The Aberdeen examiner. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1866-current, 1883-05-03
VOL. IS
EDITORIAL MATTER,
o,n Tr; Waal lv ;ssuae of Lr,dav Il Mondp-
Speeches isa Gong ress.

Speeches iH Gong resS.
OF course our readers understand
that the speeches made in Congress
are not delivered in the belief thai
they will change the votes of Sena'
tors or Representa- ives, though ar
occasional vote may be made for
measure by an argument that opens
up way for a member to come to
the orator, who is already with him
in sentiment but forced by political
or other reasons to remain ''on the
fence" and abstain from voting.
These speeches are usually intended
for greater audiences than either
Chamber can supply; they are appeals
to the country and are either designs
ed to justify the attitude of Speakers
or to create a strong public feeling
or pressure that will force the falt-
ering into line or bring down upon
their heads the weight Of public OF
party condemnation.
Some of the greatest Of these for
ensic efforts are delivered to "empty
benches" as it were; delivered when
the few Senators or Representatives
present are apparently deeply inter-
ested in reading the daily papers Or
assembled around the fires in the
cloak rooms, smoking and telling
anecdotes, and the galleries contain
few auditors but tho orator never
curtails his remarks on that account,
but goes on through with the argu-
ment with as much earnestness, zeal
and roar as though assembled thou.
sands hung spell. bound upon hif
utterances.
We recall remarkable case in
point: Senator Conkling, who sis
always a forcible, eloquent and in
teresting speaker, was delivering q
powerful argument-his speeches are
never written though carefully con-
sidered and prepared like those of
our brilliant Lamar, and delivered by
aid of reference notes.-the was in the
midst of one of his strongest periods
when, noticing the entry Of Gen. w.
T. Sherman who had just returned
from Western tour, he halted, d,shook
hands with him, enquired as to the
condition of his health and tho well
fare of his family, and then resumed
his discourse MS though no intoYup,
tion bad occurred. He knew that
every word of the speech would be
reported in the Record, and chat the
trusty stenographer would CONNECT
the "frazzlod" ends without disclos
ing the social break; and he knew
also that the speech would be cares
fully read next day by Senators who
seemed Obvious to it's delivery, and
that its telling points would sparkle
along the electric wires to every city
of note in the country, and be dis
cussed in the morning at hundreds
of thousands of breakfast tables.
We have heard speeches delivered
that drove the political opponents of
the Speaker from the Chamber into
their cloak room as children fly to
shelter when the pelting rain storm
breaks upon them, but in such in
stances they usually linger listening
near the door but just out of sight,
Stimulating an Indifference they are
far from feeling, and leaving in the
Chamber several of their most trusty
and skilfull partizans to take advan-
tage CT any fizure that may disclose
itself inlthe champions wordy armor.
The most tantalizing thing or such
occasions, to man noted for his
skill in ;;,utting into his opponent b
chain of argument, like Conger or
Sunset Cox, and thus forcing him to
make damaging admissions or irrita-
ting him into exhibitions of temper,
is to have him deliver n written
speech--as Voorhees, usually does in
the Senate, but nowhere else-for it
is impossible to disturb his COM
posure,and after one or two attempts
the undertaking,is usually abandoned.
It is common to see harsh COM
ments in the press upon the custom
of granting permission to print
undelivered speeches, that prevails
in the House. For our part we think
the plan-under the usual parole as
to personalities-admirable, for 1t
not only enables modest man to
get to the country but it economises
days, weeks and months of valuable
time and when our readers remem-
ber that Congressional speeches are
usually made to the country and not
to the Chambers, and that if doliv-
cred they consume not only the time
of the speaker but the time Of all tae
other members, and that every mem
Der who can catch the eye Of the pre-
siding officer is entitled to a hearing,
they must concede that it is cheap.
er and better for the country than 6
man who goes up to the Capitol will
q speech under his waist band should