Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-02-27
John B. G0UGH.

very successful and popular lecturing tour III
the western states, His time is all engaged in
the seaboard cities and towns until the first of
June, but during this interval the citizens Of
Worcester may hope to hear him once or
twice in Mechanics Hall. During his western
trip he has addressed immense audiences in all
the larger places, speaking six nights week,
and something more. This is the first time
Mr.. Cough has ever spoken in slave city.
But when in st. Louis his utterances for free.
dom were clear and strong, and with so much
skill did he incidentally present the great issue
now before the country as to excite immense
enthusiasm, and carry the whole audience
with him. We copy from the Missouri Re
publican OF Jan. 18th, published at st. Louis,
the following graphic article, entitled
Pen PORTRAIT OF FAvoRITE OF THE
PEoPLE.-A friend came into nay room one
evening, not long since, in a state of great
mental exaltation. Whats going 2" says l.
'Pve been to hear COUGH" said he, en-
Enthusiastically. "He's the speaker for me.
You just ought to see and hear him. You
ought to see him clench his hands, throw
back his head, and pour out torrent of invec-
tive or appeal. You ought to see him lean
forward, with both hands on Lis knees, and
cap the climax of some ludicrous story. It's
my firm belief that if Cough would make
hundred speeches here and in the south, on
the Union, it would do more towards strength
ening and cementing the feeling among the
people than anything else"
And so, though | smiled at my friends en-
thusiasm, | went to Coughs last lecture.
Early though the hour was, the house was al
III
crowdng and screwing, | found myself, in
common with other desperates, contending for
one of the few available seats on the platform.
That secured, | had leisure to look around.
What house it was, thought Crammed
over and above repleton Not an inch of
sitting standing room unmonopolized. All
sorts fpeople-young and old, fair and foul.
Faces---some blooming, some bleared; some
fresh, others sadder. And any number of
those to whom a temperance lecture must be
like touch on sore spot
The air around me was sitting with the
rank fumes of liquor, and man who must
have been young in years and in strength, but
terribly old i'll the unchecked indulgence of
strong, bad passions, sat before me; and close
by another, whose utterly hopeless, joyless
face saddened me ineXpressibly. He never
smiled even when the house rang with laugh
ter, but kept his eyes fixed OH the lecturer
with painful intentness.
But what is all the noise about? A small,
plain, ordinary-looking man takes the seat
Just in front OF me. l do not notice him at
all, but turn to the three other gentlemen who
take seats around him, in quest OF face strk-
ing enough to be Coughs But, in the midst
OF my quest, the small, plain man gets up and
takes the floor. Is that Cough Well, l
don't see anything extraordinary about him,
except the somewhat striking dissimilarity OF
a large, strengthening, rugged head, made to
look still larger by thick, bushy crop OF iron
grey hair, attached TO small slender, almost
trail body, and hand peculiarly shapely and
delicate Tor man with such head. Seeiug
the head by itself, you would say it belonged
TO a large, strong, rather coarsely pIoportiOned
man. The face is not more than ordinarily
noticeable, save for the jutting of the low
brow over deep-set eye OF Iightest blue-grey.
1t is neither massive nor delicate nor decided
in coloring. Flexibility, mobileness, are its
ruling attributes. He is pale, and looks quiet,
as are his opening sentences at the commence
ment of the lecture. But wait until the spirit
within leaps, leopard-like, into the kindling
eye. Wait until his face hushes with the
dawning OF a strong purpose, and the knotted
veins in his temples and forehead fill, strain,
and distend and his nervous hands tremble
with emotion, while every clear, powerfully
spoken word reverberates to the turtherest
end of the hall. His eye and voice magnetic
you. His powerful partomimic delineations
Startle and rivet you. 1t is not possible for
you TO do otherwise than look and listen.
Now lie has gained the attention Of every one
in the hall, and may do what lie will with
them. How he plays with their heart strings
can think of nothing else but an assemblage
of wooden dolls, with laughing and crying
place inside Of them, and Cough has hold
| Of the wires of communication, and pulls
| them to suit himself. He startles and
blanches you with a thrilling description
of some terrible sin or pain; and while you
are white with emotion, lie turns about and
you find yourself laughing convulsvely
az some irresistiby comic description.
You feel what he feels you see as he sees
and laugh or sigh in sympathy. His powerful
dramatic acting, unfettered by any rules-his
voice and eye give touching interest to the
simplest story. But through all curious ex-
preston OF grim, watchiul intentness on the
object he has in view, never leaves him. He
masters you, but in the midst of all this SEEM
ing abandon, he is perfect master Of himself.
His hits are not at random; they all aim at one
point. The greatness of the subject grows
and deepens with every touch. He does not
seem to mind when a round of applause browns
his voice for time, but for all that it braces
him like strong wine for new effort. Such
men as Cough will ever be favorites with the
masses. Because they appeal to the feelings,
the impulses because the feelings, faiings,
and sympathies, common to the great body of
the people, well and warmly touched upon and
deneated, will command the deepest, most
universal attention until man ceases 10 be con-
sttuted as he is at present. The man, his sub
ject and his audience, were wonder fully
adapted to each other
Just now he got off sentiment which went
like an electrical thrill through the house.
can compare the enthusiasm to nothing but a
whrlwind passing over the place. There was
cheering, stamping, and waving of hats and
| handkerchiefs. No one seemed to take any
note of time. No enc yawned or took out his
watch. He could have kept every soul OF
them there until midnight, provided he could
have maintained the desirable elevation OF
spirit.
When he passed me, few minutes after
the lecture ended--a small, plain man, looking
like any one of hundred small, plain men