Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1878-06-26
Douglas And Yancey.


Douglas and Yancey spoke ut Nash
vile in 1861:
1t is in connection with the great
sectional question, however, that Mr..
Douglas is most remembered, and
there are few in Nashville who will
not recall the great field day when
Mr.. Douglas spoke four hours on the
Square to All Immense audience, fol
lowed ut night by the silver.tongued,
fiery orator Of the South, the great
William l.. Yanccy. The city was
crowded with people from all parts
of the country. The hotels were
ovcrfull. We distinctly remember
spending the small end of well.
spent night in an arm chair. The
enthusiasm was intense. Mr.. Doug.
las,heautiiul wife had preceded him,
and held q reception at the old st.
Cloud. If Mr.. Douglas had the
smaller following at his enthusiastic
reception than that which greeted
lancey ut the depot, when the crowd
insisted on drawing his carriage,
Mrs. Douglas charmed all Corners.
We can recall the graceful and i'm.
pressive Yancey at his roOm-a
glass of champagne scarcely tasted
in hand; in an animated tone, with
a face aglow with fervor, and a glance
OF the eye which was fascinating,
convcrsins OH the issues of that
pregnant hour, with that happy
blending of logic and sentiment
which was his forte in oratory-his
sentences chaste, elegant, but warm
and giowing-bis voice sweet and
persuasive in its music, his senti.
ment rousing, his logic convinc.
ing.
That day was rare opportunity
to compare two men who we're Op.
positcs III almost every rcpcct. The
Douglas method Of oratory is per.
haps that Of today. The Yancey
Oratory belongs to the past. We
have no Douglascs left, and there
were but few Yanccys. Mr.. Doug
las, with the voice of Senator, un.
musical, but heard from the centre
Of the square to the pavement, held
his vast audience by the cohesive
power of his tremendous logic"
1t was one of those fascinating trains,
caught in which the the mind never
flags nor leaves Oh till the close.
Who has not thus been caught in
some beautiful mathematical chain,
and felt like it would be criminafty
illogical-lcavc life lncompletc-to
stop short Of a conclusion. It was
so with the Douglas oratory. No
sweetness OF voice, grace of manner
blending Of fancy, lofty imagery, or
glowing sentiment charmed. 1t
had none of these graccS: but it pos
scsscd charm, Of its own. 1t was
more rigidly fact and cold logic
than the argument in the speech on
the crown. 1t was force, without
elegance, beauty or sentiment.
That night all one side of Capitol
Hill was alive with men and " O ner,
all the windows, balconies aud es.
planades of the Capitol crowded, to
drink the sweet music Of voice
clear and far reaching. and Skinner,
clearer. further going.n The pres
cncc Of Douglas during the day had
added zest to the evenings enter.
tainmrnt. Those who had been cold.
~ enchanted by the fact and logic of
"thc Little Giant" were in the main.
even where judgment condemned,
in sympathy with the impassioned
Southern orator, for they were all
men who felt themselves on the eve
OF great events, and already caught
IN a vortex which was drifting them,
willing or unwilling, with the great
orator. The momcntary cutlery and
buzz and hum of great crowd.
the fierce interruption of angry par
tisans, the evidence OF deep feelings,
friendly and nfricndly-the mntier.
ing and praying of the great mass,
even then inspired with the spirit of
revolntion-three minutes of scath
ing rebuke to those "on the outskirts
OF this vast assembly who are trif.
ling with these great questions in,
volving life and DEATH and
stiffness rcigned. The orator had
caught his audience and from that
time held them spell bound with
purcst cloquercn, with fact, logic
and fancy, all blended and fused in
glowing sentiment. To Mr.. Doug.
las rude, ponderous, sledgehammer
blows, his were as those of the steam
hammer, powerful enough to forge
a shaft for IA Great Eastern, delicate
enough to make u cambria needle,
and his audience wnrc fused in the