Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-05-22
MisfelIaneous.
Prom Chamber journal
Short Speeches.

WHEN people are driven half dis
tfacted with long speeches in and ou,
OF Parliament, and sigh for breyitv !,
Is delightful to call up recolIections Of
'he posslolilty of saying much 10 the
point IN few words. We some,imas
WISH .hat our accomplished legislators
would take = lesson from the 6ro,
asSfls saPseTs .,r 1t the a Maori Mao member of the
gIlsn nave called us 10 this great
house. We sit here. They have pound
ell my COW at Wanguuui. | have
done" This was sufficiently brief;
bot perhaps the shortest speech ever
delivered in any legislative chamber
was that of the member Of the United
States Congress, who, having got out
this sentence: "Mr Speaker, the gen
erality of mankind in general are dis
posed to exercise oppression on the
generality Of mankind in general"
was pulled down to his seat by a
friend, with the remark You'd bet
ter stop; you are coming out of the
same hole YOU went in at -
Daniel Webster was apt to over
indulge himself at public dinners, hut
managed, when called upon, to make a
speech-if brief one. At Rochester
New York, he once delighted the COM
pany with the following: Men of
Rochester, | am glad to see you, ana |
am glad To see your noble city. Cen
tlemen, l saw your falls, which ! am
told are one hundred and fifty feet high.
That is very interesting fact Cen
tlemen, Rome had her Caesar, her
Scipio, her BTutus. but Rome in her
proudest days had never waterfall a
hundred and fifty feet high. Gentle
men, Greece had her Pericles, her
Demosthenes, and her Socrates, but
Greece in her palmiest days never
had waterfall a hundred and fittv feet
high. Men Of Rochester, 90 on No
people ever lost their liberties who had
waterfall q hundred and fifty feet
high !" On another occasion Webster
finished up with "Gentlemen, there's
the national debit should be paid
yes, gentlemen, it should be paid. I'll
pay it myself. How much is it:r In
similar strain, Peggy Potts, fish.
dealer, made her debut as a public
speaker on the opening Of new fish
market at Sunderland, and, consider
inc all things, did not acquit herself
badly, for this was her speech: "God
bless our fishermen pilots, and sailors,
and when they return from the deep
waters may they reach the port in
safety. God bless our working.men,
and may they have plenty of work and
good wages to buy fish and support
their families. God bless the Prince
of Wales and all the royal family.
God save the Queen"
Sir Arthur Helps somewhere sug-
gests that clergymen would be more
successful in attacking the pockets Of
their focks If they sent round the
plates before, instead of after the SER
mon, with the understanding that if
they gave literally they should be let
off from the sermon altogether. The
experiment might be worth trying,
although it would be unnecessary if
charity sermons we're modelled upon
Swift's well-known laconic appeal. A
more modern instance of the efficacy
of brevity in good cause may be
cited. NJ. Dnpanloup, the eloquent
Bishop of Orleans, preaching in behalf
of the distressed workmen Of Rouen,
contented himself with saving: "Chis
is no time for long sermons, but for
good works. You are all acquainted
with the calamities of those whose
cause l have come this day to plead.
Once upon time king, whose name
is still cherished by US, said to his
companions-in-arms, on whom he
thought with reason he could rely :
my good friends, l am your king, you
are Frenchmen. Yonder is the enemy ;
let US march p / will not address YOU
in other words to-day than these.
am your bishop; You are Christians.
Y0nder are, not our enemies, but oul
brethren who suffer. Let us fee to
their succour !" The result was the
collection of more than six hundred