Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-01-03
MAKING ELoeUENCE 10 ORDER.
How Some Speeches That Have Eiec-
trlTieG Congress Have Been Made.

THE REVELATIONS OF AN OLD CAPITOL. Ea-
PLOYE-PERSONS WHO MAKE A BUSINESS OF
WRITING sPEECHEs-HOw SPEAKER WHITE
WAS MORTIPfED-CAsES WHERE EXPOSURE HAS
FOLLOWED MEMBERS WHO HAVE srRUTrED IN
PURCHASED PLUMAGE.
"Its a mistaken idea that Senators and men,
bers speeches are written by their private sec
| retaries," said an old attache of the Capitol the
other day. turning slowly to STAR man after
a long study of the vacant chairs and bare gal
ieries. LAS general thing, their private Sec
retaries don't know any more than they do"
Then he stopped for little. and drummed his
stick against the marble flags. while he dropped
OFT again into study mo. Cir" he added
leaning his chin ON his cane and looking the
been trying to make out the composition of a
rrvate secretary. / can't do it. / don't see
what Congressman want them for unless it's on
account OF kind Of feeling that they ought to
have some one around that knows less than
they do.
But as was saving It don't make any diff
ference about the secretaries; they don't write
the speeches. And, to tell you the truth, |
think the most Of the Congressman in both
Houses now write their own speeches; but some
of 'em don't: What! You amt surprised at
that? Why. how long have You been about
Why, as long as can remember there's been
men hanging about the Capitol to write speeches
for 80 much line. Some Of them read mighty
nice in the Record, and l tell you they surprise
rural constituency. Years ago these men
used to make lots Of money"
SIS there much of that done now?" asked THE
STAR.
well, it's hard to say. There's probably not
so much as formerly. but you can't tell. It's
only when a mistake occurs. and TWO men get
the same speech, or something like that that
you can discover it, though can generally pick
out my man. Now, there's the case Mr.. Vest
spoke of. where Allen and Nugen both printed
the same speech. Such instances have occurred
frequently. But generally when man delivers
| an old speech. he goes far enough back in the
Record after it not to double up in that way.
Some years ago, | remember, a very brilliant
speech was printed by very slow ordinary man
In the House, and created quite sensation. the
members district being hooded with the Globe
OF that date But one OF the members dscoy-
cred that the came speech had been made by q
very distinguished statesman In the House two
| or three terms previous. Along about the Forty
| second or Forty-thlrd Congress-or maybe it
was the FOrfy-tourth, don't just remember
| there was q very ordinary man in the House
| from Tennessee, named Coldwell. He had never
| done anything in particular. and never said
much, until one day he came out with very
brilliant speech that set all the House in COM
| motion, and made him quite famous. But In
the Forty-ffth Congress lie was succeeded by
another Coldwell, who was really brilliant fel-
| low. one day he was thus accosted in one Of
the committee rooms:
al met Bill Blank the other day
"'Ah.' replied Coldwell vaguely. not knowing
Il tame.
| "'You know Bill 2
No; l don't remember him.
"Why. don't you know, he's the fellow who
wrote your great speech on - year or 50
| ago. Leastwise, he told me so the other day."
1.-The congressman smiled grmly. guess 1t
| was my predecessor he knew and the mystery
of the wonderful oratorcal development was
explained"
all come out. If they did II Well, | guess
thered be some suicides You remember the
case Of White No? Why, Speaker White, OF
KY. 1t Is thought. killed himself on account OF
an exposure Of this sort. White was very
able man. but he got caught In g bad fix. He
you know. and as have said, he was an able
| man, but he was so pressed with business that
when he had to deliver his valedictory he got
one of those men, who are always on hand to
It was handed him just little while before the
time he had to deliver 1t, and he put 1t in his
| pocket without reading. When the time came
he rose and slowly unfolding the manuscript,
read the address. It was very briliant-out it
was Aaron Burr's famous valedictory to the
Senate. The Speaker never recovered from the
shock He went home, was taken very III, and
it is supposed he killed himself for shame"
''In former days" the old man added, after
waiting little while tor his disclosures to sink
/ deep into the reporter, sin former days these
speech-wrters used to make lots OF money. l
don't know whether they do as well now or not.
They used to get $780, Sl50 aud $500 for q good
; speech, and knew of one speech that sold for
$780, No; never heard Of Clay or Webster
hiring any speeches written. but know that
some of their speeches, which were thought to
be impromptu, were carefully prepared before
being delivered"