The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1863-12-02
mr. Rlsrstt's oratsry.

The New York Herald has the follow ing
very caus,ic criliism on MIR. Everett,s Get
iysburg oration
"A grander theme thai that with which
Mr.. Everett hadto deal never fell 10 the
lot OF the most fortunate of orators. He
was expected to 10 homage to the brave
men upon the vFy spot where they had
sacrificed their lies for their country, and
to preach The funeral sermon over heroes
whose remains had not ye; moulded into
dust, 10 an audience composed Of the friends,
relatives and countrymen of The ilIustrious
dead, and from pulpit around which the
evidences of the immortal conflict are still
J strewn, as they were left at the close of the
battle. Place a Greek orator upon the
plains OF Marathon, or an English orator
upon The field of Waterloo, or an American
orator upon Banker Hill, and he would be
inspired 10 lranscendent eloquence Bui
such an orator would have TO imagine much
He would have 10 transport himself and his
audience back 10 The period of which he
spoke. He would have 10 cloihe with
fash and blood the shadowy forms of he
rees unknown 10 him and 10 his hearers
He would have 10 conceive and describe
how the place of action appeared on that
day which had made it illusirious. Then,
alter all this labor, he might begin to feel
that sympathy with his subject and his au-
dIence which il tie alpha aud the omega
of irue eloquense.
Edward Everett had no such prelimiua-
~ task as this. The heroes he had to eulo-
gIze were heioes of the present Their
form lay before him, not yet mingled with
tne common dust, and scarcely yet separa-
led from life On every hand were traces
OF the conflict iE which they bore SO con-
splcnous part He addressed some OF The
comrades and many of ihe relatives of the
soldiers of whom he spoke. Every possi-
bic accessory, from the newly made graves
10 the marks OF the cannon shot, assisted to
move and warm the heart. Still Edward
Evereit's little heart beat as calmly as
watch ticks. He had written his essay in
his library, and he said that which he had
written. A lille DIT of ancien, history, a
little biz of English history and a liltle bi.
OF American history were dainty mixed
together. Pretty phrases about Pericles
were accompanied by equally pretty phras.
es about JEFF. Davis. An inaccurate ac-
count of the battle gave occasion for kindly
little puffs OF Hooker and Meade, when, as
every ons knows, Gettysburg was a soldiers
batle-won moi by Meade's generalship,
bat by the priva,es and the corps comman.
ders Then came dissertation upon the
causes and excuses of the rebellion, and
then few scraps OF history, and then-ius.
as every one was wondering whether this
discrusive and disconnected rgmarole was
Observation-Disclosures was a sudden end of il,
amid general sighs of relief. Seldom has a
man talked 30 long and said so little. He
told US no:hing about the dead heroes, moth
ing OF their former deeds. nothing of the
glories they achieved before they fell, like
conqnerors, before that greater conqueror,
Death. He gave Us plenty of words, but
no heart. HIS flowers OF rhetoric were as
beautiful and as scen,less and as lifeless as
wax flowers. His style was as clear and
as cold as Crolon ice. He talked like a
historian, or an encyclopedias, or an essay
isl, but not like an orator. He has produce
ed, not great oraiIon, but great disap-
poinlmenl"