The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-01-27
Il H E N r w f II A.
From the Baltimore Republican.
HON. ANDREW KENNEDY-ELO.
QUENCE

An eloquent man is Mr.. Kenncdy-none more
so in the Congress Of the United States He il
as forclbe as thunder, and at the same time as
smooth oil. If there be man now in The
Councils of The nation, who deserves the dislinc
ton of being called an orator, he is the man. Tc
one who reads his speeches, he seems to speak
without an effort, merely 10 open his ps, and
out gushes strong and powerful aud majestic
tide of eloquence. He seems to defy criticism
inasnuch as he does not appear TO make any
points like other speakers. Most all practised de-
haters set out 10 prove given point and gener-
ally disclose it at the opening of their speeches
The logcian merely always does this The man
who is anxious to win the double fame ofthe ora
tor and the reasoner. is apt TO preface the subsian
tial parts of his effnrt with kind of flourish, in
rider 10 command attention or win applause
Some again wind the mellow horn at the close of
what they have TO say, in order TO leave upon the
mind of.lhe nearer a vivid and lasting impression
All these are mere artists at most, rheturicians
At an early period, the attention of men was
lrawn to the subject of elUquence, and they, in
MI ages, have endeavored to reach il by art
Culture may go a. great way, and when united
with practice, and in the absence of any physical
lesect, may attain something. This something
is oiten-ii,nes mistaken for elu1rence, and in the
absence of the genuine article, does aud ought TO
pass for it. We never know the difference be-
tween the two, until they are heard together, and
then, as in all other cases in which nature and arl
are brought in contrast, the mighty mother asserts
her splendid superiority, and wears The laurels,
with 10 dispute her claims. 1t has been
said, that it is the province of the orator " TO per
suade" So it may be but 10 be able To per
suade dues not make the orator. Ii So then the
mathematician is an oratur, for he persuades men
that the three angels of Triangle are equal 10 tYu
right angles. We cannot pretend 10 define what
is eoquence. Men have failed at that for centu-
ries; we will stop by calling il magic and a
mystery. We know how we feel when we read
the famous speech of Patrick Henry, and there
fore when man makes us feel, we do when
we read that, we may very correctly set him
duwn as an orator We do moi mean The same in
degree, but in kind. BY no means do we intend
TO compare Mr.. Kennedy to Patrick Henry, but
intend 10 point him out one of the best orators.
perhaps The very best, in The House of Represen
tativ,s. The most leitered member from the
Eastern States, who may boast a Vale
or a Cambridge as his Alma Mater, does not
speak pnrer and better English than he does
We have understood, how and from whence we
do not now remember, and therefore do not speak
il absolutely, that he is n self made man. Il
this be Irue his case is still more surprising foI
self made men do not generally win distinction by
the purity of their language. Strong, bold anC
original thoughts, are the ladders by which they
mount the height and reach the temple Of fame
Mr.. Kennedy is from the State of Indiana, is ye
a young man, and who can say in what position
he will be found in the year 1860 if he lives Z
No position is too high for such man. We have
spoken OF him as an orator, as reasoner we nigh
say just as much, and yet not oveTsiep the bound
aries OF truth. In fine, we may say of him both
as TO intellect and eoquence, that he is The Eze
kiel of the lower House.