“The first and strongest manifestation of this character is efficiency.  Not one man in a thousand is capable of accomplishing so much.  The strong points are very strong; the weak points are weak; so that he is an eccentric and peculiar character.

“The pole-star of his character is moral courage.

“He has very little reverence, and stands in no awe of the powers that be.  He pays no regard to forms or ceremonies, or established customs, in church or state.  He renders no homage to great names, such as D.D.; L.L.D.; or Excellency.  He treats his fellow men with kindness and affection, but not with sufficient respect and courtesy.

“He is emphatically republican in feeling and character.  He makes himself free and familiar with every one.  He often lets himself down too much.  This constitutes a radical defect in his character.

“He will assert and maintain human rights and liberty at every hazard.  In this cause, he will stake anything, or suffer anything.  This constitutes the leading feature of his character.  Every other element is blended into this.

“I should consider him a very cautious man in fact, though in appearance he is very imprudent; especially in remarks on moral subjects.

“He is too apt to denounce those whom he considers in error; to apply opprobrious epithets and censure in the strongest terms, and the boldest manner.

“I have seldom, if ever, met with a larger organ of conscientiousness.

“Nothing so much delights him as to advocate and propagate moral principles; no matter how unpopular the principles may be.

“He has very little credulity.

“He is one of the closest observers of men and things anywhere to be found.  He sees, as it were by intuition everything that passes around him, and understands just when and where to take men and things; just how and where to say things with effect; and in all he says, he speaks directly to the point.

“He says and does a great many severe and cutting things.  If anybody else said and did such things, they would at once get into hot water; but he says and does them in such a manner, that even his enemies, and those against whom his censures are aimed, cannot be offended with him.  He is always on the verge of difficulty, but never in difficulty.

“He is hated mainly by those not personally acquainted with him.  A personal interview, even with his greatest enemies, generally removes enmity; because of the smoothness and easiness of his manners.

“He has at command a great amount of well-digested information on almost every subject, and makes admirable use of his knowledge.  He has a great many facts, and always brings them in their right place.  His general memory of particulars, incidents, places, and words, is really wonderful.

“But he has a weak memory concerning names, dates, numbers, and colors.  He never recognizes persons by their dress, or by the color of anything pertaining to them.