Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-12-19
Colonel Bnker ns a senator.

The following extract from Senator Sum
ner's eulogy on Colonel Baker is in the
speakers very best style. The description
is admirable, and it appears to have been
just as a sketch of character:
A new State, which had just taken her
place in the Union, sent him as her earliest
Senator, and Oregon was first known to us
on this floor by his eloquent lips. In the
Senate, he at once took the place of orator.
His voice was not full or sonorous, but IL
was sharp and clear. 1t was penetrating
rather than commanding, and yet, when
touched by his ardent nature, it became
sympathetic and even musical. His counte.
nance, body and gesture all shared the un-
conscious inspiration of his voice-and he
went on, master of his audience, master also
of himself. All his faculties we're completely
at bis command. Ideas, illustrations, words,
seemed to come uubidden, and to range
themselves IN harmonious forms, as in the
walls of ancient Thebes each stone took its
proper place of its own accord, moved only
by the music of a Tyre. His fame as a speaker
was so conspicuous, even before he appeared
among us, that it was sometimes supposed
he might lack those solid powers without
which the oratorical faculty itself can exer-
else only transient influence. But his
| speech on this floor in reply TO a slave-h hold
ing conspi1ator-now an open Tebel-showed
that his matter was as good as his manner,
| and that, while he was a master of fence, he
was also master of ordnance. His contro-
versy was graceful, sharp and flashing like
a scimetaT; but bis argument was powerful
and sweeping like battery. You have not
forgotten that speech. Perhaps the argu
ment against the sophism of Secession was
never better arranged and combined, or more
simply popularized for the general appreheu-
sior. generation had passed since that
traitorous absurdity, the fit cover of con-
spiracy, had been exposed. 1t had shrunk
for a while into obscurity-driven back by
the massive logic of Daniel Webster and the
honest sense Of Andrew Jackson.
. "The times have been
| That when the brains were out, the man would die,
Ard there an end; but now they rise agaiu."
AS the pretension now showed itself anew,
our orator undertook again to expose it.
How thoroughly he did this-noW with his
toric and now with forensic skill--whie his
whole effort was elevated by charming,
ever-ready eloquence, which itself was
aroused to new powers by the interruptions
which be encountered-all this is present ia
your minds. That speech passed at once
into the permanent literature of the country
while it gave to its author an assured po7i.
tion in this body. Another speech showed
him in q different character. 1t was his in.
slant reply to the Kentucky Senator-no
yet expelled from this body. The occasion
was peculiar. A Senator with etreasou il
his heart, if not on his lips, had just taker
his seat. Our departed Senator, who hat
entered the chamber direct from his camp
rose at once to reply. He began simply anC
calmly; but, as be proceeded, his fervid sou
broke forth in words of surprising power
AS on the former occasion, he had presentet
the wellripened fruits of study, go now b
spoke with the spontaneous utterance of hi
own natural and exuberant eloquence, meet
ing the polished orator at every point wit
weapons keener and brighter than his own