say, that he incurred his martyrdom for his party, 'but, entirely against his own individual inclination and judgement. Subsequently, under the State administration, Gen. Mead presided over the House of Representatives with much igrace and eminent ability. He is universally admitted to have been the most courtly, able and prompt speaker that ever occu-*:pied the chair of our House of Representatives. We will relate i-'a remarkable incident?one without parallel in legislative his-? tory?to show the reputation he had acquired for parliamentary learning. Several years ago?some time after Gen. Mead had . sought that retirement which he still preserves?a few days after the organization of the House a question of order arose .? of a very complicated nature, which was debated at length. .jThe House, composed for the most part of young members, ?soon lost its temper and fell into confusion. The Speaker him-v.self, though a man of strong mind and very clear judgment, ,L,was then unpracticed in the Lex Parliamentaria, and seemed /at a loss. Finally when the confusion was greatest, and the ?difficulty began to look like a Gordian knot, the junior editor ?i of this paper (then the first time a Representative from this ^county), seeing Gen. Mead in the lobby, addressed the chair, i;pronounced an eulogy on his well-known intimacy with the ?rules of debate, and moved that he be invited to express his views on the question. The motion was carried unanimously, when /the General took the floor and in a speech of fifteen minutes ^elucidated the subject. His suggestions were immediately
?	adopted, and the House proceeded in its business. We may
*	safely say that a similar tribute to this was never paid to an
ex-member by a legislative body.
It is chiefly, however, in connection with the arrest of the
?	celebrated Aaron Burr that Mr. Mead, then Secretary of the