The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1880-05-15
THE DAILY BULLETIN.
SPEECH RETOUCHING.
Quincy Herald

We are told that there are in Washing
ton, certain class Of men who follow as
a means of livelihood, the business of re-
vlsing and writing speeches for politicians
and congressman during the sessions Of the
national legislature. To the initiated these
literary gentlemen are known as ''rcylsors
OF manuscripts and they are patrJnzed
by members OF congress, senators, and all
classes Of politicians who are nos capable
Of preparing speeches suitable for publica,
ton. These politicians commonly write
their own speeches and then turn them
over 70 the rctouchers, who, as they call it,
"hck them into shape One of these 1T
er9ry artists unbOsomed himself 10 q re-
porter, the other day, and managed before
he got through TO give pretty thorough
exposure Of the whole business Of his pro.
| fessien.
you must know he began, that there
are always N congress number OF men,
bers vino have their speeches written for
them. This is not always because they can
not wrlte their own speeches, but often be-
cause they have 50 much work of other
kinds to 10 that they cannot find time.
| GARFIELD makes one OF the most powerful
| speeches that are made IN the house; and
| yet there have been times when he has en-
| pioyed Others 10 hunt up facts ami collate
! them Tor HMM other word. 70 prepare
/ speeches for him. He always departed
| from the path prepared for him. and put in
such word pictures as the occasion sug-
gested, 50 that the speech, as delivered, was
lar different, and nearly always
better than that he paid for. Sam. Cox, as
| everybody knows, is one Of the most enter
tanning as vel! as humorous speakers in the
house, and yet he always employs persons
TO .ook up his facts and quotations. His
thorough preparation is one Of the secrets
Of his success as a public speaker. When
he attempts to quote he does 50 with per-
feet knowledge Of what he is doing, and
thus never makes any mistakes or leave
himself liable To attacks Of Interpretations
or errors. All the members, however, are
not as good in the line Of public speaking
a Garfield or Cox, and many Of them have
every line they use prepared for them. Then
again, there are some members who are too
lazy TO get up speech. They let persons
like me-there are al least dozen in the
business abGlt the capitol-know what
kind OF speech they want, stating the
grounds they want to take, the peculiar line
OF argument they want TO use. We prepare
it, and often they deliver il, or ask leave to
print, without single touch being given il.
Some, however make suck additions or
changes as they desire. As rule, the
members who can make good speeches if
they have the time, pay us better for such
work than those who cannot appreciate
good one when II is fixed up for them. One |
Of the NEST prominent of the southern mem. |
bcrs gave me speech to-day to illustrate. |
He prepared il 10 he printed in |
the Record for circulation in a certain !
portion of his district where there are a .
great many Scotchmen. Now all have to
do with that speech is to straighten out !
some Of the sentences, 50 that il will read |
straight, and illustrate it by profuse quota
tons from the Scotch poets II is q party |
speech, strongly Democratic, and discusses
national views only. As ! said before, il is |,
for circulation IN his district. There are !
others who employ reyisors TO look over |
speeches and polish them up, here and !
there. Senator Jones and three men gath |
cred the facts Of his big silver speech of
last session Every word of the speech il
self was written by his private secretary,
gentleman who has written financial
speeches, arguments and articles
Tor which many others have
received the credit. Some members are so
fixed that their wives revise their speeches
for them. Mrs Cox looks ever all that Mr.
COX writes for the pnblic, Mrs. Senator
Morrill, writes oil the set speeches that the
senator delivers, and she writes exceedingly
well, zoo Other members and senators
hat ! could mention have wives who
are able 70 attend to such work of
hers. and as rule speeches thus
prepared read better than others. OF
curse reyisors solicit work, and men,
)ers introduce revisors TO their success
,Ors. have written hundreds of speech
=, Democratic and Republican, besides
'uIogles, arguments ana campaign adj
ircsscs too numerous TO remember. Be-
ides that l have prepared biographical
kctches Of members for use in campaigns,
md Of candidates for state and other Of
ices by the score Don Pratt, of the CAPT
a. has written more speeches than have
,een delivered in congress He prepared {
L least half dozen for senators and mem
Ders on the Fitz John Porter case against
General Porter, which have not yet been de-
iyered. Maj Ben Perley Poore also has
written scores Of speeches for senators and
members.