The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-06-14
Judge Orr Makes . speech.

in mammoth letters, that James L. Orr
would deliver an address on the subject
of the Philadelphia Convention and its
nominees, at Carolina Hall. at half.past
|8 o'clock P. NJ. The important an
nouncement was not circulated suAa-
ciently, we presume. for there was not
80 large an audience present as generally
attends one-horHe Radical pow-wow.
The hall, however, was pretty we'll filed
with colored folks of the masculine per-
suasiop, and there was tolerably fair
sprinkling of whites on the front seats.
The Judge. who was rosy and looked
hot, seemed to labor considerably, as he
spoke in that hard, dry, metallic aud
]erky tone characteristic of him. Per-
haps we judged with jaundiced mind,
but we thought the Judge made very
poor speech. Judge Orr is never elo-
quent, nor even smooth and pleasing in
his diction. not to speak of his gramm lar;
but he is generally sensible, direct aud
forcible in what he has to say. What he
does know. lie knows thoroughly and
practically, and can present in u con-
vincing manner. We presume he didn't
know much about Grant that is good,
for he failed to show it.
The Judge spoke of the Philadelphia
Convention, and the wonderful Grant
enthusiasm which pervaded it. He had
never before, during his long political
career-to which he frequently alluded
seen such an overpowering gush of devo-
ton to any public man as was mani
tested towards Grant at Philadelphia.
One thing that struck him as remarka-
BILE. was the singular unanimity with
which all the delegates went for Grant,
and this, together with what he saw and
heard at New York and Washington,
and elsewhere, convinced him that,
unless all Indications were deceptive,
Grant was sure to be elected in Novem-
Der.
The Judge then launched off into o
struggling eulogy upon Grant. which
was tremendous in design, but failed la
mentally in execution. AS eulogist.
Judge Orr is not success, or else lis
subject was bad one, and he is too
much Of Washington to lie with grace
or facility. We rather think that both
causes combined to render this portion
of the Judges speech particularly drag
ging and laborious. It put one in mind
Of balky horse. or an over-laden one.
He made desperate lunges. now and then
frightened the chains. burst the hame-
strings. and once plunged clear out of
harness when he called Grant "soldier
and gentleman. But he wiped his
face and tried it again, and finally sue.
ceeded in Juggling Grant from Fort Do
MADISON to Appomattox Court House.
showing him pretty good soldier. if
not gentleman, all the way.
1t had been we'll for the Judge if he
had left Grant at Appomattox, where he
had succeeded in getting him sound in
health and fair in reputation. But the
fates ordered otherwise, and the Judge,
doubtless with nm oppressed sigh, hitched
on to his hero again. and tugged him to
the White House, and through it, He
begged at nepotism, foundered at gift
taking, and finally tumbled himself,
Grant and all headlong into the chasm
created by the suspension of AaJeas
corpus. On the subject of Grants nepo-
tism, the Judge tried to be legal and
eyllogistical, and ended in being very
silly. BE begged the question and made
no case, any way.
If, he said, Grants relatives whom he
has appointed are competent, he has as
much right to appoint them as anybody
else The only obligation that Grant
owed the people was that the public
service should be properly managed, and
it his relatives answered the purpose, it
was nobody's business.
We advise Judge Orr to read Summers
speech ag in, and see there with what
adherence Washington. Jefferson and
other great and good men looked upon
this disgraceful offence of nepotism. We
know, though, that Judge Orr did not