Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-18
ORATORS OF CONGRESS.
HzASYWAYs OF PREPARING AND
DELIVERING SPEECHES.

and the Iee-eOId Sarcasm of Mr.. Ingalls,
Mr.. ConkIing's Carefully Turned Sen
tences-SenatOr HOar's Useful Looking
Glass Gov. Longs Golden Tongue
Reading Speeches.
II used to be expected that a great ora
tor would some time or other ind his way
10 Congress, and that every Congress
would ficd among its members some men
with great claims to distinction as public
speakers. Mr.. Murphy, who has for thir-
" years had opportunity for observation
as the official reporter Of the Senate, and
who is regarded by Senator'S as an authOri-
ty on this subject, says that recent Senates
compare well in this regard with those Of
which the great orators Of the past We're
members.
Yet the political 0ratory Of to-day, in the
main, must be of far different kind. The
tendency TO read essays, instead OF deliV-
Ing speeches. has become 50 universal in
b3sh branches of Congress that it is rare
that a speech Of any length IS delivered
without the complete manuscript being
before the speaker. While this results in
greater grace Of style, accuracy Of eX-
preston, and better diction, it IS at the
cost ~ the energy, fire. enthusiasm, and
hCt emotions that the eXtempOre speech
stimulates. The men most eminent for
their power of Oratcry in recent Con-
crosses, however, have spurned the use
OF manuscript. The late Senator Calpen-
ter VI 40 many regarded as the most ias-
clnating speaker of recent years in Con-
gross. despised a written speech. He
once said that he might as well shut him
sif up in an iron cage and try 10 talk
through the bars. He believed in prepa-
ration, but not in prescription. Mr.. Conk-
ling. while IN the Senate, never laid his
manuscript open on his desk. lie never
read speech, and, ike Mr.. Carpenter,
sever hesitated for a word. Yet both
Chese orators never spoke without thor
aHgh preparation. Mr. Edmunds seldom
makes long speeches, rarely exceeding
fifteen minutes. He speaks always eX-
temporaEeously, and never reylses the
St. MO-Tapher'S notes or proof slips.
John Sherman does not write his speeches;
neither does Gen. Logan nor Senator
Hoar.
Tn. three most Volu5le Senators-Beck,
Morgan aud PIumb-nelther write nor
specially prepare their speeches, except
5ug to rather their facts. None of these
thleo- I0weYer, makes any claim to the
possession Of OratOrical powers, though
each 5 singular in one respect. Mr..
Plumb is the most RAPID speaker who has
been in the Senate for many years. He
aud Senator Beck are the only men. who
ever taxed Mr.. MuTphy's power as a
steu0-rapher to the fullest, and many
eGl1k Mr.. Murphy is the most rapid steno-
era Fher in the world. Ar. Plumb's
cords are emitted with terrific speed. lie
sometimes utters as many as 30 in
minute. Mr. Beck, while scarcely less
rapid. speaks less clearly than Mr.
Plumb. so that his words sound just as
the posts OF a Virginia fence look to q
ua1 sitting at the window of lightning
express. Mr.. AOrcan's speech is rapid,
sews as continuously as aTunuing brook.
with much the same pleasantly bubbiln5
sound. He never prepares nor reYlses his
speeches. They appear in the Record
precisely as he delivers them, and vet
Mr.. Murphy SAYS that he never yet has
found in them an error Of grammar or OF
siictiOn. and that as specimens OF pure,
classic English they are uneXceileu by
the speeches of any Senator. Mr. Bayard
does not read his speeches, but with
these exceptions almost all the others co
1t dbl cause his Indiana friends some as
constituent when Mr.. voorhees, nrst I'M
rolled his manuscript, but the custom IS
ROw confirmed with him. Mr.. Fendle-
ton, too, whose OratOry used to be a de-
light TO his Ohio friends, now reads his
speeches.
