The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-09
General Martindale as an Orator.

from We HoTtd.
The American people, like other great people,
have always given their admiration as freely to
brilliant orators tn renowned leaders of
armies. As among the ancients the speeches of
Demosthenes kindled as many hearts as the
victories of Alexander, and the splendid conha-
grafton OF Tully's eloquence blazed as brightly
as the fame of Cesar's exploits; and as, in
modern French history, Mirabeau was not
eclipsed by Napoleon, SO, among the American
people the fame Of Patrick Henry, 'the forest
bora Demosthenes," is scarcely less cherished
than that OF Washington, the leader OF our
Revolutionary armies; and at a later period,
Clay, on whose lips listening Seuates hung with
rapture, divided the homage of his generation
with jackson, the illustrlous hero of New
Orleans. 1t is the rare felicity OF the times in
which we live to see both of these dazzling
characters united in one-to contemplate a hero
who "speaks with the same spirit with which
he fought" 1t was reserved Tor the Fourth-ot-
July celebration at Albany to disclose this mar
vel, in the person of John H. Martindale, late
Brigadier-General of Volunteers, and now
AttOrney-General OF New York. His merits in
the tOasts at the Albany dinner, in a strain of
eloquence inferior only to his own. We quote:-
"I he third regular toast was-'The Orator of the
Day. As brilliant In elOquence as he was dashing
| III the field de has stormed the cltadels OF our
hearts, carried them at Ihe first assault, planted the
genial banner of the god of eOquence us, and
| we have only TO surrender at Qlscret1On" General
| hartindale responded in a very happy speech, He
retorted to Mr.. Ireman's structure in very happy
manner, and lndulged in many flashes OF wit and
humor"
The author of this toast is probably near
| relative of Mrs. Amelia Gushington, one OF
| whose letters lately appeared in Punch. His
| tasteful e.. E.Ion h,s more than the merit of
eoquence; stripped of the snowy plumage with
which it is decorated, it has the greater merit
of truth. Its sense, expressed in palmer Ian
| guage, is that General Martindale is as great as
| an orator as he was as sOldier-which, we take
| it, is a proposition it would require hardy
| reasoner to retute
We cannot find it in our hearts to suffer so
| splendid light as this General Martindalc to be
| longer hid under bushel; so we hasrento place
| him upon a candlestick where he may shine
| upon all our countrymen. In giving specimens
| OF General MaItndae's oration, we are happily
| relieved from the trouble of estimating its matter
| II our friendly criticism were confined to this,
| il would be after the model of the celebrated
| chapter in the book of a Sdudnt on Iceland:-
| CHAPTER XVIII.-SNAKES.-T are no
/ snakes in Iceland (which was the whole chap
! ter. We do not remark the absence Of matter
in General Martindale's speech to dsparage its
| eloquence; very much the contrary. one OF the
| characters in Moliere's Arnphytrlon says that
| the truly great cook is he who can set out a
| sumptuous dinner without incurring any ex-
pense at the butchers. So your truly great
| orator, like General Martndae, is one who
| can make gorgeous display OF splendid words
| without any expense OF knowledge or thought.
| And besides, this makes the parallel in the
| toast so perfect between General Martindale's
| oraIory and his military fame. EOquence -
| 8 ch eloquence, at least, as his-is drum which
| gives forth more sound in proportion to the
| vacuum within; 1t is a balloon, which mounts
| to a greater height in proportion to the tenulty
of the gas which swells out its sides. This being
the character OF General Martindales eloquence,
we are able to present some very uncommon
| samples OF soaring lOltlness. We have but a
slender acquaintance with the physiology OF
butb; but, us far as we eau Judge General
Martindae is probably right In regarding the
birth he here describes as quite unusual
GLOW shall address you IN terms and thoughts
fitting to such an audience and such iImeE How
like thIsl birthdays Was ever nation porn into
full life by one grand declaration, leaPing up to
such an altitude as oursr" ..
We do not know that we quite understand the
application of the phrase "allve aud klcklng;"
but We suppose it may describe accurately
enough the condition OF a newborn bloY But
when General Martindnle makes his leap up TO
such an astonishing altitude he gives a
striking proof OF the rising tendencies Of MS
eloquence. We may well ask in his own mag
nifcent language, "When, ever before, IN the
track Of the centuries. or in human experience,
has such q spectacle been witnessedF'l Inc
word altitude" like some other very tall
terms, is a great favorite with General MARTIN
dale IN the high regions to which his eronauuc
eloquence so irrepressibly scars. For instance;-
Ambition can find altitude lottier than the Gle
Yation 70 which humanity has exalted the Apostles
Who went toTth preaching