Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-03-27
ORATORY IN C0NGREs S.


Special Correspondence Of The Register.
WASHINGTON, March 2G.-While listening
to the eulogies OF Senator Hill recently
was reminded OF the great change in the
complexion Of the Senate which the last
two years have wrought. how the body
has suffered by the light touch OF times
hard hand! Then the Democrats had Thur
man, Eaton, Herman, Mcdonald, Wallace
and Whyte, all now living, but in the hur.
ly.burly Of politics left out OF the Senate.
These are gone, besides the matchless ora
tor whose memory was freshened yesterday
by many a sweet tribute. The other side OF
the chamber has lost almost as heavily.
Blaine is out, 10 enter politics no more, un-
less he can do SO as Presidential candi-
date. Conkling, without even that hope.
Carpenter dead.
The Three Brightest Lights
OF the left thus gone-and every one re-
placed by men OF ordinary ca!iber. The
Democrats have supplied their losses, as a
rule, with inferior material aud the Senate
of to-day is by no means what 1t was in
January, 1880. Senator Hills loss is most
strlkingly seen in the fact that II removed
the most popular, as well as the most pow
erful orator of those palmy days Few
good speakers are left in the Senate, for
every one OF the men who came near riv-
airy with him in the witchery OF eloQuence
has disappeared from that high arena.
do not except Mr., Voorhees,, as his latter
days have shown little OF the fire that
warmed his earlier efforts into glowing
beauty and he has become close manu-
script talker, with something OF aliectation
in his airs Of Senatorial gravity.
NoOrator in the senate.
Judged by their usual efforts, il must be
confessed that there is not an orator in the
Senate. Mr.. Vest is at times impassiOned
and powerful. but these are his best and
occasional moments. He is, however, the
most popular OF the speakers in the Senate,
unless it be Mr.. ingalls,, whose excellence
is as opposite to that OF the lmpetouS Mis-
sourian as the two poles. Vest is warm,
inpulsive and magnetic; ingalls, is cold,
deliberate and precise his clear, gaunt
figure, his clear, metallic voice aud his sal.
low face, absolutely without an expression
but that of intellectually, make him the
representative OF sarcasm and satire. His
language is the best that is heard on the
floor and his sentences would III into re-
view with very little emendation. lie has
studied the art OF expression devotediy.
The qualities named make him stronger as
on opponent than as an advocate. lie
could never win men TO any cause where
their prejudices are set against 1t, but he
can use
The Artillery OF RIdicuIe,
with remarkable effect against tho stron gest
logic. In that one side OF oratory he is the
peer Of Mr.. Hill, so far as verba! expression
goes, without the power OF look and ges-
ture which gave a keener and double
edge to the cutting satire OF the Georgian.
Ben Harrison, Of Indiana, came TO the
Senate with reputation as an orator. based
on his stump speeches and what his friends
consider his worsting Of Hendricks in the
Garfield campaign. He has done nothing
in the oratorical line since he began his
Senatorial career.
Edmunds, the attorney OF his party, is
the conversational talker OF the court
room, while John Sherman, the most ac-
tive and influential OF the Republican
leaders is 1eyOid of every grace OF oratory.
Senator Beck has been apuy described as
speaking like a Scotch bagpipe. Senator
Bayard has a bad tenor voice, while Pen
dleton is husky and stiff. We all know
what plain, homely talk Senator Brown
always gives at home. He talks 70 the
Senate the same way, and it is effective
talk here as it is there, because 1t carries
Speakers in the House.
The House is better of for orators than
the Senate. The first place among them
Is, perbaps, held by Randolph Tucker, Of
Virginia, who has the advantage OF per-
sonal physique and a bell-like voice. On
the bustings his acute sense OF bumor
sometimes cslrs into play power OF MINI
icry that on the stage would have made
him the rival Of Sothern.
General Hooker, Of Mississippi repre-
sents better than any other man IN Con
gress the pure type of Southern oratory.
His diction is rich TO luIuriance. His
every thought is clothed and colored oy q
tropical fancy. His delivery Is graceful
to q rare degree, and in the most impss.
stoned moments he 10 courtiy in every
movement
The quick and ready man Of the House,
ss every body knows. IL
sunset Cox.
He rings into his "eXtempore" speeches
many an expression polished up and trim
med down by scholarly study before; but
with sill due discount for such tricks, he
is still q man of wonderful gift OF speech.
Tripped q dozen times, he never fails 70
catch on his feet with q sharp repsrtee
ready for his opponent His memory is
marvellous. Many OF his aptest illustra-
;ions are drswn from the Bible and Shake-
spaare. doubt il there are msny doctors
OF divinity in the country more familiar
with the Bible than he, and / will venture
the assertion that be knows more OF Shake
speare than any nan in America Neither
Mr. Carlisle DOR Mr.. Randall is an sttrac-
tive speaker.
style OF oratory Changing.
Kassou would be the best one Oh mis- side,
IL il we're not for the sppsrent snd appear
snce of nicely. as if he we're handling the
subject with the tips of bis fingers. Glbin.
srn, Of MssssohUse ts. is earnest and very
manly in bis bearing, Red. OF asine. l.
ss keen as trr.-. cou-T'i'H ~ - ~,
parry does sEG ry.f reae! 4 ~ - h.s ise<.