the convictions of his mind, without regard to precedent or example.  His knowledge of human nature seemed intuitive, and his capacity of adaptation was without limit.  At the period when he commenced the practice of law, the successful abilities in the profession were forensic.  Every case was tried by a jury, and the law made juries judges of law and fact.  The power to control and direct these was the prime qualification of a lawyer, and nature had bestowed this, in an eminent degree, upon Colquitt.  There were few more eminent as advocates, or more successful as practitioners, though his legal attainments were never of a very high order.  He was elevated to the bench, where he remained but a short time, feeling that this was no situation for the display of his peculiar powers, nor the proper or successful course for the gratification of his ambition.  He had, at a previous time, united himself with the Methodist Church, and was licensed to preach.  It was his habit to open his court, each morning, with prayer, and not unfrequently, during the week of his court, in each county of his circuit, to preach two or three sermons.  He was a general of the militia, and would come down from the bench to review a regiment or brigade.  It was this discharge of his multifarious duties which prompted an aged sister of his church, when the great men of the State were being discussed by the venerable ladies of a certain neighborhood, to claim the palm for Colquitt.

“Ah! you may talk of your great men, but none on ’em is equal to brother Colquitt; for he, in our county, tried a man for his life, and sentenced him to be hung, preached a sermon, mustered all the men in the county, married two people, and held a prayer-meeting, all in one day.  Now, wa’n’t that great?”

Before a jury he was unequalled.  His knowledge of men enabled him to determine the character of every juror, and his versatility to adapt his argument or address to their feelings and prejudices so effectually as to secure a verdict in mere compliment to the advocate.  He left the bench to enter the political arena.  It was here he found the field nature designed him for.  Before the people, he was omnipotent.  At this period Dawson, Cooper, Colquitt, Cobb, Stephens, and Toombs were before the people—­all men of talent, and all favorites in the State.  This was especially true of Dawson, Cobb, and Stephens, and no men better deserved the public favor.

Very soon after he went into Congress, he, with Cooper and Black, abandoned the Whig party.  At the approaching election they canvassed the State, and justified their course before the people.  There was no middle ground on which to stand.  To abandon one party, was to go over, horse, foot, and dragoons, to the other, which was always ready to welcome new converts of talent and popularity.  These three became, in the canvass, the champions of Democracy, and fiercely waged the war in antagonism with their former allies.  In this contest were made manifest the great abilities of Colquitt, Toombs, Stephens, Cobb, and Herschel V. Johnson.