ISiitf.] Cig [Shavswoocl. 



confidence in liis clients was perhaps excessive — he did not 

 receive their statements -with that distrust, nor make those 

 allowances which onght always to be made for exago^erated par- 

 tisan acconnts. Hence he was often in consequence provoked 

 by the deception practiced upon' him. His style of oratory was 

 graceful, earnest, and at times impassioned. He never failed to 

 secure the attention of the jury. To the Court he was equally 

 faithful as to his client. In all the cases he argued, his industry 

 and research enabled him to communicate to the Court all the 

 light on any question to be derived from books. He was erai- 

 nentl}^ courteous in his manner to all engaged with him. Neither 

 witnesses nor opposing counsel could complain. Mr. Ingersoll 

 in effect left the bar in 1841 — or soon after : though he undoubt- 

 edl3^ tried and argued several cases of importance after that, and 

 continued much longer to give advice to his former clients in 

 their affairs. 



In October, 1832, he was elected a member of the Select 

 Council of the City of Philadelphia, and was immediately chosen 

 the president of that body: which position he continued to hold 

 b^' annual election until 1835. In 1834 he was elected a member 

 of the 24th Congress — took his seat in December, 1835 — but 

 having served through that Congress, declined a re-election. 

 However, in 1841, he was induced again to enter political life, 

 was elected to, and served successively in the 2Tth, 28th, and 

 29th Congresses. He took an active i^art in the proceedings. 

 He made no speeches for " Buncombe." Some of his efforts, how- 

 ever, were of an elaborate character, and maintained and adorned 

 his reputation as a jurist and a statesman. Among many others 

 which need not be particularized, I may mention his speech de- 

 livered December 22, 1835, on the question of referring petitions 

 for the abolition of slaver^' in the District of Columbia : on May 

 24, 1836, in favor of the distribution of the surplus mone}'- in the 

 Treasury of the United States among the several States, for the 

 purpose of internal impi'ovement and education: on January 13, 

 1842, on the Treasury Note Bill : on May 12, 1842, on the Gen- 

 eral Appropriation Bill : on August 1, 1842, on the Reorganization 

 of the Arm}': on March 31, 1S4G, on the Subtreasury: on April 

 14, 184G, on the Oregon Bill : on July 2, 1846, on the Tariff. I 

 cannot forbear transcribing here a short extract from his speech 



VOL. X. — 3s 



