Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-10
EpMUNps As AN oRAToR,
Hard Study of His Subject the Secret OF
His Success.

Hard study OF HIS subject the secret OF
His Success.
WASHINGTON, March e.-An audience
as large as that which was on yesterday
put OF with Mr.. Bowen's silver speech sat
patiently in the galleries of the Senate to-
day from 10 O'Clock until 2, waiting for
the much-talked-of speech by Mr.. Ed
munds. 1t was well worth waiting for.
Mr.. Edmunds never spoke better, and
never made a more plausible argument.
No traces of his cold Of yesterday ap-
peared in the tones of his voice, as he
quietly rose, after his resolutions had been
read by the clerk, and began TO speak in
very deliberate way.
ALL PRESENT.
All the Democratic Senators, with
few exceptions, and almost
all the Republican Senators were
IN their seats. All were listening in
tently. Mr.. Ingalls,. OF Kansas, seemed to
be reading a newspaper, but he was lis
tening as closely as the rest. Mr.. Logan
was IN his seat just beside Mr.. Edmunds,
and Mr.. HOar was in his seat just behind
him. Once or twice Mr.. HOar made a
suggestion to Mr.. Edmunds, Of which he
availed himself, and once Mr.. Logan made
him laugh with some whispered comment
on Andrew JacksOn's motives in the
Williamson case. No one spoke on the
| Democratic side except Mr.. Beck, who
made one or two cOntemptuOus remarks
sotto Voce to those around him about pOr-
tiOns Of the argument which he thought
weak.
THE HOUSE REPRESENTED.
Members of the House came over in
twOs and threes. occupied all the chairs
and sofas in the Senate, and stood up
against the wall until ruffied old Isaac
nh
the cloak rooms. The audience was
almost weary Of the dry statement and
official papers which Mr.. Edmunds had
the clerk read for him in the outset When
Mr.. Edmunds, having presented the docu-
ments in the case, actually began his ar
gument, his audience fully appreciated
all his good points. His speeches are
easily followed.
A MASTER OF sNEERING SARCASM.
He is a master OF sneering sarcasm. He
knows how to ring the changes on a
phrase. He alluded frequently to the
Presidents message as "the supplement
70 the minority report OF the Judiciary
Committee" He referred again and again
TO the President as ''the coadjutor of the
minority" and he pronounced the words
''Innocuous desuetude" 50 ludicrOusly
that everybody had 10 laugh. He was
applauded once. The applause was
not for him or his argument, but
for his incidental allusiOn to Mr..
Thurman as the best OF Democrats; the
noblest, truest and bravest. Mr.. Ed
munds spoke with great ease, and was
apparently as fresh at 4:30 as be had b9eu
at 2. He preserved an apparent calmness
during most of his argument, but at times
became excited and at other times spoke
with much bitterness.
EDMUNDs' BARD STUDY.
He has devoted the last few weeks TO a
thorough study of the subject. He has
consulted every book, looked up every
authority and examined every case or
precedent which in any way could throw
additional light upon the subject Of dis
pute between the President and the Sem
ate This is characteristic Of Mr.. Ed
munds. He does not take an active part
In general debate; but when he does
be shows at once his familiarity with the
subject under discussion by the short, in
cisive manner in which he elucidstes
point after point, separates the relevant
from the irrelevant and quickly reaches
the merits ot the issue. II is this which |
makes Mr. EdmuHds an effective speaker. |
While others employ all the known arts
OF oratOry he is content with stating his |
case In q business-lke, matter-Otfact |
way. His voice Is rarely raised above the |
ordinary conversational tone. He never |
geeticuiatess Win one mana IN mis- |
pocket, the other resting on the desk |
before him, he is quite as effective, and |
indeed a great deal more 80, than some
Senators who saw the air, pound their
desks and strut up and down the aisles
Of the Chamber. Yet, with all the |
outward signs OF compOsure and |
Indifference 10 his surroundings, !
there is at times in the Yer |
mont Senator an incredible amount |
OF irascibllity and passion. In executive |
sessions especially. II Is said, he places !
himself under obligations 10 his brother |
Senators for their f0rbearance. He |
has way OF dropping bitter and caustic |
remarks In q manner that gOads his enc
mics 10 despair and seems TO afford him |
much the same amusement that boy de- |
rives from tOrturing a whelp. For a man |
OF his experience Ia q legislative body be
displays a strange impotence Of contra |
diction. He 10 incapable OF believing that |
any qualities reside In him which are not
great.
MIR. PUGHs REPLY.
Tomorrow Mr.. Pugb, Of Alabama, who
presented the minority report. will an