Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-06-05
sseelise of Orators.

No take the following articA ca tilis
subject from tie philadelphia GoAtte:
Every Circumstance has its hw, ana
every age its distinctive 3haraetl. The
worlds great scene is q speetaeiasf rapid
changes 4he age of clliyalry, aScordiug
to Dir Burke. is gone. So is tileage Of
oratory. We Lave fallen on evil thes, SO
,fqr as eloaaonce is concerned. We live no
great orators either at the bar or h the
Senate. We have, indeed, clever spaEers,
but oratory as it was
iii That elder time,
Warm. energetic chastc, sublilaea
is almost wholly rr.:.nown among Us. lThe
age is conlanerc@f aid atiltarian, AMI It's
influence is 9.-tepled through all raulA Of
life The ialqtfessiou Of law. which bod in
ancient and modern times has produced try
eminent orators. is becoming ssesg end l3e.a
.!ibersi AIT, and none and more p basisss
pursuit So Ear as To mere interests If le
community are concerned this Rag be gek
we'll But the fact is ebsioas and undens
able that the bar is no longer the theatre 4
great aloqilence. 1t is out of fashion therd
Us well as in Congress and ouz State lerisl
latures.
''In this respect. :howevcr, England can
boast .no,bet<er condition Of things tLan ex-
ists.,l. our own country She has let {
single great orator No one appears Il
claim the mantle Of the mighty Chatham,
nor to cmu1ate tie ranoWn Of Fox and pi5t
l,israeii is i ,aan Of exceeding ,cIeverness
bnt has neither the large mind nor the large
heart whence now the living streams Of elo-
.qucnce. His sharp, racy discourse may
win applause, and plant thorns IL tie breast
of an adversary, bet does not overwhclm
nor warm, nor melt his hearers Earl Der
by is dashing, impplsive speaker; with 6
cultivated. pointed elocation, but he nese,
rises and is probably Incapable to rise int
the higher strains Of eloqrence. Mr.. Glad
stone is man of trained mind, extensive
,inforlaaSion, and large experisnoe. These
advantages constitute him q ,very able de-
batter. 1t the same time he i s pleasing
speaker, but nature has denied him tht
higher gift Of oratory. Lord PaImerstor
has wit and jokes, and his POPULARITY ex
cites laughter both in himself and others
but laughter is not eloIuence.
THE truth is, great orators DO not ap
pear in ordinary times. IT is only wher
mighty interests are at stake; when the
passions of men are aroused by the Storm O
revolution, political or religious; when higl
thoughts and glowing feelings, and ,iae9oit
resolves are in the ascendant; it is only al
such times that the great orator comes up
on the scene. The French Revolution is
illustrated by its Mirabeau and it's Danton
the American by its Patrick Henry and its
John Adams. The critical periods of Eng
lish history are the periods Of its most emil
ncnt orators. Great events seem necessary
to arouse into action great natures; to in
flame and inspire them. Indeed, when such
events do not occur after long interval
and the religious principle is not active
mankind are in danger Of sinking into the
grossest materialism. They will be apt t
look only to the acquisition Of wealth, ant
abandon themselves to physical enjoyment
as the highest good iniife.;D ~,