The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-07-07
ORATORS OF OTHER DAYS.
TIE MEN WHOSE ELOGUENtE WAS
HEARD IN CONGRESS.
Personal Characteristics Of Patrick Henry.
Hamilton. Lee, Webster, Clay, and Sergeant

Hamilton. Lee, Webster, Clay, and Sergeant
:. Prentiss.
(Ben Perlcy Pcorc. in the Chautauquan.)
Patrick Henry, the great Virginia ora,
tor, called in his day 'the Dcmosthencs
of America, " is dccribcd as having been
nearly seven feet high, with slight
stoop of the shoulders, his complexion
dark, snnburned and sallow, his fore
head high, his blucish-gray eyes over
hung by heavy eyebrows, and his mouth
and chin indicative of frmness. His
delivery was natural and we'll timed, and
his manners were dignifed. He spoke
with great dcliberation, never recalling
or recasting sentences as he went along,
nor substituting word for better one.
His voice was not remarkable for its
sweetness, but it was firm, and he never
indnlgcd in continuous and deafenlng
vociferation. Every schoolboy is familiar
with his wonderful appeal to Congress to
offer armed resistance to Great Britain,
ending, "Give me liberty, or give me
death.
Richard Henry Lee, measured by the
classic standard of oratory, was the
Cicero Of the Continental Congress. The
cultivated graces of his rhetoric, we are
told, received and reflected beauty by
their contrast with his colleagues grand
CT illusions, his polished periods rolling
along without effort and filing the ear
with the most exquisite harmony.
Samuel Adams, of Massachusetts,, who
! had been known as .sthe great incen-
diary" in New England politics, became
the guiding intellect of the Congress.
Yet it does not appear that either he or
his colleagues took a prominent part IN
the debates-wisc counsels, perhaps, ac-
complishing as much as eloquence. He
was at that time fifty years of age, and
his form was slightly bowed, while his
long locks were gray, but his clear blue
eyes flashed with the fire Of youth, and
courage was stamped on every feature.
Alexander Hamilton, of New York,
small in stature, possessed mind Of i'm
mensc grasp and unlimited original re-
sources, Of such rapid thought that he
seemed at times to reach his conclusions
by a species of intuition. He would
catch the principle involved IN discus
sion as if by instinct, and adhere nS1dly
to that, quite sure that thereby the de-
tails were certain to be right. Rufus
King, one Of his colleagues, vas the pos
SCISSOR of an nncommonly vigorous mind,
highly cultivated by study, and ne
spoke with dignity, conclseness and
force. His arguments were so logically
arranged that as they had convinced him
they carried conviction to others.
John Rutlcdge, OF South Carolina.
was probably the most cultivated orator
in the Continental Congress. His ideas,
Ramsey tells us, were clear and strong,
his utterance rapid but distinct; his
voice, action and energetic manner OF
speaking forcibly impressed his scntl-
ments on the minds and hearts OF all
who heard him. At reply he was quick,
instantly comprehcnding the force of an
objection and seeing at once the best
mode of weakening or rcpclling it.
During the first fifty years Of the ex-
istence of the ssScnatc and House of
Representatives in Congress Assembled,
under the Constitution, there were no
verbatim reporters, and the Congrcssion-
al orators poured forth their breathing
thoughts and burning words in polished
and eloquent language. Business was
transacted in a conversational manner,
and when set speeches we're occasionally
made they were listened to with atten-
ton. Tie first written speech read in
the United States Senate was by the
Hon. Isaac Hill, of New Hampshire, a
firm supporter of Gen. jackson When
about half through he suddenly lost the
thread of his discourse and stopped, evi-
IDENTITY embarrassed. His wife. who sat
in the gallery almost directly over him.
comprehended the situation, and said in
a voice heard all over the Senate Cham
her ssATr Hill yon've t1rped over two
leaves al once He immediately cor
rected his mistake and proceeded with
his remarks amid a roar Of laughter.
Daniel Webster was not an extcmpo-
raneous speaker, aud he always prepared
himself with great care for his speeches
il the Senate and his arguments before
the Supreme Court. Always careful
about his personal appearance when he
was to address an audience. he used.
after he had reached the zenith of his
fame to wear the costume Of the British
WI Tl,,n lross.oco+ With briobt