The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1886-03-27
LAMAR AND ALCORx.

writes of Mr.. Lamar that when
perfectly unrestrained, when he
really sohloquizes, is the foremost
tsble-talker of his time. He dis
eusses books, men, affairs of gov.
ernment with a breadth ofintelleet
and succinetness of statement and
logical precision that make an
hours talk a matcbless studied
philosophical lecture. He and |
ment at Oorlnth, Miss, in 1872,
when, as candidate for Congress,
he was making speeches before
the people. Naturally, while We
sat by the wayside awaiting a de-
layed railway train, he was telling
of the speech he proposed to
make. He was absorbed in his
story; l was fascinated. When
he closed the quasi harangue l
said: 'Your hearers can't appre.
ciate your ardent rhetoric and
splendid philosophy. They can't
ascend majestic nights whence
you look down upon the fortunes
of an empire. You talk like Ma.
cauley or Burke, but You don't ad.
dress the same audiences
Lamar answered, substantially,
"You are wholly at fault. Every
farmer in my district is an educat.
ed politician. He may not read
or write, but every candidate for
office is stump speaker. From
him who would be Governor or
Senator to aspirants for consta.
bles' places, all must address the
people. AS partisans and patri.
OTIS, therefore, they are thorougly
educated. Fine rhetoric, assure
you, that is not bombast, pleases
the most illiterate. You fattei
their intelligence, too, when you
address them in the best language
of the best authors. They would
detect any effort on my part to
adopt the style of Robinson Cru
soc or of Mother Goose. | woult
sorely wound their keen seasibili
ties if l thus questioned their in
telligence."
Your inquiry reminds me-" con
tinued Mr.. Lamar, "of a converse
tion with Ex-Governor and United
States Senator Alcorn. He and
were competitors for q seat il
Congress. / had the deal, that il
to say | had the district. 1t wa
strongly Democratic. A VIII,
had not the ghost of a chance, bu
Aleorn certainly made the contes
interesting. He is capital talk
er, and then was, perhaps, th
handsomest gentlemen on the con
tinent. He dressed elegantly an,
tastefully. His clothes were tn
'costliest that his purse could buy
his carriage and horses and Sol
wants superb. | must confess
never cared about my apparel an,
did go about in a buggy sometime
drawn by lop. cared mule. | in
timated to Alcorn one day, whe
he was most tastefully attired an
travelled with splendid equipag
his neck tie was of crimson sati
that well became his clear dar
skin and jet.black hair and eyel
| intimated my purpose to col
trast in my speech next day, hi
gorgeousness and vanity with m
f republican simplicity of dress an
manners"
"Try II If You dare," he replie'
, 81 will tell them that when the
go to church each and all, respec
/, ing the public, the church, th
women and their God, wear the
J best clothes. / respect those VIII
{ come to hear me speak. Irespe,
{ them as my country's rulers an
D my masters. Therefore do | al
|. pear before them attesting my r
D spect by this careful attention
a my dress. They can see by N
!, appearance and bearing here ho
!. worthily as a mal | will represel
v them in Washington"
Such, substantially, vas Go
4 Alcorn's defense of his conduc
# said Mr.. Lamar, and l never chos
!. to question its wisdom or propri
n ty. In fact, my speeches wear Il
O finest possible clothes and cost
t est, and are thus appareled b
}. cause of my respect for my hea
Y ers, and / adopt, in behalf of n
# oratorical style, this defense of b
d elegant costume pronounced
}. Gov. Alcorn."
. Fire In Helena.
Helena, Ark, March 2l.-A Fl