Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-08-21
Extemporaneous Orators - Marshall.
Webster, CLAY, and Others

Harper's Magazine for July has the
following on Extemporaneous Orators:
Marshall, of Kentucky, one of the
most brilliant orators of his time, and a
man OF large scholarly attainments. who
had as much of that mystical quality
called genius as any of his contempora-
ries in Congress, was full of afiectation
in this regard. He spoke readily with
out preparation, his ideas followed
each other consecutively and with un~
common force; but he never trusted to
the inspiration of the moment when
there was opportunity for studying on
the subject and arranging his thoughts
in advance. He had habit of absent
ing himself from the Capitol for davs at
time, every hour of which he devoted
to reading and study, his acquaintance
generally supposiug him to be engaged
IN debauch. After getting thoroughly
crammed and armed at every point, he
would come into the House looking ex-
hausted and haggard, giving color to
the notion that he had been on Is irolic,
and watching his opportunity, would
pour forth the fruits Of his study in "A
strain of otfhand, striking eloquencc
that hardly ever failed to astonish his
hearers. And the remark was often
heard, "What a brilliant man! What
could he not accomplish If he was iu-
dustrious and regular in his habits"
Mr.. Preston, for some time Mr.. Cal
houn's colleague in the Senate, was ali
accomplished gentleman and very
popular, orator. He never spoke with
out commanding the attention of hi,
hearers, and few men in Congress had
higher reputation for brilliant extern
poraneous cloquence. But he never
spoke without the most ample and care
tul preparation. Soon after he retired
from Congress, he was chosen pre- sidcnt
OF college in South Carolina. In his
address to the students, he said he knew
OF no such thing as genius or natural in-
spiraton. Whatever Of reputation he
had acquired, was by diut OF constant,
untiring labor. lie had trustcdto study
and hard work solely. lie never spoke
IN Congress, or to popular asecmblage,
without arranging what he had to say,
and even premeditating his sentences
and the precise collocation OF his words.
And he assured his hearers that the only
road To pubic distinction lay through
the field OF study and research.
MIR. Webster was 50 thoroughly in
,ttu-trl upou all subjects which came
under discussion IN tuugrc-, that hr
was cqualto almost any nrro.ion and
rarely needed any sncrfal rreua,atio,
And vet ne was not above thr week.-mrs..
OF couccalipg his .tudic. aud mo
source, wAcucehc drew hi. ir.niratiou
NJ man better understood the wriob,
and value OF ,auaua. re- than Mr. Wphstrr
and what he said was aIway- marked nv
precision ana pcrspiculty. but when
coping with 4 formidable nufapoui.tt,
omitted no mean. that rroutf,rI t..att
hin III the contest. lie wa- arru.fnrn-
,l to ,pcaA of the master pr,.lurii,i,. nI
hi, life, hiS celebrated rcpIy tn II,yu,.
a. a ,oIt OF casual effort, lnade ., .lbs
spur OF the moment. wjthout nu.t
prryitu, consideration.
Probably the two men in nnhIi.. lfn,
who could most safely tru.t IN tbpi,
own resources and acouircmeuts un,t.r
all circumstances were Mr. Adnn.ard
Mr.. Calhoun. The endowment. nt NJ,
Calhoun were OF a higher order. ana H.
creative power was .unarior ri fh,t ,f
Mr.. Adams; but the "old man efn-
queut, a. he was called, had Il memory
50 tenacious, and his kuoWIedor ,ya- -
extensive and exact that he never seem
ed to need any special preparation. II,.
WA, the most lAborious and ynetbodic,l
man in Congress. and probably in tlr
country. He kent a yoJumipou, diary
in which every event. incident or rir.
cun,tance OF the day wa, carefully NOT.
ed down. and thi. with hi. bahi,- aim