Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-11-03

1
and drift into extempore eloquence.
Thurman, though never a graceful
speaker, was always forcible. He was,
beyond all doubt, the ablest of the
Democrats and their leader from the
time he entered the Senate.
Bayard works hard at his speeches,
and though he writes them out and fol.
lows his manuscript closely he revises
after proof is taken. He makes few
changes, however, but holds the proof
very often until 2 o'clock in the morn
ing, as he spends his evenings gener-
ally in social circles. He is a good
penman, writing n medium-sized run
ming hand.
Lamar is a great reviser, cuts proof
into tatters and writes horrible hand
that tries the soul of printer. Occa-
sionally he goes down to the govern
ment printing office TO look after his
speeches, which when published are
vastly different from the stenograph-
er's report of them.
Senator Conkling seldom made n
correction of his utterances in the SEN
ate chamber. lie is perhaps the best
extemporaneous speaker in the United
States, and even his remarks in run
ming debate are indices of great abil.
ity. During the extra session of the
Forty-sixth Congress he delivered
speech upon the Army Appropriation
bill without note, papers, book
or reference of any kind. When the
Vice President announced "The Sena.
tor from New York" up rose the state
ly form of Roscoe Conkling. Never
before or since had Senator such an
audience. He spoke for four hours.
Before the adjournment of the Senate
one hundred and fifty thousand copies
of his speech had been subscribed for.
Every printing Office in Washington
sent TO the Senator its lowest estimate.
In n very short time Oyster, one of
the best living typos and foreman Of
the Congressional Record" had the
proof of the great speech ready. He
took it up to Wormley's about 9 in
the morning aud asked for Senator
Conkling. "Hc is not up yet" said
the private secretary; "the Senator
breakfasts about / /; however, "a you
are in Il hurry and want to see after
the speech, | shall call him" Tell
Mr. Oyster TO come in-ah how do
you do, Mr.. Oyster - and Lord Ches.
terfeld was never more polite than was
Conkling in his nightshirt. After rub.
bing his eyes he looked at the proof,
made few changes aud struck out
the Hon" before Roscoe Conkling."
You will never find it prefxed to bis
name in any speech intended for gen.
eral distribution. After he received
the speech he wrote his thanks very
kindly TO Foreman Oyster as fol.
lows:
L. 5. SENATE CHAMBER, May Z, 1879.
Dear Sir: | beg you TO receive my
thanks for the bound speech and for
your kindness throughout ! am glad
TO have made your acquaintance and
trust ! mty know you better in the fu.
ture. Cordially yours.
RoScoE CoSELiSG.
+. W. OYSTER. ESQ.
OF all the Senator'S Conkling writes
the best hand-large. easy, graceful
and legible. His signature, however.
would be study TO any one not &C
quainted with il.
The present Secretary of State when
n member of the Senate used to look
carefully after his speeches, which for
the most part were made up of head.
ings." Probably there never was in
the Senate a man who needed less pre-
paration than James G.. Blaine. He is
iuiallible in history and inpregnable
in debate. His memory of facts and
faces is absolutely wonderful. lie can
begin with William the Conqueror
aud give you the name of every sover-
eign down to Victoria, with the dates
of their reigns. Now and then the
Senator would give his personal direc-
ton to the printing of speech. One
morning Oyster found him busily en-
gagged cutting Up copy" for the print
ers. Hello, Oyster, I'm ahead of
you. See, I'm dividing the copy"
ayes, Senator, see you are ahead of
me; but | went home only six hours
ago and shall be here for sixteen con-
secutive hours" "Well, / know it's
hard work. Oyster. I've been at il,
and | know what night work means"
Voorhees, prepares his speeches care
fully and revises moderately. lie Is
one of the few, very few, men who use
manuscript in such q way that not
single oratorical grace is diminished
thereby. Whether this Is because he
commits his speeches well to memory
or not We never could tell. We rather
think be does. But with or without
manuscript Voorhees, is an orator. As
q rule the very sight of manuscript in
the hands of speaker is enough TO
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