The Washington critic., 1885-11-24
TOPICS OF THE DAY.
How lrgersOll Won His Fame as a
National Orator.
HIS "PLUMED KNIGHT" SPEECH.
Tie Peculiar Circumstances Unl5r Which
II Was Delivered.
Issues BEFORE CONGRESS.
Gossip About Social Matters Mt the
White House.
A FOKER-PLAYING MEMBER.

As everybody knows, Bob Ingcrsoll
came to the front as an orator by the
Blaine nominating speech of 1876. He
was one of the Republican delegates to
the Cincinnati convention Of 1876, and
a strong Blaine man. lie arrived in
Cincinnati with several other Illinois
delegates several days before the con
vention assembled. There was present
in the city Bob's favoritc brother, who
died few years later. He immedi-
ately told his brother of the selection
and that he had promised TO deliver the
speech. The brother, who was some
what nervous, tried to persuade him
not to try 1t. "You arc not famous
enough, he persuaded. You are get
ting along and making fair roputa-
tion, but this is too big IL thing for you.
] fear you will make dead failure of
it," But Bob had promised and would
not back out. "Well, If you are de-
termined to do this, YOU must do your
best. You must make n success. To
do this you must get at it Immediately.
Don't wait minute. Go into that
room and lock the door and begin the
speech. 'Oh, tomorrow viii do,
urged Bob, and besides, L have
| promised to go with the boys to night.
And away he went. The next day
| passed, and although his brother spoke
about the speech several times, Robert
did not touch it. And SO the time
passed till the night before the con.
vention., The brother, meanwhile, had
got nearly frantic. Robert came in late
that night and in answer to his
brothers solicitation, said; 20 brother,
let's get good nights sleep. Ana 50
they retired. lngersoll says that he never
slept so soundly in his life as he
dld that night. flnaily ne woke up
suddenly and felt perfectly, refreshed.
lie got up hastily ana looked at ms
watch. III was o CLOCK a. M. lie
went to the adjoining room very quietly
ana closed the door SO as not TO disturb
his brother lie turned the ilght down
ana closing ms eyes imagined the great
convention nan ana his audience Oeiore
nm. lhen lie began 10 thinK OF Blalhe'
flnally ne began TO say ms speech over
10 nlmsen. Whcn ne hau nhlShed ne
took pen ana paper ana wrote 1t OUT
carefully as he mad SAID IT. lie lald
1t away in the drawer to the bureau
and went PACK quleliy 10 Ded. III was
now past CLOCK Ill tne morning. lie
very soon was last asleep again and
did not wake till past 3, when his
brother was standing over MN, vlg-
orously shaking him, BOD, get up;
get up. lts $3.50 ana the convention
assemblies at lo'5o. thought you were
gong TO get up early ana get your
speech ready. IL VIII pea dead tallllre
and we shall all be disgraced' Blaine
VIII not be nominated. III Isl 100 Dad, TOO
bad. Bob slowly walked up ana,
rubbing MS eyes, urged that 1t would
be best first to get their breakfast. But the
brother insisted that he should not
leave the room until he got down to
business on the speech. by this time
Bob had donned his pantaloons and
remarked: "Well, you be the audience
and sit over there and VIII see what l
can do" He then started in and de-
livered the famous speech, word for
word, as it was given that day in the
convention, beginning: "Massachus'
euts is proud of benjamin III. Bristow
so am / etc" He went on easily and
rapidly until he reached the following
"This is grand year-a year filled
with the recollections of the revolu'
tion; filled with proud and tender
memories of the past; with the sacred
legends of liberty; year in which the
sons of freedom will drink from the
fountains of enthusiasm; year in
which the people call for man who
has preserved in Congress what our
soldiers won upon the field" But tho
real climax of the speech was the fol
lowing: Like an armed warrior
like n plumed knight, James G
blame marched down t9e nails o
shininn Chi % lance @ FIJI 5nd Fair % o%ainst th, m
braZen foreheads of the defamers of hi
country and the maligners o
his honor" 1t is, perhaps, need
less 10 say that the prothel
WaS W"S ~ u9itapieio a,iaH o"puuihoui pahi i' nu'
and nuttinr both arms around him
embraced him in the most enthusiast,
way, '1t is simply sublime" III
cIled' 'Dut when ana you prepare IL?