Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-02-07


HIS FIST.
be found in any book-he is only q
tradition. In speaking he lacked all
the physical grace of oratory. lie had
neither voice, striking appearance, nor
elegance of action. Yet have never
heard and never expect TO hear any
one who had such mastery over a'jury
or an audience rs George Washington
Barton. He alternately convulsed with
laughter and melted 10 tears. lie had
the quality without which no one can
be an orator, nor a great actor i'll the
higher range of the drama, 81 quality
that cannot be cOunterfeitcd--inten
tv. He was a wOrld-made genius. His
mind has been compared To 4 rag dip
ped in gum arabic aud rolled through
IA library. He worked himself into. a
sort of intellectual frenzy, then leaped
forth into such gorgeous imagery,
thrilling passages, tremc adOus flights,
tipped all through with cassie, historic
and poetic references, that he stands
alone in my remembrance. My young
remembrance cannot parallt 4 tel-
low"
and who was Barton"
George w. Barton was n native of
Lancaster, Penn. \ democrat, and by
all odds the greatest speaker of the
state. H. was appointed presiding
Judge of criminal court in Philadcl-
| phia."
Robert T. Conrad, the author of
Jack Cadc, another splendid speaker,
was on the bench with him. After a
! few years the court was abolished, and
Barton practiced at the Philadelphia
bar, almost exclusively in the criminal
courts. Ills habits were regular. He
hurricdly left Philadelphia about 1851
or 1852, went to San Francisco, where,
| heard, he achieved immense success
ut the bar. Not long afterwards ho
one night left cornwall party and
was never seen again. 1t was supposed
he wandered to the bay and fell over.
81 once heard Sargent 5. Prentiss.
1t was in the open air; the political
meeting was larger when he stopped
at IL o'clock at night than when he
commenced ct =. ! hca! He2ry Clay
| speak several shines. Though William
G.. Preston of South CAROLINA, was con-
sidercd the most finished cpc"f"r in
the senate, yet l cannot conceive Of
any being finer than Mr.. Clay l never
heard him on n great occasion, yet he
filled my ideal. A commanding pres
tlCt, II NOiCt HltiOAiOuS, pNttlui, y u
| under perfect control, dignity and
grace of action us | have never seen
since. Oh, what sight it was TO see
him even walk across the floor of the
old senate chamber | have heard n
good many famous speakers-I don't
think Mr.. Gladstone, grand old man
that be iS-wou compare with Mr..
Clay as an orator. Yet, he is, like
Calhoun, now comparatively forgotten,
while the fame Of Webster, the great
est head | ever saw, grows brighter
every year. Thinking of Clay and
| Webster reminds me Of some lines liz
the elder Bulwcrs poem of st. Steph-
ems, after drawing n comparison be-
tween Fox and Burke:
Lord ~ a scandal on the car OF time.
And just a. brief, the ora ors tenOwn,
Year after We deba ers blaze and fade.
Scarce markd the al ere depart tho shale,
Words die too soon when ii but to be said,
| Words only live when worthy TO De read.
perhaps | have not the words cor
rectly. Let me add, 20 nv mind, his
grace, the archbishop of Philadelphia,
is the greatest pulpit orator of to-day"
DO you think that the profession of
law is overcrowded nova days."
There are more lawyers than enough
10 do all the business in every locality.
But sooner or later ability will assert
itself. 1t is said that William NJ. Mere
dith was ten years at the bar before he
ever had case, yet he afterwards de
servedly stood for many Years the very
head and front of the Philadelphia bar.
IL am not mistaken, it was the same
way with Charles OConnor at the New
York bar"
"What of the comparative oppor-
tunities for success in New York and
Philadelphia"
with all my love for my dear ma.
tive city, am bound to say that OPP.
portunitics for success in professional
or public life, there is no comparison
between Philadelphia and New York.
James T. Brady, then the pride OF
New York city, came over to Philadel-
phia early in 1861, and was engaged
Tor week in n case in United States
court as colleague OF George NJ.
Wharton, n distinguished Philadelphia
lawyear. During the trial Mr.. Brady
remarked to mo, Just think l have
lived all nv life within a hundred
miles of George M. Wharton and never
knew until now there was such a man.
There are now a number of gentlemen
at the Philadelphia bar entirely un
known here who, in ability, would
rank with any at the New York or Lon
don bar. doubt not the same might
be said of Boston, Baltimore or any Of
our chief cities"
"Have you ever thought of turning
your attention to authorship of any de
scriptionY"
1have seen good deal of the worlC
have met many distinguished mer
and sometimes think if live to b.
old and musty will dictate my reminis
cences."
"Is the lyceum thing of the past Of
has it future in America as a mean
of instruction and mental recreationf
whenever a first-class lecturer be
comes known in America, he will, un