Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-05-02
CARL SCHURZ.
The Greatest orator In America
70 since Daniel Webster.


From the Cincinnati Commercial.l i86
1t is not in the way of empty compli-
| ment, but Of Intelligent opinion, that
the Nation speaks Of Carl Schurz as
the greatest master in America Of
powerful and telling rhetoric as . po-
litical orator. We rather guess the Ma
ton isynot far from right in its opinion.
Schurz has been known as q public
speaker for over dozen years. He has
been a speaker on the Republican side
in three Presidential campaigns, and
his fluent eloquence, in two languages,
has been admired by popular audiences
in all parts Of the country But since
his entrance into the Senate, he has not
only delivered his oratory from q more
prominent vantage ground than he ever
before possessed, but his powers them
selves have evidently been strengthened
and broadened, and he has displayed
them in a more commanding and self
possessed way than he did at any pre-
vieus time. Probably the very best of
his recent speeches., however, were not
any Of those which be has delivered be-
fore the Senate, but that which he ad-
dressed to the Reform meeting in New
York few days ago, 1t was an Or
derby, vigorous, weil-reasoned, impas-
stoned, effective and altogether admir-
able piece of oratory. ssa-
It's twenty years since Daniel Web
ster died Since his time we have not
been able to boast of much in the way
of grand eloquence on political themes,
in Congress or elsewhere. We had
numerous able debaters on slavery and
collateral questions before the war; but
who can mention the name of any com
manding oratorical genius during these
times2 The war was a great national
crisis, in which questions of the very
highest import were constantly up for
discussion and action; but we had no
Daniel Webster in the Senate while it
lasted. Congress, in truth, had but little
patience with debate on the great issues
that then had to be decided. 1t did not
need to be convinced of their necessity,
and had no disposition to allow time to
be taken up with arguments from the
small minority in opposition. Business
was the order of the hour, and Thad
Stevens managed it in his own style in
one House, while in the other it took
care of itself There is no reason to
believe, however, that this circumstance
was the cause Of the world losing any
thing in the high oratorical line.
During the war period, as well as
during the anti-slaVery times which pre-
ceded it, and the years which have
elapsed since its close, Charles Sumner
has played a prominent part as Q sena'
torial orator. Summers orations are
sonorous, elaborate and learned; they
are earnest and sincere in feeling, are
always based on morality and principle,
and occasionally they contain passages
of striking rhetoric. But he never
reaches those lofty nights from which
the great masters of oratorical eloquenc0
sway the world. The lights and splen-
dors, the freedom, sweep and power Of
dominating intellectual genius, are never
found in his speeches. He is often
stilted, pedantic and pompous; his rea-
soning is often loose, and his conclusions
are often forced; and he frequently in
dulges in sort Of fustian which neither
gods nor men can be expected to tole-
rate. OF the great Senators Of the war
era, and the years Immediately following
it, we have had able speakers in Fessen-
den, Trumbull, Morton. Sherman, and
one or two others; but though we must
not forget the flashing rhetoric Of Henry
Winter Davis, in neither House was
there any sign Of anybody possessed Of
that restless eloquenee which " shook
the arsenal" in the days Of Demos
themes. .aHaas
The impeachment trial gave us some
very able, skillful aud memorial ora
tons. The speeches of Mr.. Evarts and
Mr.. Groesbeck, both Of whom we're spe-
cial counsel and unofficial citizens. were
particularly notable. We think, in fact,
that during that celebrated trial, we had
several of the best Illustrations OF politi-
co-forensic eloquence we have had in the
country for a score Of years.
In Congress at the present time,
we look to the Senate or the
House great orators or great orAtions
are scarce enough. We know that end
less pages, filed with splendiferous ha-
rangues, are constantly being printed at
the public expense in the Daily Globe;
but these things are not worth the burial
which they receive Immediately after
their birth Il is rarely, indeed. that
any speech is delivered in Congress now
a-days which anybody wonld read as an
pleasure, for the sake of its
reason or imagination or wisdom or any
other lofty Characteristic. There are
some half dozen Senators, not to speak
Of Mr.. Sumner, who are fluent and ready,
and capable enough as political speech