Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1866-11-07
Extraordinary oratorioaI Feat

ONE of the mos remarkable feats of endur.
ance in a speaker which we ever remember
to have heard of, comes to US from Victoria
Vancouver Island, says the Examiner. In
the Legislative Assembly Of that place. we
are told that Mr.. Leonard Mcclure spoke for
seventeen hours without pausing or sitting
down. To those who are unacquainted with
the circumstances, this feat might not appear
| proper 10 be- placed in the same category with
| the exertions of those ambitious pedestrians
who, for wa ers, walk thousand miles in a
thousand hours. It my easily be suppo, el
that Mr.. MdClure's speech could not have
been master piece Of oratory. nor is it like
iy that his inducement was greater than that
which moved Edmund Burke when, at the
trial Of Edmund Hastings, after pouring out
for fourteen hours a torrent of impassioned
eIoquence, the majestic mind collapsed under
the force of physical fatigue, and he fell FAINT
ing in the arms OF Sheridan. But we know
of no instance OF stubborn tenacity equal to
this Of Mr.. McClure's and the cause was one
whidh shonld make him famous in the annals
of the British Colonies.
A year ago large quantity OF land in and
about Victoria was seized by the Government
for arrears of taxes, and was by it held on
the understanding, expressed and published
that the owners could have and repossess
their lots, by paying the taxes due within
twelvemo9th after their seizure. But it be-
came known a few days before the expiration
of tile allotted term that plot was on foot,
hatched bv the Government and backed by
venal majority in the House Of Assembly,
to pass bill authorizing the Executive to re-
pudate its contracts with the land owners,
refusing to accept payment Of arrears, and
seizing upon and retaining permanently the
disputed lots. Two men in the House oppos- |
ed the measure. Their names were Amos de |
Canos ard Leonard Mcclure They knew |
that they had nothing to hope from their
compeers or from the Government and they |
preDared themselves accordingly. The House |
had made IN its mind. with these two ex-
ceptionq to rush through this obnoxious bill |
on the day before The tweIvemonth expired. |
There was but one way to prevent this
and it was adopted resolutely On the House |
being opened, Mr. Mcclure rose to. his feet. /
the time being noon, and kept the floor until !
) O'Clock next morning. For seventeen hours
he continued TO speak, while every effort
was made by the purchased majority to put /
lim down and tire him out With merci-
less uuanimity refused to allow him to lean
against the table, to put his foot upon chair
7or a moment, to relieve himself from the
rksomeness of his position by resting his
isnd upon any thing, or to speak, in Short,
n any other than a rigidly erect and unsup-
ported attitude. During the whole Of the
.ime they relieved each other at intervals, 60
ng ont and procuring such refreshment as
hey needed, and always leaving quorum
n the House When Mcclure sank exhaust
I'd into his seat, as the light OF another morn
ng was stealing into the windows Of the As
jenbIy House, De Conos rose and for the re-
naming seven hours of the twenty -four talk
I'd against time. On rising. amid the groans
md Kisses of the disgusted and infuriated
majority. he exclaimed with more force than
that it was useless for honorable
members to evince their malice in that man
her, for he had got up with the determination
10 talk, ii necessary, until the angel Ga
oriel sounded the last trump" His powers J