Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-10-22
LORD CHATHAM.

This great Orator, from the Review OF new
Life of him BY the Rev. Francis Ihackeray, IN
the London Magazine for July last:
The frs, sDr ech made in the House Of Com
mons in 1886. fixed his reputation as an orator,
and proved, without the hesitation al moment,
tia, po,per was there. Sir Robert Walpoie,
then a, the head Of affairs, confessed an alarm
awe must, at all events" saws he, "muLzle that
,err bic corner Of horse" II was not the Speak
er's matter, but that which oil observers well
know forms nine-,enUhs Of the orators infu.
epce-manner II was the lightning Of his eye,
the harmonious meditation OF his voice, the
grace of his action the earnestness Of his air, the
self,possession with which he delivered his SEN
timrnrs. which struck his audience. Mr. Burke,
whose sDeeches were full Of wisdom, whose
language was choice and elegant, whose figures
W. ~ beautiful and lively, whose information
was as inexhaustible as his intelligence-he
scarcely took his audience with him; whereas,
IN the instance of Lord Chatham, whose saga
civ. though great, was seldom supported by
reasoning, an assertion from him Tell upon the
house with the weight and solemnity OF an ora
Gle Most speakers can reason tolerably, and
many can dress their opinions in elegant Ian
gudge: but the number Oft who arc inspir-
ed ~ their subject, and speak the con viCtIon OF
III, heart, are very few indeed And when an
instance occurs Of energy which is moulded by
grace-of intensity OF passion, guided bv wis
tloIa and moderated by ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS must
no, be surprised that it should inflame our sym
pathv, and hurry our feeling along with its ir
resistihle theme |, is the nature OF man 10
like better to feel than to hink; with such an
orator as Lord Chatham, the passions rous-
cd, as in tragedy; with such a speaker as
Bark, the taste is gra,l6ed, and the reason is
satisfied, but The auditor Is called upon for an
cffor, which is painful.
OF Lord Chatham's gu affiliations for an ora
tor, all writers have spoken, but there is one
passage in Mr. Buffers "reminiscences that we
must transcribe; il relates TO his voice His
voice was full and clear: his lowest whisper was
distinctly heard; his middle tones were sweet,
rich, and beautifully varied: when, he elevated
his voice to It's highest pitch, the house was
completely filed with the volume of the sound.
The effect was awful, except when he wished
to cheer or animate. He then had spirit-stir-
ring notes, which were perfectly Irresistible
He frequently rose, on n sudden, from a very
low TO a very high KEY, but il seemed to be with
. out effort" Ii is evident, that for such man
10 risr to speak was like the striking Of a mu-
steal Instrument, and we are not 10 be surpris>
ed that the effects were always such as the poet
Attributes to thu skill OF Timotheus. Mr.. Pulte-
new, d, this time was the leader OF opposition,
party headed by the Prince Of Wales, the late
Kings father The maiden speech was on The
occasion of the Prince, marriage; il is an ele
CANT, but -somewha, floiid eulogium on his cha
rac,er Sir Robert Wspole is said to have
tried The integrity of the youthful orator. il is
certain that he dismissed him from his cornet>
cy, very foolish and very infamous step, by
which we may guage the present force Of pub !
IL ENrt IL te 81, 81
the present day, for 4ike offence, the express
sion OF opinion in Parliament, durs, adnp, such
a measure. II could have no other effect on
Mr., Pit, than to give additional asperity to his
remnnstrances, and TO make him despise the
meanness OF the man as much as depreciate the
wisdom OF The minister. The honor of the ma
ton was Mr.. PUTS first theme, as il was the
last. He had certain notions OF dignity bv which
he measured the prosperity of the country. as
he did the integrity and the correctness Of his
own personal conduct II was this notion Of
dignity which now induced him TO goad the mi |
nis'er into war with Spain, and which animal. |
ed his last s. dying eifor, in the House Of Lords,
when he stond up TO deprecae the independ-
cnce OF the United States Sir Rober, Wal.
pole was driven into ,be war with Spain, and |
the i'll success with which he conducted it,
drove himself out Of power. In l742, Walpole
was created Earl Of Oxford, and resigned his |
employments. Mr. PIT was at that time thr-
ty four wears Of age. Lord Carteret and the
Duke Of Newcas,!e, came into power a, an un-
fortunate crisis Our part in the continental \
war at that time existing which involved us in /
immense expense, and in the vexatious entan-
clements Of European alliance, was taken BY
these ministers. The kings attachment 10
Hanover, and the sacrifices made in behalf of
tina, country. became source Of bitter discon-
tent The management Of the war, and the
waste Of money in subsidies, became the theme
Of Mr.. Pitts eloquence. Lord Carteret's mea-
sures were always viewed with detes,ation BY
Mr.. Pitt, and for many years he occasionally
spoke Of him as the curse Of the country. Mr..
Murray, afterwards Lord Mansfield, was brought
forward TO oppose Mr.. Pitt on these questions.
In the Memorials of the Right Hon. James Os.
valid, there is most interesting comparison
IF the oratory Of these two great men, which
Se shall extract from Mr.. Thackeray's works.
"on the FIRST day, Murray was introduced to