The Copiah signal. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1882-1883, 1883-09-14
xraDlso rnrIx sp,EoHEs.

1t seerfs tppossiblo Tor Senntors 70
mako speeches any moro. They are im.
PEELED by some horrible and rcsistlcss
icrce to write essays. Tho idea that
my one can be convinced by speech has
gone out Of fashion.
Tho essays nro intended for pull. ..cation
In tho newspapers and the Record, in
order that the authors constituents may
know that Lo remains lruo to his "prin.
ciples." Many vigorous men have been
tlcludcd iuto adopting tho vicious habit
Even Blaine was gradually becoming
captive, AMI his best friends were wish.
ing that he could be taken back into the
House b. sonio fortuuato freak OF poli'
tics, in crler that he might again a..
sume his place among the Srony men Of
Congress.
Tho absence OF Conkliug leaves Ed
munds about tho only strong man on
either SIDE who has enough confidence
in himself TO &C. on his legs md talk On
hour or two as though Lo really were
talking to the scrate and not TO the
country. The loss Of Conkling is sad
ono i'll this respect. Ho certsinly added
to the vigor Of tho Senate. and visitors
to tho gallery, who all dislike writton
speeches, will miss the entertainment
Which tho New York Senator was accus.
toned to provide for them. Even Beck
has fallen into the practice. and reads
his speeches. It Is impossible for him,
however, TO suppress his Jealous Scotch
nature, and 1t is very funny to sec him
bouncing up and down and gesticulnting
with his clenched fist, while he is bent
almost double in the attempt to decipher
his manuscript Beck can not help The
gcsticulation, but he can help the manu-
script, and no ought to throw it away.
At present his performances are very
much like those Of the dumb orator. A
placid man, in whose fxco there is no eI.
preston (bocau,o nothing is in view but
the face and top Of his head) and whose
eye can not 10 seen, utters tho word to
the accompaniment OF poundings and
contor.ions that apparently have no
connection whatever with tho speaker.
It don't do to have q gentleman get OK
cited over manuscript that he can not
road very we'll.
Imagine q man leaning down so that
his head almost touches his desk, voting
his thumb and tearing over page after
pago to find the lost one in which is writ
ten the sentence ho had begun, while all
tho while tho discngagod hand, closely
clenched, is pounding the circumam.
bient air. "I say, sir, eto., etc. Isay,
sir, etc., etc. Sir. I say, ETC., etc."
Why do Senators who are members OF
this Legislative body, fr tho purpose,
presumably, Of attending to tho public
business, waste themselves in this alb
surd wayi Senator Vest WAS just saved
by timely advice from abandoning ora
tory to become an essayist. he had an.
nouncod his intention Of making
speech on Q certain morning, and then.
for the first time in his life, wrote out |
what ho had to soy. he privately con.
tossed aiterward that, though the essay |
was q charming piece Of literary work,
II would have been dead failufe. Some
Senator who happened to know the Mis-.
souri, Senator'S gift for speaking, passed
behind his desk and noticed tho hugo
pilo Of manuscript.
"vsst, arc you going to bo such fool
"a to read your spcechf" said he.
"well, I find it's the CUSTOM" an.
swered Vest, "nnd I don't want to insult
The Senate by breaking into the estab.
lished ordor OF things"
"Custom bo blowed," said tho ruds
but wiso man; "givo mo that manu-.
script, and then stand up on your legs
and talk to 'em like man." Upon this
tho other Senator snatched mp Vests
manuscript and carried IL Of, leaving
Tho Missourian to make an oxtemporane-
ous speech.
"was it Is good Is the written one,
a. sight better" was the confession.
Warrington letter.