The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-12-26
MP. BLA1EEs GREAT SPEECH.

4 RGUMENV tOGIibltE @2-S0 111oAtFOiSI-
ING IN MODERATION.
s. We take from the Cincinnati Commercial
The following account 0. Senator Blainess
great speech, delivered in The Senate cham
her last Wednesday
NoboGy ever had a more aattering audience
M ,ne in Congress, with the exception of Conk-
lag, perhaps, could have drawn such an audience
aud had it been announced that the Senator from
Name intended to draw and quarter the South
Carolina bul-dozers in the presence OF the Senate
there wouldn't have been greater thronr Of
witnesses. Every seat WAS filled two hours or.
more before the time he was to commence his
speech, and the aisies were crowded and m ,,,s
than . thousand people turned away an hour be-
fore ne began. The stalwart DooTl.e epers kent
suard in the Senator's private gallery oyar ffle
seat reserved for the Presidents family unfit
they came and filed it, and another protected a
seat III the diplomatic gallery for the sacretar Of
state, who came with his daughters ara was eTsd
polite TO Lady Thornton and the BritfsS No 81
Ter s wife. Secretaries Thompson, n ny ~ ~
sherman. With General Sherman. S. 81. s2oa
the senate floor. which was crauss ~
bars OF the House and other Sc sAsf Is ~ s, S,E
less distinguished, two-thi,Is1 ,s,sall r fsass
10 find standing room only "a = -
The majority OF the ai.S4eisa -
50 anxious were they Scar ales OK lTs
woman but the wifse y ESI1 ~ 80 8 i,sf z
ever entitled. tt sc 3gEzs : : * 8
feeling during tssS ~ 55 80 - ~ "a .,
ihsy ps1sistsd 4 &. 6. sl9ca. but
tl,e ~, sTas 81 w 70 great
saf bsis agl's ''::1 c9 is who Ie,
s ssa ion III & sy sdod Of . pat
u laws a e,ssy M Han uafs,
,.s.s s y M - s peg 4e came in through
III iseno loais.roSm' snaaans hahas with
w yck arrived SenatJr Hamlin graceful
SSD'e Z ~ way for his colleague by moving
=|<,~ -s5ars has me-
81. s5aslts sassssS = "a from the table. This was
,sne - ananimous fa4sseit. and Blaine arose,
pushed back his chair, and began with great de-
iberation. His speecl was printed in small news
bou lie sze Of Emo yoame He read The
greater part of it. out was not entirely confined
10 his notes. and especially during particularly
emphatic passage would desert them entirely and
speak with his usual force and velocity from
memory He was listenedt TO with absorbing at
tention. and The crowd OF men standing around
him was SO close that he could have reached them
with his arm. Conking alone of all the Senate
did not II fen. He was but six feet distant from
Blaine, and CONSPICUOUS figure on the floor but
sat tbr nigh the entire debate without raising his
eyes f.om pile OF manuscript he appeared be
revising.
M! Blaine spoke exactly half an hour. People
Wee expecting speech about three times as
vas murmuro Of surprise. The last passage OF
be speech was a quotation from Macanlay, and
Is application to the "erring tbrethern' Of the
South was delivered with as much force and ele-
fgance OF oratory as anything that. was ever ut
tered in; the Senate. ~
Mr.. Thurman arose when Blaine finished, drew
his red bandsnna handkerchief. according TO habit
aud blew reasonant blast. He then sent UP the
amendment to Blane's resolutions, agreed u pom
blythe Democratic caucus TO be read. When that
part OF It which referred to the use of money in
elections-waS read. there was broad grin all
over the RepublicarSide, and Edmuuds penetrat-
ed the Demecratic.soul by one OF his thrustss OF
SATIRE suggesting that the cipher dispatches also
be included in the scope Of the investigation.
Thurman spoiled the force OF his remarks by
making too many apologies for speaking He
vas considerably worked up and spoke with un-
usual earnestness. When be finished Blaine
made good point by quoting Thurmans re-
marks, that wealth. education and talent should
and would rule in the South, and added that this
was what was complained of-that it was done in
spite OF numbers. Thurman tried to explain that
he meant that the more intelligent would control
the less intelligent, and remarked, with mock DO.
likeness, that the same principle was upermoSt in
Maine when Blaine had achieved the leadership.
He added that II Blaine should go South. he
would have "a trail Of niggerSf' following after
him as long as ever followed Highland Chief
AT this point MeSsrs. Edmunds and Thurman
seemed determined to close IT, debate, and it
would have been better for the Democrats had
ocratic caucus.was that Mr.. Blaine should not be
answered in the heat OF the moment, and not I'M
til replies could be studied and deibersted upon.
This was Mr. Thurman's own suggestion in cam
eus, intended to keep Messrs Hill Gordon, and
other Incorporate Southern orators from max
ing an exhibition Of themselves; but Mr. Thur.
man violated his own rule, and that opened the
way for Mr. Lamar to follow, who did lust what
the Republicans wanted him to do. His first ut
terances were comparatively calm and harmless
until Ed.nunds put his own Interpretation upon
them. and translated them In a most cruel, tanta-
words into crucible and after he had distilled
and anallzed them, he poured out their meaning
in such shape that their owner arose in amaze
meht. No man living is such master Of verbal
legerdemain rs Edmunds. and Lamar had to pro-
test against what he called his cruel perverson.
EdmundS' tauntB were too much for Lamar. His
face gotlivid with anger and his voice trembled
TWAS apparent that he was having a desperate
struggle with his temper, but he could not mas
,,s2rit. He spoke with bitter vehemence. He clos
the Arabian NgSnfs rth IA that like the story in
soasth they were coniuring up demoh fbeapn lne
dices were allowed to slumber they would see
that demon in their midst. II don't know but
he is here now. remarked Edmunds; and then
he called for the regular order, which broke up
the debate.
The results of the debate are Just what was ex-
pected by the Republicans, and Just what the
Democrats used the power Of their caucus to
avoid Lamar's demon will be quoted and rallied
at in every Northern print. and the Democrats
better have been kept in the background.
Blaines speech was not like him It was too
studied too accurate, too concise, and whole,
lacked his usual yehenlence OF expression and
torrents of invective in which he is accustom
a powerful influence. This is the verdict here.
In view OF the merciless fagellation of Lamar
discussion with Edmunds and Blaine, there is a
good deal said about the intellectual decadence
of the South. There is not Senator from that
section who can compare with Edmunds. Blaine.
or Conkling in debate. Every time Southern
Senator attempts to grapple with these men he
meets the fate of Lamar to day. who was badly
used up. It is considered remarkable that the
section which produced SO many illustrious de.
baters and orators in the past should now be
without single representative able to cope with
any one Of half a dozen Of the other side. 1t is
remarked tonight that never were the brains Of
New England as conspicuous in debate as in this
Congress. Southern men who come to the Senate
with great fame as debaters and orators speedily
find their level when brought in contact with
such Senators as Edmuuds. 1t is generally con-
coded that Lamar is the ablest Senator from the
South. and the fiage11ation he received is a warn
ing TO Hill and Gordon, and lesser lights.