Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-02-02
An ELOQUENT PoRrRA1T---aRArrAN.

.4ihe:d9qse was at length hushed, and
'Grattan rose. cannot revert to the mem
'ory OF that extraordinary man without a
mixture OF admiration and melancholy
admiration for bis talents, and meln ncholv
tor the feeling that such talents should ex-
plre with the time and he buried in the corn. ;.
mon dust ofthe sepulchre. A. sensational,
orator. lie was incontestibly the greatest
whom lever heard. With butlit.le pathos.
and with no plesantry, never heard auv
man 50 universally, perpetually and power.
fully command the attention OF the House.
There was the remarkable popularity of his
language that, while the :happiest study of
others is to conceal their art his simplicity
had the manner of art. 1t. was keen, con
centrated, and polished by nature. Hi. ell.
'ament was grandeur; the plainest concep,
tlons in bis hands assumed loftiness and
power which elevated tho minds of his hear
ers as much as it convinced their reason.
As it was assad Of Michael Angelo, that ev.
cry touch of the chisel was life, and that he
struck out features and forms from the mar
bic with the power Of creator, 'Grattau's
mastery OF high conceptions was so innate
that he invested every topic with sudden
magnitude, which gave the most casual
things commanding existence to the pop
ular eye. it was thus, that the grievance
OF a casualimpost, the delinquencies of the
police. the srtifce Of an election, .or the
fe!fnsliisfof uaeah,reo of finance, become
under his hand, historic subjects, immortal
themes, splendid features and recollections
o: intellectual triumph. IF the Pyramids
were built to contain the dust of nameless
'bngsand Sacrificed cattle. his sloquence ere.
ated over materials equally trau.ilory, mem.
'orials equally imperishabIe.
His style has been criticrised. and bas
been calIel affected and epiaramat,ic. ,Bu,
'~hatiA style to the true orator. His ,ri-
'umph is effected is it to him his Com
pound? What is il to the man who has
the 'hu9derb"!t ip his hsnda: Oe what
'varors-nssSwhat Ieahhly+znay, what
'raptu'ous materials il may be formed? It's
blaze, its "a 'idity and its penetration are
its essential value; and smiling, piercing
and consuming. 't'is the inv, ,runiept of5i,re-
'sistib'e power. -,@i4ss':s z :. ''.
"a pnt 5rAttan was an :o'at Or by profession,
'snd'sie only one of bis day. The areat
1osiHh spsskerf#':aprsds oratory simply as
1he means Of their public snpsriori,v.
:Fitts was the, oratory Of ruler Of empire :
win Mr. Fox, orntory was the, strong, pas
's've, and Se. flexible iastrumenss Of aslsader
of party. But with Grsttan It wa. ac.
ai'tN nakiug:a portion ef the Ma l,spsssasoa4
y connected with external things, and nei.
'ther curbed nor guided by the necessities
'o' n's political existence. If Grat,an:: bad
Deeo born among the backw oodsmen be
Observation-Disclosures an orator, and have been
persuasive among men Of The ha.chet and
the ride. Wherever the tqspue Of man
could have gained superioritx. Slabe a. !.
ana vleor.o conception cSdf3 Ssve oiSsn
tyI:! ystI!ei ee rsulds have attained 4tuinenca q
ua nsPensed delight. IF he hsd 'tf not fonnd
.a 81 aualenee, ne would have .addre.ssa~ ~ ~
6: e., 6: Z :.
3, = ata,:sf 4.