The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-11-17
Senatorial Orators.
DESCRIPTION OF THE METHODS OF SOME OF
OUR DISTINGUISHED SENATORS.


DESCRIPTION OF THE METHODS OF SOME {
OUR DISTINGUISHED SENATORS
The Senate is soon to meet again, and IL
4 expected presence of the solons here inspir,
1 us to say that there are very few men in eitht
S house OF congress who speak upon any in
> portant measure without having made til
most elaborate preparation The library
ransacked for books, old newspapers files al
brought from their hooks, and cords of pape
: are used in taking notes. These notes al
filled out, put in order, and then you haye
J set speech.
David Davis, perhaps, more than any othe
Senator, INDUCES in manuscript, preparin
even I'VE minutes speech with great care
This is his inf1exlble rule, and has been sine
he entered public life. After he delivers hi
speeches, or, rather, after he reads them, b
hands his manuscript to Mr.. Murphy, the sen
atorial stenographer, who sends it to the gov
eminent printing office. The compositor
never have any anathemas for the Judge
writing which is large, distinct and full o
character
Edmunds never uses notes, and once speed
is out of his mouth he doesn't bother his heat
about it. During all the years he has been il
the Senate he has never 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 mint
what he intends saying. s5as ,5t.3sss.f ts3.s-s.
Ben Hill will speak for three hours without
a scrap of paper The only preparation he
makes is marking reference and passages in
| this book and that. have seen him time and
again thunder away for hours without STOP
ping even for glass of water He revses his
| speeches, however, makes additions and cor
rectlons in a clear hand, much like that of a
college boy, and gives the printers little
trouble with his proof He has an astounding
memory, and no man in public life, except Ed
munds. has such imperturbability. The only
man who could worry Hill OF excite his wrath
| in debate was the late Matt. Carpenter. How
| it tickled Carpenter to put some adr0it ques-
| ton at the Georgian and get him confused-a
hard thing to do at any time, but Carpenter
| often succeeded.-And it was more the result
OF an irresistible propensity for fun than any
| thing else, tor never was man who had less
malice than Matt. Carpenter.
He had a 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 Re
cord he would hack it to pieces, send the cor
rected proof back, get a second, and treat it in
like manner. His writing was characteristic,
hard to read-a rollicking, harum-scarum sort
OF fist-and study to printers. He used to
say: 1.-The shortest road is the best road when
you'er in hurry; and though he could never
write fine, full, round hand, he dashed off
everything at lightning speed.
Another Senator, who, like Edmunds, never
revised speech, was Thurman. Occasion
ally he spoke from manuscript, but the stem
ographer took down every word he said, as the
old gentleman would forget his manuscript
and drift into extemporary eloquence. Thur
man, though never graceful speaker, was al
ways 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
taken. He makes few changes, however, but
holds the proof very often until o'clock IN
the morning, as he spends his evenings gen.
orally in social circles. He is good penman,
writing medium sized running hand.
Lamar is a great reviser, cuts proof into tat
tiers, writes horrible hand, and tries the soul
OF printer. Occasionally he goes down to
the government printing office to look after
his speeches. which, when published, are vast
ly different from the stenographer's report OF
them.
Senator Conkling seldom makes 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 debates are splendid indices of great
ability. During the extra session OF the For
ty-sixth congress he delivered a speech upon
the army appropriation bill, without note, pa
pers, books or reference of any kind. When
from New York." up rose the stately form OF
Roscoe Conkling. Never before or sense had
senator such an audience. He spoke for four
hours Before the adjournment of the senate
l50,OO0 copies Ofhis speech had been subscrib
ed for Every printing establishment in Wash
ing sent to the senate its lowest estimate. In
very short time, Oyster, one of the best Nv
ing typos, and foreman of the Congressional
Record, had the proof of the great speech
ready. He took it up to Wormley's about 8
O'Clock in the morning and asked for Senator
Conklng. "He is not up yet" said the private
secretary; "The Senator breakfasts about II
however as you are in a hurry and want to
see after the speech, shall call him." Tell
Mr.. Oyster to come in-ahl how do you do,
Mr. Oyster" and Lord Chesterfield never
was more polite than was Mr.. Conkling in his
night shirt. After rubbing his eyes he looked
at the proof, made few changes and struck
out the "Hon." before Roscoe Conkling"
You will never find it prefxed to his name In
After he received the speech he wrote his
thanks very kindly to foreman Oyster as
follows:
UNITED STATES SENATE CHAMBER,
May z, 1879.
Nh Deor Sr.-I beo Won 10 receive INV
thanks for the bennd sneecb and for vonr
kindness thronrhont T am Glad T have made
vour acona;ntance and trust I NAV know Won
better in the future Cordially yours
0''e- Rosrog t,oNxn1Na
T. w Ovsrvp Eco
a. y 49, ~
" all tne senators, 0onking WIVES sne 29s.
nand-large, easy, graceful anu ieg1oie. MS
Signature, noWeyeI' W1G ~ Ut STUDY 70 any
one not acquain'eu VIII ~.
Inc present secretary ol ssa'e Wnen mem elu-
yer Vi tne senate usee " tooA oaieluny aisea
ms speeches, wncnyioof 9ne moss pars' were
MADE lrom neauln e. aooaniy 'nele never ever
was u 1 nc onl'ou S:"ses sen1so a Div WY
neeaeo less Preparatlon .nan yaMes " Dlalie,
ne rs lnia H;s IL n,ssor ana ~
ueDaII LIS ineiy u ,aS'1 anu i.1oHs u WI a
soiu'eiy w o Nc .a can uegin w tt ~
nam sne s dnu gnus you INC n Win
every s soSete ~ ~ ta; uo o 70 w
aoia NV win th oasrs VI Sne n III u%
anu Inen .ne 30 Sena.oi M0un Ye LIS pen 0 nna
a'Sen;,on " .no e fud ,p;,1. ~ o III
o.nng Oye.ei ,o e th hi nusly az .H M1iA
o Su.. ~ 10y ~. Sno t p T,,s 1,;a;nn
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