In the long debates upon the tariff bill
IN the House, both last winter and The
session preceding, with hardly an eXcep-
<aoH, the speeches were read from manu-
scTipt. Speaker Carlisle, two years ago,
Judge Kelley and Dir. Randall were the
0Hly members of prominence VINO dlu not
read their speeches.
This habit has had one effect that is in
evitable; IL gives the speech reader very
slim audiences generally. The essays are
read in a mOnOt0nous and almost inaudl-
Die tone, and the cases where speech
that j. read is accompanied by any OF the
=races Of elOcuti0n are very rare.
Judged by the accepted standards OF ora
tory hardly a member of Congress who
reads his speeches can be ranked as an
orator.
Considering those members who have
repute as speakers, it will be found that a
great difference exists between them IN
resp ct 70 their method of preparing a
speech of consequence. Mr.. carpenter
spent DAYS in the most exhaustive study
af his subject matter. He went at his
work like a German scholar. de mas been
known to spend IS hours at time In his
library. snatching but a few moments
sleep. Books and all other authorities
were ransacked, and he studied his sub
iect rom all sides. But he never gave a
moments thought to the arts Of oratory.
After writing out complete syllabus he
regarded himself as thoroughly pre-
pared. Very much after the same manner
Senator COnkIing prepared his speeches.
Both were in the habit OF keeping thelr
power Of fluent dictiOn unimpaired by
daily reading OF some of the English
elias i g. Mr.. COnkling's elbow companion
is a Webster's Unabridged Dictio nary.
Senator's Edmunds' sole preparation
for a speech is the reading OF authorities.
II seldom makes any notes except OF the
tn, hn nFu
writes out speech, either in full or IN
part Hr. Thurman's method OF prepara-
ton was almost identical with that OF
Senator Edmunds. Mr.. Blaine, on the
ether hand, not only very carefully PRE-
pared himself by exhaustive study OF the
subject matter, but also weighed MS SEN
fences, writing and rewriting some q
them many times. Many Of his speeches
We're fully written out before delivery.
although he did not always cOntine him.
self to his notes when on the floor. Mr..
Garfield took infinite pains with his
speeches. preparing them as much with
view to their rhetorical effect as TO their
subject matter.
Mr.. Carlisle 0 yes his prominence In the
House to the infinite pains with which he
prepared himself for his speeches, espe-
oiallY that on the refundlng bill four
wears ago. which put him in the front
rank. and that on the tariff. This prepa-
ration, however, went no further than an
exhaustive study of the original data. he
accepted no mans figures, but prepared
kis own from the official statistics. FER
weeks and weeks he spent every night at
his desk. computing, comparing, hSurlhS
and making his own deductions. lie new
er gave a thought to his diction, his Ses-
tares. or to any of the arts Of rhetoric.
Mr.. Hewitt and Mr.. CcX carefully pre-
pare all their speeches. and Gov. Long,
who is regarded as the most pleasing and
elective orator of the present House not
emily thoroughly prepares his speeches,
but generally commits them to memory.
The most careful and elaborate prepara-
tiOns are made by Senator HOar when ne
PURPOSES the delivery of an important
speech. Having thoroughly arranged DIS
live VI thought, after having his SUBJECT
matter at hand, Mr.. Hoar, with most
Iaborious pains, writes his speeches. out,
turning sentences, twisting Worus, ruD-
bling and polishing until the dictlOn ana
stvla are perfect in ais estimation. Next
the sneech is carefully committed, ana
6uaIIy practiced, " ith a view to perfect
ING Inc gesticulatIOn. Mr. HOar general
II u~act;c before a full-length mirror,
ana though the witty Senator Vance al
SsTays insists that Mr.. HO3r got the idea
from the famous scene in tie "Riyals,"
Z~f.e~nfn Bob Acres strives to perfect him.
.sefr IL The art OF dancing by practioing
$50 a class. vet Mr.. HOar's method is
I,,.'.s iseIy identical with that practiced by
ono 81 the greatest OF American orators,