The Portland daily press., 1881-10-10
Senatorial Orators.
Description of the Methods of Some of
Our Distinguished Senators.



The Senate is soon to meet again. and the
expected prese ice of the Solons here inspires
us to say that there are very few men in either
House of Congress who speak upon any inn
portant measure without having made the
most elaborate preparation. The library is
ransacked for books, old newspaper files are
brought from their nooks and cords Of paper
are used in taking notes. These notes are Tiled
out, put in order, and then you have set
speech.
David Davis, perhaps moro than any other
Senator, INDUCES in manuscript, preparing
even five-minute speech with great care.
This is his infexible rule. and has been since
he entered public life. After he delivers his
speeches, or rather after he readsthem, he hands
his manuscript to Mr.. Murphy the Senate
stenogrspher, who sends it to the Government
Printing Office The compositors never have
any anathemas for the Judges writing. which
is large, distinct, and full of character.
Edmunds never uses notes, and once speech
is out of his mouth, he dosen't bother his head
about it. During all the years he has been in
the Senate, he has not revised single speech
He turns everything in his mind beforehand,
and never rises TO address the Senate without
having weighed in the scales of his great mind
what he intends saying.
Ben Hill will speak for three hours without
scrap OF paper. The only preparation he
makes is marking references and passages in
this book or that have seen him time and
again thunder away for two hours without
stopping even for glass of water. He revises
his speeches, however; makes additions and
corrections in a clear hand, much like that of
a college boy, and gives the printers little
trouble with his proof. Hill has an astound-
ing memory, and no man in public life, except
Edmnnds has such imperturbabiity. The
only man who could we'll worry Hill or excite
his wrath in debate, was the late Matt Carpen-
ter. How it tickled Carpenter to put some
adroit question at the Georgian and get him
confused bard thing to do at any time,
but Carpenter often succeeded. And it was
more the result of an irresistible propensity
for fun than anything else, for never was
man who had less malice than Matt Car
penter.
He had heart as big as mountain. He
was exceedingly particular about his speeches
when they were upon legal questions. After
he got the proof from the foreman of the Rec
ord he would hack 1T to pieces, send the cor
recged proof back, get a second, and treat 1t in
like manner. His writing is characteristic,
hard to read--a rollicking, harum-scarum sort
of a fist and study to the printers. He used
to say, ssThe shortest road is the best road
when you're in hurry" and though he could
write fine, full, round hand, he dashed off
everything at lightning speed.
Another Senator who, like Edmunds, never
revised a speech, was Thurman. Occasion
ally he spoke from manuscript, but the steno-
Rrapher took down every word he said, as the
old gentleman would forget his manuscript and
drift into extemporary eloqueDce. 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 follows his
manuscript closely he revises after proof is
holds the proof very often until o'clock in the
morning, as he spe DIS his evenings generally
in social circles. He is a good penman, writ
ing medium-sized running hand.
Lamar is great reviser, cuts proof into tat
tiers, writes horrible hand, and tries the soul
of a printer. Occasionally he goes down to
the Government Printing Office to look after
his spesches which, when published, are vast
" different from the stenographers report of
them.
senator Conklipg seldom made a correction
of his utteranceS in the Senate Chamber. He
is perhaps the best extemporaneous speaker in
the United States, and even his remarks in
running debate are splendid indices of great
ability. During the extra session of the Forty
sixth Congress he delivered speech upon the
Army Approximation bill without n0te, papers,
book, or reference of any kind. When the
Vice President announced 'the Senator from
New York" up rose the stately form of Roscoe
Conkling. Never before or since had Senator
such an audience. He spoke for four hours
Before the adjournment OF the Senate 10000
copies of his speech had been subscribed for.
Every printing establishment in Washington
sent to the Senator its lowest estimate. In a
very short time, Oyster, one of the best living
typos, and foreman of the Congressional Rec
ord, had the proof of the great speech ready.
BE took it up to Wormley's about O'Clock in
the morning and asked for Senator Conkling.
HE is not up yet" said the private secretary;
the Senator breakfasts about IL however, as
yon are in a hurry and want to see after the
speech, shall call him. Tell Mr.. Oyster to
come in-ahi how do you do Mr.. OYSTER" and
Lord Chesterfield never was more polite than
was ConkliDg in his nightshirt. After rub
bling his eyes he looked at the proof, made few
changes, and struck out the "Hon" before
Roscoe Conkling." You will never find it
preixed TO his name in any speech intended
for general distribution. After he received
the speech he wrote his thanks very kindly,
to Foreman Oyster, as follows;
UNITED STATES SENATE CHAMBER,
May z, 1879.
My Dear Sir-I beg you to receive my thanks for