Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-05-04
SENATORIAL ORATORS.
Methods Of Some Of the Better
Known SoIons in the Senate
of the United States.
The Manner in which Speeches are
Prepared for Delivery and TOR
the Printers Hands
Briuht Sketches of the Men Who
Fire the Senate ard Dictate
Their Party's Policy.
Sp.eial correspondenee d as Reaiasr.

Spseial Correspondence Of the Regiaer.
WASHINGTON, May 3.-Very few men IN
the House of Congress speak upon any I'M
portant measure without having made the
most elaborate preparation. The library Is
ransacked for books, newspaper fles are
drought from their nools, Aand cords Of
paper are used in taking "notes. = These
notes are filled out, put in order, and then
| YOU have "set speech.
The Senate Few Years Ago.
OF those who were in the Senate few
wears ago, for there are few orators there
now, no one INDUCED in manuscript SO
much as David Davis. He prepared even
fveminute speech with great care. This
was his inAexible rule and had been since
| he entered public life. After he delivered
his speeches, Or rather after he read them,
he handed his manuscript to Mr.. Murthy,
the Senate stenographer, who sent it to the
Government printing Office. The compost
Tors never had anv anathemas for the
judges writing, which was large, distinct
and full of character.
Edmunds Never Uses Notes,
| and once a speech is out Of his mouth he
doesn't bother his head about it. During
all the wears he has been in the Senate he
has not revised a single speech. He turns
everything in his mind beforehand, and
never arises 10 address the Senate without
having weighed in the scales what he in
tends saying.
Ben Hill, of Georgia,
would speak fer three hours without scrap
of paper. The only preparation he made
was marking references and passages.
have seen him, time and again. thunder
away for two hours without stopping even
for a glass of water. He revised his
speeches, however; made additions and cor,
rectops in clear hand, much like that OF
a college boy, and gave the printers little
trouble with his proof" Hill has an as
tonishing memory, and no man IN public
life, except Edmunds, has his imperturbabil-
ity. The only man who could well worry
Hill or excite his wrath in debate was
Inc lSito uAitt "APONeO''
How it tickled Carpenter to put some
adroit question at the Georgian and get
him confused-a hard thing to do at any
time, but Carpenter often succeeded. And
| il was more the result of an irresistible pro
pensitv for fun than anything else, for never
| was man who had less malice than Matt
Carpenter. He was exceedingly particular
about his speeches when they were upon
legal questions. After he got the proof
from the foreman of the Record, he would
hack il to pieces, send the corrected proof
back. get a second, and treat it in like man
ner. His writing was characteristic, hard
10 read-a rolicking, harum-Scarum sort OF
q fist-and study to the printers. Anoth,
or Senator who, like Edmunds, never re-
vised speech, was
Thurman.
Occasionally he spoke from manuscript, but
the stenographer took down every word he
said, as the old gentleman would forget his
manuscript and drift into extempore elo,
ouence. Thurman, though never grace
ful speaker, was always forcible. He was,
beyond all doubt, the ablest of the Demo,
! erats, and their leader from the time he en-
tered 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 two o'clock in the morning, as
he spends his evenings generally in sOcia
| circles.
Lamar is a Great Reviser,
cuts "proof" into tatters, writes a horrible
hand, and tries the soul of a printer. Occa
sionally he goes down to the Government
| Printing Office to look after his speeches
which, when published, are vastly different
from the Stenographers report of them.
Senator Conkling Seldom Made
a correction of his utterances in the Senate
| Chamber. He was perhaps the best ex
| temporaneous speaker in the United States
| and even his remarks in running debate
were splendid iudices Of great ability. Dur
ing the extra session of the Forty-sixtf
Congress he delivered speech upon the
Army Appropriation bill without note
napers, book, or reference of any kind. He
| smoke for four hours. Before the adjourn
ment of the Senate 100000 copies of his
| speech had been subscribed for. In very
| short time f. W. Oyster, then foreman o.
the Congressional Record, had the proof ot
the great speech ready He took it up tt
wormley's about 9 O'clock in the morning
and asked for Senator ConkEng. "HeiS no
mn vet" said the private secretary; "tht
| Senator breakfasts about eleven; however
as YOU are in hurry and want to see after
the speech shall call him." Tell Mr.
| OYSTER to come in-ah! how do you do, Mr.
| Oyster" After rubbing his eyes he looked
| at the proof" made u few changes anc
struck out the "Hon." before Roscoe Conk
ling" After he received the speech HI
wrote his thanks, very kindly, to Foreman
Oyster, as follows:
UNITED STATES SENATE CHAMBER,
May I, 1879.
My DEAR SIR: / beg you to receive m.
thanks for the bound speech, and for you
kindness throughout am glad to hav'
made your acquaintance, and trust l ma,
know YOU better in future. Cordially yours
RoscoE CoNkLISG.
Z. W. OYSTER, ESQ.
/ Blaine.
The late Secretary of State when men
her of the Senate, used to look careful !.
after his speeches, which, for the most pa + !
were made from headings" Probabl.
there never was in the United States Senat
a man who needed less preparation thai
j James G, Blaine he is infsllible in his
tory and impregnable in debate. His mem
ory of facts and faces is absolutely wondur
| fui. He can begin with William the Con
oueror and give you the name OF ever,
sovereign of England down to Victoria
j :.h .he dates Of their reigns Now ant