The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-06-23

the form, not the matter, which gives these
speeches their Importance and though
great orator can make beautiful form an
instrument of power, lie does not subordi-
nate to it the strength of his thought. but
makes the thought more telling by reason
of the charm Of his style. Small orators
cannot do this, and though they make
good deal of noise, they furnish their hear
crs very little intellectual food
1t is not from college commencement dec
lamations that true orntorv gets its inn
pulse, nor do they afford the first steps in
the training which is requisite to success in
public speaking. These spoken "pieccs"
are only things learned by heart, and de-
claimed M best the boy can do il. The true
school of debating and oratOrical excellence
il the debating club, which is less CON
spicuous feature Of our colleges than It
should be. This really trains the young
men TO thinking on their feet, and TO the
concentration Of their thoughts on the sub
jcct under discussion. The great debating
clubs Of the English universities are
invaluable as nurseries Of parliamentary
cloqucncc. Mr.. GRANT WHITE, who has
lately returned from n tour of England,
tells Of his surprise at the performances Of
the students at oxford in their debating So
cicty. They spoke with ease and dircctness,
adhcring closely to the subject discussed,
and meeting the objections of opponents
like veteran parliamcntaria while some
Of them really rose to true cloquence. It
was not mere defamation. but actual de-
bate upon great public questions with facts
and figures presented, and athletic argu-
nIcnts used.
such n school of public speaking is useful
in the highest degree. aud the effects of it
ON the debates of the English Parliament
are easily disccrniblc. In our Congress we
have little debating; in Parliament it is the
great feature, and no man who cannot hold
his own in an on-haud encounter with an
opponent can expect to command the attcn-
tiun Of the House. The principal speeches
made in Congress are written out before
hand, and either laboriously committed to
memory, rs CHARLES SUMNER did his.
or actually read from the manuscript.
This is not debating and the prac-
ticc fills our Congressional reports with
a lot Of ponicrous ESSAYS and trcatscs
which have Lroduccd no real co'cct in the
legislature. aud whose reading j. burden
undertake it--umc unhappy editors, Tor in
stance.
or recent years the late Henry J. RAY
MoND was one Of our best dchatcrs, though,
from the constitution of his mind. his in
ability to train in the party ranks. his deli
cheney as regards positive convictions. and
the snubbng TuNDDEUs STEVENS admins
tered to him. he made a failure in Con-
gross. Gen. BUTLER Is also good dehater,
and Senator CoNKLISG is famous rarlia-
montary sparrcr; but there are few such in
Congress, and wien great questions are un-
der discussion, the speeches are usually in
typo before they arc delivered. and often
many of these illusions of Legislative wis
dom are printed without being delivered at
all.
We hope the young graduates will get all
the applause needed 10 make them happy
~ they nttitudinze ON the stage; but wras-
sure them that their speeches are OF little
value to themselves or anybody else.