Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-03-22
NO. So.
Bismarck in Debate.

Bismarck is by no means finished, not
even a ready or natural, orator. The
knightly appearance of the Prince, his
| ease of manner, and above all, his repu-
| tation as diplomatist and statesman.
would lead us to suppose him an orator
| either one who would deliver o profound
and well-arranged speech without hesita-
| tion or effort. or, still more, an orator of
natural eloquence, whose words and fig
ures would flow from his lips as the crea-
tions of the moment, and entrance or en-
kindle the hearts OF his hearers. But this
is not the case. Occasionally he may be
seen at his desk winging his way rapidly
with his quill over narrow strip of paDer,
while some member is on the platform.
All know what this means, and at n slight
bow Of his head the President announces
that Prince Bismarck, Chancellor of the
Empire. has the floor. As he rises there
is a general demand for silence all over
the House, with the exclamation, 'He is
speaking!' He nclines his body toward
the Assembly. winds his thumbs around
each other, and casts an occasional glance
at the House; but he stops. hesitates,
sometimes even stammers, and corrects
himself he seems to struggle with his
words. which ascend unwillingly to his
lips; after two or three there will be
short pause, when one can almost hear a
suppressed swallow. He speaks without
gesture, feeling, or emphasis, and often
fails in the accentuation of final syllables,
so as to weaken his thought. One won
ders if this is the man with parliamenta.
ry career behind him of more than quar-
ter of a century, during which period he
has been in every legislative body OF his
country, meeting with bitterest opposition
from the liberal party in his early career.
parrying their most caustic words in kind,
and replying, with wonderful presence of
mind, by the wlttiest impromptus or the
most cutting sarcaam. 1t is the same
man, and presently he will prove it.
Gradually his speech flows with more
warmth, and unfolds its peculiar attrac-
ton; series Of original, fresh. gritty and
significant expressions, which tell more
by their power than their beauty, His
speeches are collections of sentences rath.
er than the development OF a smooth and
have gone into history as proverbial, such
as "Cataline existences,'' ..Blood and
iron," austria must move its center of
gravity toward the Orient" etc. Some
months ago, after listening to long dia-
tribes about the evils of the recent wars,
and the burdens which they have brought
upon the people as nation, he quietly
arose and said: "After each one of the
recent wars the nation has enjoyed great
er amount of parliamentary liberty than
before them This was so strikingly
true that it was folly to argue that they
had led to tyranny. And he closed by
saying: "But, nevertheless, gentlemen,
the German nation has right to expect
from us that we shall prevent the return
of such catastrophe; aud am convinced
that the allied governments desire nothing
so much as to effect this purpose. With
this beautiful admonition. simple though
dignifed, and expressed with fervor, he
electrified the audience as if he were the
greatest orator, and then sat down amid
deafenng applause from all parts Of the
House. Thus, with apparently no orator
ical power. he seldom takes the floor
without confirming bis nation in the be.
lief that, take him all in all, he is states
man such as Germany has never before
enrolled i'll her annals. and whom the
world at large may well envy her in pos
sessing.-Prot. Hm. Wells: IN scribner
for 4prH.