Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-14
CONGRESSIONAL TALK.


oric. Senator Conkling heads the list
as the best. He begins his speeches
oftentimes with n question, and then
follows with the thunder. Each sen
tence is clear cut. He speaks delib-
erately and in well chosen words,
which impress one with an idea of
preparation. He even follows out this
in impromptu remarks during a run
ming debate. Conkling's speeches never
need revision. Senator Edmunds makes
his speeches and then he is done with
them. He is SO careful Of what he
says and does that he can never
be picked up on an utterance. The
brilliant Matt Carpenter was always
in Il peck Of trouble when he made Il
speech. Carpenter was aversc to study,
and relied upon his memory, which
grew to be faulty. He always revised
his speeches, tore them to pieces and
rebuilt, interliued, crossed out and
made frightiul looking proof sheet.
Then he always insisted upon getting
the messenger from the printing Office
"full' when the latter was sent for his
copy. Carpenter always dcmoralized
the Congressional Record office upon
the night when he would make q great
effort in the Senate. Judge Thurman's
speeches never needed revision, except
to see if the quoted authorities were
correct. Senator Bayard is one Of
the most pleasing speakers on the
Democratic side, aud he generally
glanccs over the proofs to see that no
mistakes creep in. General Burnside
repeats himself in about every ten
sentences, and is apt to become ncry-
Gus. Ben Hill fires away in ,lcdgc-
hammer style of oratory, aud, no mat
ter how trivial the topic may be, will
work himself up to f,vcr heat and
oxpend rs much carncstncss n If great
things were to be accomplished. Nor
gan, of Alabama, is another Demo
cratic orator possessing the distinctive
pcculiarities of the takers Of the
South. 4 gallery lounger can tell in Il
second from what section Of the coun-
try a speaker comes. The pcculIari-
ties of dialect are marked in these
representative men the same n in the
lower classes of society in their vicin-
ity. Over in the House Sunset Cox
causes trouble to the printers. He
always prepares his speeches, and re
vises them. He writes on all sorts of
paper. One page may be yellow, an-
other white, third leaf from book.
Then his hand writing is not letter
press SO Cox i dreaded. Randall
revises every speech he makes. Gen.
eral Harry White had habit of
sending for books during debates until
his desk was Uttered and he could
scarcely be seen. BY the time he
/ found the authority desired, debate
would be exhausted. and he would
produce scare, nothing more. This
was an old trick of Whites. The
most remarkable instance of the effect
of talking is that which Mr. Blount's
voice has upon journalist who Is
well known here. Blouut has the
pure, unadultarated Southern accent,
and is inclined to be harsh without
meaning it. \ few years ago young
mau who was q student at the Anna
polls academy was detected in hazing
scrapc. The matter came before Con-
grcss, and Mr.. Blount made q violent
speech against the naval cadets. One
of the young men occupied scat in
the gallery, and the effect Of Blount's
speech, coupled with the thought of
being dismissed from the academy,
was such that he became violently i'll
and had to be carried from the capi.
tol. Later on in his career he branch.
cd out rs n journalist, and was assign
ed to duty in the House gallery.
Blount arose to speak, and the rcc0l-
lections of past events came 50 wildly
to the young mans mind that he again
became i'll. lie tried in vain, day
after day, to conquer the feeling, but
it was found to be impossible. Every
time Blount spoke he became sick.
At last be was compelled to relinquish
his position on tins account. Even
to this day that gentleman never ap.
pears in the House gallery for fear Of
Blount. There is no distinctively
great orator in the House whom the
crowds rush in to hear speak. The
talking is done by some seven or eight,
or rather was during the last session,
and there is no promise that the order
of things will be changed in the fu.
ture. The great debaters are confined
to the Senate. and the crop is being
fast thinned out there. The retire.
ment of Wallace, Thurman and Blaine
and the death Of Carpenter took away
four of the most brilliant men at
swO0p.
1t costs $4,000 per year for the
mere jotting down the remarks of
the congressman. The corps of Off
cial stenographers, both 10 the Senate