Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-05-14
HENRY WARD REEcHER

the Exposition Building last night
not only paid tribute to Mr.. Beech
er's genius but very beautifully illus
trated the conservatism and the innate
refinement as well as good breeding Of
Southern communities. Mr.. Beecher
came here with some trepidation lest
something should occur that would
CRATE harshly upon his ears or wound
his feelings. Yet he Jared better here
than in Cincinnati, and must have
had his mind entirely disabused in re-
gard to the manners and the character
of Southern people. He hesitated
about coming here, and would have
excused himself by saying that the
Southern people didnot want to hear
him. But he was induced to come.
and we feel sure that he must feel
glad of it. From New York stand
point, Memphis is great way off, a
sort Of jumping off place, beyond
which, or even in which, most public
men in the North do not care to ven
ture. A certain class of Northern
papers have so persistently misrepre-
sented the people of this section that
many intelligent people believe that it
is unsafe for Northern man to come
among us, unless he renounces his
principles. Time, however, makes all
things even at last. In Mr.. Beecher,
aman we have looked upon as an enemy
for quarter of century or more,
we have q witness and an advocate
who will be ready to testify
anywhere that he has not
met more courteous treatment or
more cultivated people in all
his travels than in the principal
cities of Tennessee - Nashville and
Memphis He was greeted last
night by the largest audience, paying
an admission fee, that ever assembled
in Memphis to hear one man, whether
pulpit orator, lecturer or stage actor.
1t was representative audience of all
classes, and was composed of both
city and country people from the three
States which converge commercially
and socially at Memphis. The
introduction by Colonel Heating
was so frank and explicit, so manly
and disingenuous, that when Mr..
Beecher arose and looked his audi
ence in the face, they were at once on
a good understanding. Not far from
twenty-five hundred people were pres
ent, and it may be safely said that very
few of them have been in accord with
Mr.. Beecher's way of thinking and
reasoning through life, But he was
treated as an honored guest. We
have never seen more quiet and
attentive gathering of people in any
city, even on the most solemn occa-
sions. Not word or sentence was
lost in that vast building. Although
about sixty-four years Of age, turning
gray and becoming portly, , he is we'll pre-
served and possesses great vigor of body
as well as ripe intellectual faculties.
His voice is full and his articulation
has that peculiar distinctness ac-
quired only by fe-long practice. He
spoke something over an hour and a
quarter, and although heavy thun-
der storm ragged without, and the
CLEAN of the lightning was seen almost
every moment, his hearers paid un-
broken attention, and were disap
pointed only at the brevity of the
lecture. He made plain, common
sense talk, unadorned with the figures
of rhetoric OR fights Of eloquence.
1t was in some respects quite a
democratic talk in the broad and non
political sense of the term. 1t was
not closely connected, but terse and
epigramatic, with an occasional by
play of wit or dry humor which always
brought forth a smile or hearty
laugh on the part of the audience. Ii
was a well pleased crowd, and Mr.
Beecher must have been pleased also,
for he never spoke to more attentive
or intelligent crowd even in Plymouth
Church, We have alluded to his
manner and the impression he
produced rather than to the lecture
itself, for that must be heard, rather
than, read to be appreciated. The
lecturer was frequently applauded
from first to last. After it was ovel
Mr.. Beecher expressed himself de-
lighted with his short visit, and pre-.
sented Colonel Heating two hundred
and fifty dollars to be distributed
among the orphans as he may deem
best. Mr.. Beecher left on the mid.
night train for New York, having can
celed other engagements.