Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1871-08-17

CAvorR a. AN ORAroR. His manner
was simple. Straightforward effsctive.--
Trained in the pales.ra Of parliamentary
struggle. he was ambitious to bs Q good
debater rather than great orator. ffho
could nc: entertain the Chambers with
figures OF rhetoric. he could furnish thea
with what Burke tells us are far moro do
cisive-rhe figures Of arithmetic. D v..d
# hriNispey. wtAsa difficult and as times
almost painful slocution enuncistsd ,in .
....=a skill voice and constantly inter.
r,rted BY sligh; nervous couga. Ia,
nevertheless commanded the attcntion Of
the Chambers With an authority thsy vera
unwilling 70 accord yot pc-ss!sss - resist.
Without any attempt at rhetorical eject.
he seldom or nerer degenerased into com
,nonplace. Sometiines an interruption cr
an assault. which he rather provoked them
ncilia,ed. like .he brenking Of IN elsc-a
.ric current. would cause the train Of hls
thought to kindle and sparkle with rnac-
cns,omed splendcr Always wary. rarely or
uever nonp!used. without losing the gram
n!a;ical construction or logical s,9uascc
cf his discourse. his reply was eve: p,omp:
and decisive. sometimes harghty and eca-
temp,uous. Without Z knowledge Of
Latin aud Greek. he vas charged With
seasoning bis speeches with salt ''aot Ar,
,ic." II may be that his language vas
not classical. as bis dicticn was not orci.s
lie disreearded the Embellishments of
rsyie. and discsined the arti6oes Of rheto-.
riG- He spoke - man who aimed a.
conviction. no: cheers; With whom ~
argumer. wss battle. net . tournament !,
speech an action. not mere dcelama.iou
AS to bis method in preparing his dis.
courses we have the following account
from the pcu Of his private secretary. A.
tom.
Seated TRANQUILITY uraa the ministerial
bench. playing With his paper ku.te. anl
sustaining the assaults Of his opponents,
nth al! the coo!ness Of an experienced de-
!,zter, he ssened TO pay no attention 10
wha. was being said. when. IN reality not
q syllable escaped him. Little by k,ils
BY an intellectual process: OF which hs vas
scarcely conscious. the outline CT his dis
course was completed in his head wnb-'
out writing word. without even tzhiuS
mates. except when hs had figures or dates
to adduce, it was susieien. for him u re-
volve bis sbjec, for al hour or two ~ the
noraing Of the day 30 expected 70 spssk.
in order 70 clothe bis ideas io the most
suitable FORM In the latter par. Of his
lite he was accustomed to have me present
At the preliminary rshsrsal Of ha epcech.
es. Seated opposite 10 me. he sought iu
ny counteuauer. which could never e6a-
ceal any. thing from ham. tho inprese:o.s
which the strong aud ingenious chain. os
bis reasoning produced upon me. so,rs.'
times he irterroga;cd nc with bis eye. o.
constrained rse 10 rake observations apca
points ui,h-rsgsrd to which he xas tpss
altogether satisfied. Often when. ,as9
s.,e galleries Of the Chamber. ] havs, lee
tened to the speech prepared Ia tl.e morn
Ifsy tefnre me. hare teen able to r,sH
Ma fia.liay Of ,hiao gsssssysg . .Sos,e,lsnss
the very words wh,sh bad struck ns .sxv
eited now the applause and now he de.
r:nen: Of the Chamber More frequent
ly, howevcr. Be- inpssvised tn phrassalo-
gv, bnt ,he idea was cops.sntly The sane:
sni have ssct at,c 70 state kssnfehar1
10 ~65aver stcsd bear me the xs.e.'ossse
fasenecs throuyh saich D.. would Asr.<e
al lssl slsosslssiss. --1a9srs Assa.ias
.E9@hsT --.s<---s.~-----S .r..
-rhe-~sss sss;s..,-Ir.r q'ssas.f
her husasni --..a 80