The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1880-05-06
ROW GokGaEssaEN GET TaEIa
sPEEGnE8

about the capitol . number Of gentle
Inch who appear 10 make a comfortable
living, and yet who are never known to
work l have often wondered, as I
have seen them, year after year, how
they managed 10 make both ends meet,
and kept the pot boiling; but ! never
learned the secret until a few days
since. Il appears they are "reYisers Of
manuscripts" which, according TO me
OF that profession, is rather profitable
during sessions Of congress. and which
pays very we'll also during polit-
iczl campaigns. One Of these reyisers
explained The business 10 me in this
way; "YOu must know he began,
that there are always In congress n
number Of members who have their
speeches written for them. This Is not
because they cannot write their own
speeches, but often because they have
50 much work Of other kinds 10 do that
they cannot hnd time. Garfield makes
makes n Of the most powerf al speeches
thai are made In the house; and yet
there have been times when he has EN-
ployed others 10 hunt up facts and col
late them for him-in other words 10
prepare speeches for him. lie always
departed from the path prepared for
him. and put In such flowers and word
pictures as the occasion suggested, 50
that the speech, rs delivered, was far
different, and nearly always better than
that he paid for. sam Coz, as every
body knows, Is one Of the most enter
tanning, rs well ms humorous, speakers
In the house. and yet he always employs
persons TO look up his facts and quota
lions. His thorough preparation Is one
Of the secrets Of his success rs a public
speaker. When he attempts 10 quote
he does so with u perfect knowledge Of
what he 10 doing. and thus never makes
any mistakes or leaves himself liable to
attacks for Interpretations or errors.
All the members are not 30 good, how
ever In the line Of public speaking as
Garfield or Cox, aud many OF them have
every line they use prepared for them.
Then again there are some members
who are too lazy TO get up a speech.
They let persons like m%o-there are at
least u dozen In the business about the
capitol-know what kind Of n speech
they want, stating the grounds they
want TO take, and the peculiar line Of
argument they want to use. We pre-
pare 1t, and often they deliver It, or ask
leave TO print, without u single touch
being given IL. Some, however, make
such additions or changes as they de-
sire. As n rule, the members who can
make good speeches II they take the
time, pay US better for such work than
those who cannot prepare a speech
themselves, and consequently cannot
appreciate a good mi when II Is fixed
up for them. One Of the most promi-
mem Of the southern members gave me
a speech TO illustrate. lie prepared 1t
TO be printed in the Record, for circula-
tion In a certain portion Of his district
where there are n great many Scotch
men. Now all l have to do with that
speech Is to straighten out some Of the
sentences, so that Il will read straight,
and illustrate II by profuse quotations
from the Scotch poets. 1t Is q party
speech, strongly democratic, and dis
cusses national views only. As | said
before, II Is for circulation In his dis
trict. There are others who employ
revisers TO look over speeches and pol.
ish them up here and there. Senator
Jones and three other men gathered the
facts for the big silver speech Of last
session. Every word OF the speech
itself was written by his private secre-
tary, a gentleman who has written
financial speeches, arguments and arti-
cles, for which many others have re-
ceived the credit. Some members are
SO fixed that their wives revise their
speeches for them Mrs. Cox looks
over all that Mr.. Cox writes for the
public. Mrs. Senator Morrill, writes
all the set speeches that the senator de-
livers, and she writes exceedingly well,
too. Other members and senator's that
/ could mention, have wives who are
able to attend TO such work, and rs q
rule speeches thus prepared read better
than others. OF course revisors solicit
work, and members introduce revisors
to their successors. l have written
hundreds Of speeches, democratic and
republican, besides eulogies, arguments
and campaign addresses too many to
remember, Besides that, I have pre-
pared biographical sketches Of members
for use in campaigns, and Of candidates
for state and other offices by the score.
Dom Piatt, Of the capitol, has written
moro speeches than have been delivered
in congress. He prepared at least half
u dozen for senators and members on
the Fitz John Porter case, against Gen.
Porter, which have not been delivered.
Major Ben Perley Poore also has writ
ten scores OF speeches. for senators and
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