St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-12-11

cause OF reform. the sturdy and indefa-
tigable Golden. and few seats below,
rivaling in plac:dity the expression of
the philosophers of the birmingham
school, his arms folded. his feet crossed
and his eyes partially closed, as if in
revery. half reclined the people 3
William. He had no occasion to speak
that evening. and. unlike many of the
members of our own House of Commons,
signalized this absence of any reason
to open his mouth by keeping pro-
foundly silent.
Two nights afterward | beheld him
under very different circumstances
An animated debate had brought him
to his feet. To hear and see Gladstone
had been one of the dreams of nv boy
hood. one of those dreams that never
expected to realize Macaulay had
lashed him into my affections. His
criticisms inclined me to think that the
same prejudice and Imagination which
make the History of England from the
Accession of James H." warning to
students who prefer accuracy of state
| ment to rhetorical finish and splendor
| of diction, might have distorted the
| views of the esSayist on Church and
State. Macaulay was his enemy and
l loved him ..for the enemies he had
made" Uuder the influence of this
| sentiment first listened to the prince
| of English debaters and my opinion
was then, and is still, that the man who
forms any conception of MIR. Glad
stones power as an orator. either from
reading the reports of his speeches or
from descriptions of the effect which
his spoken words have upon those who
hear them, forms conception which
the test of experience will prove to be
wholly superficial and inadequate.
Upon the occasion to which | refer he
held the attention of his auditors with
out break in speech lasting over an
hour. Three things fix themselves
ineffaceably upon the memory-his
noble presence, his wonderful voice
and the astonishing range of his vocab.
ulary. l had heard Webster, Clay.
Everett, Winthrop, Phillips, Douglass.
Cass, Sumner, Chase and nearly all the
prominent members of the succeeding
school of American orators. but never
heard voice the tones of which so
affected me as Mr.. Gladstone's did.
1t is as impossible to describe them as
it is to analvze the spell they throw
over you. You are conscious of the
fascination, you listen entranced, you
feel that the orators power spans the
whole gamut of human emotions. but
when the voice ceases, when the lights
of the great hall are out and you have
turned away again to dull earth and
commonplace. the mystery of the con-
quest battles your every effort to ex-
plain or account for it. IfIwere asked
for possible KEY to the charm should |
say it would be found in that element |
of his oratory which comes nearest to
what we call persuasiveness. There |
are various kinds of persuasiveness. |
and that which is Gladstone's kind |
differs from every other kind with |
which YOU are familiar. He would not |
be e'Gladstone if it didn't His manner |
in the House is almost always that of |
man who is conversing with you. He |
never declaims. His gestures are easy |
and natural. Often with his foot raised |
upon the round of chair. his left ell
bow resting on his knee. and his body |
inclined slightly forward. he delivers |
those speeches which seem to the |
reader the utterances of one whose ac- |
ton at times must have been vigorous, |
if not dramatic But Mr.. Gladstone is |
above the need of dramatic auxiliaries.
They would interfere with the effect he |
produces and mar the harmony which |
exists between his manner and his
thoughts. After hearing him in debate
on perhaps thirty or forty occasions,
there was nothing to alter the impress
sion derived on the first occasion. His
high standard of excellence is never
lowered. The evenness of his style is
maintained. Under pressure
of great excitement his large, luminous
eyes glow in their cavernous sockets
like embers in coal pit. His mobile
face reflects his emotions as the screen
reflects the figures of magic lantern.
He emphasizes his oratory with his
looks rather than with any artiiices of
speech. Hence it is that no report can
do him justice, that no reading can
arouse the feelings which hearing him
excites.
NV attention was called during dis
cussion of the budget to fact which
the admirers of the late Lord BeacoRs-
field will not be disposed to admit, and
vet of the truth of which had occular
proof. refer to Mr.. Disraeli's habit
when financial questions were under
discussion of postponing his remarks
until after Mr.. Gladstone had sat down.
Whether he dreaded to expose himself
70 the risk of criticism from the man
who is conceded to be, upon these sub
ects. the best equipped debater since
The DAYS of Peel. or whether he pre-
Eerred to recruit his own Information
from the copious knowledge which
Gladstone invariably brings to such
discussions. l do not know, but it is
certain that during the entire debate.
which lasted several days, and during
which both these great parliament
arians frequently had the floor, the
author of "Vivian Grey" invariably |
to follow the author of
.Juventus Mundi." II Gladstone did
lot enjoy then primacy which could
:hallenge such a tribute he assuredly
nay claim it now. Between him and
lis famous antagonist there was every
contrast which two men could present.
They differed in personal appearance.
n political views. in their motives of
in their mental qualities $. IN
heir style of oratory and in their
deas of the true scope and functions
# government All the conserva-
i've instincts of the England that
S found natural Judgement in
he mind of the gifted Jew; all
he aspirations for the England that is
ha ~rl hA-n |