The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-03
MR.. OHAUNOEY M. DEPEW ON ORA
TORY.

TORY.
Mr.. Chauncey M. Depew, one of the
oratorical princes of this country, gave
an address in this city on Washington's
birthday, which was finished and
every way admirable production, incul-
eating lessons of patriotism and sur
veying the condition and progress of
our country from the standpoint of a
philosophical observer. Invited by the
Union League Club to give the Annual
Address before that organization in
Central Music Hall, he amply full
filled the high expectations which were
entertained in regard to his ability
even to pronounce an address worthy of
the occasion. In one respect, however,
Mr.. Depew appears to have disappoint-
ed some of his hearers. The we'll
known reputation of the orator as an
after dinner speaker, given to off-hand
and popular oratory, plentifully gar
nished with wit and humor, gave some
the impression that the gentleman
would embrace the occasion of Wash
ingtOn's birthday for such an exhibit
tion of his jocose and brilliant extern
porization. In this they were happily
disappointed. Mr.. Depew appeared
before his audience composed of the
very elite of Chicago society, with a
carefully prepared and written address.
The Tribune, of this city, noted the fact
and made it the subject of some re-
marks. Interviewed by a reporter,
Mr.. Depew is quoted as follows:
''There is one thing the Tribune says. 1t
says that great orations are always delivered
without notes, and that they are the spon-
taneous production of the orator on the oc-
casion. 1 have studied that question great
DEAL l suppose that deliver one hundred
speeches a year, of which two are written
usually, because two of them will be formal
orations. Some men have the power of YER
bal memory. l have not bit of it. If 1
write speech have to read it. My notes
only distract my mind. But Wendell Phil
to memory. All the speeches that he deliv-
cred once he delivered exactly word for word
every time, showing that he composed them
carefully beforehand. Henry J. Raymond
reported Webster, and he told me that his
memory was so phenomenal that he could
think over a speech sentence by sentence,
correct his sentences in his mind without the
use of pen or pencil, and then delivered it
exactly as he thought it out. Mr.. Seward
told me that he never made a speech that
was not written, in all his efforts, great or
small, but that he never had any manuscript
before him, because when reading over what
he wrote it was fixed in his mind so that he
never had to refer to it again. Mr.. Oonk
ling's speech, which was magnificent effort,
in nominating Ger eral Grant, was written
and committed to memory. The speech he
delivered during the Garfield campaign in
the Academy of Music, New York, which
occupi, four hours-the gentleman who re-
ported him old me he followed him with
printed slip, and while he put some things
in he never omitted word that was there.
All these men could talk extemporaneously,
but all their great efforts they wrote and
committed to memory. heard Sumner de-
liver his great speech in the Senate, and he
read it from the printed slips, without ges-
ture.
No doubt Mr.. Depew's example and
what he says in regard to written and
unwritten addresses will exercise
wide influence. There is a general
impression abroad in otherwise intelli.
gent circles, that when a speaker on
the platform or in the pulpit speaks
without his notes that he is ''evolving''
his speech from "the depths of his in
ner consciousness" under the spur of
the moment and the inspiring influence
Of his surroundings, and especially from
magnetic contact with an expectant
and sympathizing audience. No doubt
many platform speeches and pulpit
addresses are made on very slight prep
aration and without recourse to the
patient elaboration of thought; but such
addresses and sermons usually reveal |
the fact before they are concluded, and |
leave very little definite or lasting i'm
preston on the minds of the hearers. |
The great sermons and speeches are
those which are the product of careful |
thinking on the lines of a previously |
we'll arranged argument. Purely ex-
temporaneous speaking of high order
is very rare. Even in those cases where
it is apparently unprecedented, it is