The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-01-28
william &. Preston. The Orator.


BY the kindness OF friend | have had
the pleasure OF reading IN your columns the
"reminiscences of A. 5. NJ. in relation to the
Log Cabin orators Of 1910. and especially
the great speech Of Mr.. Preston. Please
allow me to add few lines, suggested by
that communication.
was few years older than your CORE
spondent, for | had just reached the time
OF my maiden vote, and had mot altogether
by nhcritance) taken my stand in the ranks
of the States'-rights Wings. Regarding
the nomination OF Harrison and Tyler as
rather a concession 10 their views OF public
policy, was the more cordially in favor of
the election of "TippecanOe and Tyler
too"
Though not resident OF Richmond in
the fall o; 1910, but OF Petersburg. | yet
had an opportunity OF hearing some
OF the speakers of the Log CABIN.
There | heard Mr.. Webster's speech to
the ladies the morning after bis great
speech, "under that October sum-" from
the southern polticO OF the Capitol,
every word Of which / also eagerly drank
in. Was not Mr.. WebSter's speech 10 the
ladies printed on white satin and privately
distributed in that form! But did not
hear that speech Of Mr.. Preston. Your
correspondent OmIts fact VIII In shows that
it made on others the same impression which
it did upon him. Mr.. Preston was to speak
in Petersburg the neXl night and would
in all probability make very nearly the same
address which he had delivered in Rich
mond. Yetavery large number OF those who
had been so enraptured by his matchless
elOquence in the Log Cabin chartered an
extra railroad train and followed him 10
Dot httr In, ha hon cd m itrhf nH
again; aud indeed they were.
The tribute paid to Mr.. Lyons, both as a
presiding officer and a polished and effect
i've speaker, i Justly his due. Several years
after even the second Log-Cabin campaign
in Richmond, A. JudsOn Cane gained
some reputation and position as a speaker
in the Wing ranks, and on some occasion
opposed Mr.. Lyons in such a way as to
"stlr him up" think il was for a seat IN
the Legislature. Was il nOtl One night
they had a joint discussion at the old Union
Hotel. | was not present, but the next
morning | inquired Of Crane now he came
out. He replied 1.-The fact is Lyons was
reused, and he did some mighty tall talk
Ing"
The lat time had the pleasure OF seeing
Mr.. w. G. Preston he was Standing on his
crutcnes Just outside OF the Capitol ia Rich
mend firing off some keen but courteous
and inimitable pleasantly ut Mr.. Lyons,
who was present, for baying deserted his
old Wing friends.
William G.. Preston has very strong
claims to be ranked as THE orator OF our
country. He was not capable Of producing
any greater effects upon an audience than
his 'kinsman, Patrick Henry; but MS i'm
agination was richer and his culture far
greater My earliest recollection Of the
fame OF Mr.. Preston as au orator goes back
to my thirteenth year, when | was a school
boy in Fredericksburg. His course in the
United States Senate had so pleased the citi-
zens OF that finished" and Iefiued Old
burg that they rendered him a grand din
ner, which he accepted. We then had our
young school orators and spouters, and |
wished very much to hear this great one;
but the relative unOer whose temporary |
charge l was, though himself one Of the |
prime movers, discouraged me by saving !
that such dinners were no place for boys, I,
and that my time for politics would come |
after awhile.
SO he forbade my going to the island on |
which the banquet was spread. But did /
go out on the bridge across that island, |
where could hear the musical aud clarion !
voice OF the speaker ana the shouts Of his I
enraptured hearers. Never in all my life
have seen the day when thought a boy /
ought not TO hear an orator. just about |
that very period played lruant II ON school
lthe only time ever did ~ TO hear Gene
raj Walter Jones in law ease in Fred
erieksbure. am inclined to think ought
TO bave outflanked my uncle-in-law and
heard Preston Sat all hazard aud to the
last "-utterance. But i aid hear him at
Last, and not very long before his up ear
ince In Richmond. II was on the Canton
ace-coufse, at Baltimore, where, Us the
president OF our yeubg mems convention
'loquen.ly declared, the "avalauche OF the
'eOple" had come 10 rstiiy the nominations
4 che National Wing Convention. Be-
ides the stand for tho officers and speakers
I the ratification convention was another !