The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-09-25

"Reminiscences of Typical American
Stump Speaker.
Saturday Chicago Herald.


stump Speaker.
Saturday Chicago Herald.
Sargent S. PreDtiss, of Mississippi,
was undoubtedly the most eloquent
nan who ever addressed the House of
Representatives A carpet-bagger from
Maine, he went to Mississippi poor and
friendless, and not only became fore
most among her sons, but acquired a
national reputation. Edward Everett,
after having listened to one of his i'm
passioned bursts of eloquence in Faneuil
Hall, turned to Daniel Webster, who
sat near him, and said Did you ever
hear anything like it?' Never" said
Webster, except from Mr.. Prentiss
himselfl" He was. indeed, a remark
able.orator, his intellectual endswments
presenting remarkable example, in
which great logical power and the most
vivid Imagination We're most happily
blended. AS Dryden said of Halifax,
he was a man
OF piercing wit and frequent thought,
Endowed 10y nature and by learning taught
To move asst mblies
The great secret of his oratoricai
success was his readiness; he seemed
never at loss for an epigram or retort,
and his impromptu speeches were the
best.
Prentiss used to tell q good story
about his second canvass of the State
of Mississippi. He had arranged q
route, and one of his friends had gone
ahead to make arrangements for hall
In each successive town, and to adver-
tise the meeting there. The proprietor
of q travelling menagerie took advan-
tage of these congregations, and fol-
lowed, exhibiting at each place on the
day that Prentiss SPOKE. The first
intimation that the orator had of this
rivalry was at small town i'll the
northern part of the State, near the
Alabama line. After Prentiss had been
speaking for about an hour, holding
the attention of the audience, he OBJ.
served some of the outsiders looking
over their shoulders. and this move
ment was gradually followed by more
of his audience. He began to think he
was growing dull, and endeavored to
rouse himself up to more animation,
but it was all III vain. He at length
looked in the popular direction, and
there, to his horror, just coming over
the hill was the elephant, dressed in
his scarlet wrappings and Oriental
splendor. A foolish feeling of vanity
not to be outdone by the elephant came
over him, and he continued to talk.
He found it was no use, SO he said
"Wel, ladies and gentlemen, 1 am
beaten. But L have the consolation OF
knowing that it was not by my compete
tor. l will not knock under to any
two-legged beast, but l yield to the ele-
plant"
Prentiss afterward made an arrange
mentcwith the proprietor of the men
agerie to divide time with the monkey
and the clown, the first hour being
given to politics. One of the cages was
used as n rostrum. Soon he heard @
low sound, which resembled q growl
and he learned that the hyena was his
nearest listener. There were large
augur-holes ia the top of the box for
the admission of air. Prentiss com,
menced speaking, and when he reached
the blood and thunder portion of his
speech he ran his cane into the cage,
and called forth most horrible veil
from the enraged animals, at the same
time gesticulating violently with the
other hand. "Why, fellow-citizens, -
he would exclaim, "the very wild
beasts are shocked at the political base
ness and corruption of the times. See
how this worthy fellow just below me
is scandalized. Hear his yell of political
shame and indignation" The effect
was electrical; he called down the
house in perfect tempest of enthu
siasm. He hurled his anathemas al
his fees and enforced them by the yelL
of his neighbors. The people of Mis-
sissippi worshiped Mr.. Prentiss, hi:
habits, which would have been con
demned in other sections of the coun-
try, only endearing him the more t.
them. Generous to his foes, faithful
to his friends, he won the confidence
and affection of all who knew him.