The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-18
TOM MARSHALL AND LAMAR.
How the Kentuokian Demolished the Lat
ter's Secession Arguments.

How the Kentuokian Demolished the Lat
ter's Secession Arguments.
Jules Guthridge. in Chicago News.
Secretary Lamar is one of the best story tell
ers in public life, and in this respect is fully the
equal of those two delightful reconteurs. Sena-
tors Vance and Vest. At the Cabinet meeting
the other day some allusion was made by the
President to Tom Marshall. of sKentucky.
II once bad a funny experience with Marshall. 4"
said MIR. Lamar, breaking into the conversation.
1T happened at Oxford, Miss, a few months
prior to the attack On Fort Sumter. The seces-
sion movement was growing rapidly in my State
aud formed the staple subject of conversation.
One night l delivered a strong disunion speech
in the lecture-room of the college. The house
was packed, and my radical views, by the younger
men at least. were applauded to the echo. AT the
conclusion of my speech a tall, distinguished
looking gentleman arose and said: Ladies and
gentlemen, | have reason to believe that | am
not unknown to many of those present Lhave
listened to the remarks of our brilliant young
friend with mingled feelings of pain and pleas
ure. Secession is wrong. You will make a mis-
take If you attempt to carry this grand old COM
monwealth out of the Union. You don't know
the people of the North. lido. l have lived among
them. | know their strength and their for
bearance. They are not to be trifed with. If
you will meet me in this hall to morrow night /
will do my utmost to convince you OF that fact
1.-THE speaker, who, as he said, was personally
known to most of those present, was Tom Mar
shall, the celebrated Kentucky orator. The next
night the hall was damned. Marshall spoke for
two hours. No one but a man of Southern birth
and training would have dared expressed such
sentiments as he expressed on that occasion. He
took up my arguments seriatim and demolished
them one after the other. Before the close of his
speech hardly a convert to secession could be
found within the sound of his voice. Although
had been crushed and sat upon,' continued Mr..
Lamar. II could not fail to be impressed with
Marshalfs matchless oratory and the soundness
Of his logic. / admired him more than ever. A
few days subsequent l started out for a drive.
Marshall stood in the door of the village tavern
as / drove past. With q view to showing him
that | entertained no malice | invited him to ac-
company me. He replied that he would if 1
would excuse him until he had made a few
changes in his linen. In a few minutes he reap
peared and away we went. Marshall Immediately
began talking. He dwelt for a time upon the
impending political crisis. He talked OF books,
the arts and the sciences, and when, at the con-
clusion Of our ride, he alighted from the buggy
felt that / had never been so delightfully."- enter
tanned in my life, for. mind you, during all this
time l had not uttered q word. Marshall left
Oxford the next day, and died, if you remember,
within the nexttwelvem months. A few weeks later
a friend of mine, q Louisville gentleman, called
at my house. / spoke of Marshalls visit to Ok
ford. Yes said he, Marshall told me about it.
He said you were very angry at him for replying
to your disunion speech. Hs knew you were