The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-10-31
Pen nnd Ink Portraits.

MONTGOMERY BLAIR AND JOHN L. SWIFT
Our fellow citizens who enjoyed the pleasure
of listening to Mr.. Montgomery Blair and Gen.
John L. Swift during the late canvass in this
State, will recognize the exquisite fidelity of
the following sketch of these distinguished ora
fors The author is an Englishman who land
ed in Boston on the evening when Montgom-
cry Blair was advertised to speak at the Tre-
mont Temple, and improved the opportunity
to see and hear the exp Postmaster General
We copy from his letter to the London
Times:
Imagine long, lean man, a cross between
President Lincoln and Mr.. Chippendale, of the
Haymarket, and you have Mr.. Blair. As for
his speech shall not say much about it. To
tell the truth, it was a little dreary. He used
two lines of argument, perfectly distinct and
to some extent inconsistent with each other
and instead of keeping them apart he jumped
from the first to the second and back again in
way which must have confused those of his
audience who were not already persuaded.
was not much impressed with Mr.. Blair's ar
gument The speech was received with ap-
proval, although there was little enthusiasm
except when the name of Andrew johnson
was mentioned, which called forth such q tu-
multi of cheering that the orator repeated his
point at every convenient opportunity. There
were two or three dissentients near one of the
uOOrS Vi Cne Temple, DuL tnelr OppOSlC1On was
slight, and did not get beyond an admonitior
to dry up" when the speech was about two
thirds over.
have not referred to the license which Mr..
Blair allowed himself when speaking of his
opponents One of them was described as a
most cold -blooded villain, suborner of false
witnesses, man who hurried an innocent wo-
man to death; others as supple tools of slavery
while slavery lasted, and debased slaves of the
party in power now that slavery is abolished
A Al.A-A = I.Aaw
imprudent these public speakers are) against
itinerant orators, seekers of office, who traverse
other States than their own, abusing the neigh
bors they have left at home. Amenities like
these are universal, and must not be too harsh
ly judged. But if Mr.. Blair's speech was tri-
fe dreary something followed which was live
lier and yet more dreary.
When he sat down, after speaking nearly
two hours, there were loud calls Of "Swiff,
Swift" and man of IS or 40. middle height
American beard and moustache, and double
Eyeglasses on his nose, rose to the call He is
general; he was one of the delegates at the
Philadelphia Convention, and he promised to
tell us something about it. In his enthusiasm
he unfortunately forgot to do so. He had
scarcely begun to speak before he was an en-
cetsls. The Pogram Defiance was trifie TO
his speech. In the hgh-pitched, shrieking
voice which finds favor among methodist
preachers, he poured forth the tallest OF talk,
moving as he spoke from end to end of the
long platform, now backwards, now sidewards
now straiehtforwards and addressing his col
leagues to his right or his left, or behind under
the organ but by no chance the crowd sitting
in front. / have the feeling of Frederick Viii
liam toward q man who does not look you in
the face.
The general alternately shrieked and roared,
as he backed about-how he managed to es-
cape backing off the platform and how he kept
as he did his eyeglasses on his nose during
the whole of it are mysteries-and If one con-
sidered the general alone the exhibition was
amusing. The faculty which he had originally
was probably small, and there are so many
asses in the world that the addition Of another
ought not to affect our composure: But it
was pitiful to see the way in which the audi
ence enjoyed it. Their enthusiasm was un-
bounded They rOared out their applause at
the end of every sentence. This detestable
balderdash was evidently to them the highest
fliobt of humanity. 1t was what they would
have done themselves had they the power, and
vet there was no trace of envy in their intense
admiration. 1t is hard to conceive how any
men could fail to detect the hollowness and
sham of such windbag and it was a warning
to see to what he can descend. The effect was
so sickening that could / have decently got
out should have bolted, but, depraved as the
taste of the audience was it was impossible to
outrage the feelings of the honest fellows by
showing an open contempt for the god OF their
idolatry. 1t was, however, over in quarter Of
an hour, and, the treat being finished, the
meeting broke up incontinently with three
cheers for Andrew johnson and the Constitu-
ton,