The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-22
LETTERS OF REAL INTEREST
Col Tngersolps CrItIcism OF Mr.. CurtIs'r
IItstOry.

History.
To THE EDITOR or THE SuN-Si,.. Col, In.
Gersoll in q late interview with n reporter OF
the Philadelphia Press. has indirectly i'm
pugned the correctness OF my history OF Mr..
Webstcr's great speech against Hayne, given
In tho second volume of my Life OF Webster
Col ingersoll's statements are First, that the
speech which we read now is not in form.
| though 1t is in spirit, the address which Web
stor really delivered; second, that he had been
for many years preparing this speech, and held
1t Tor tho first occasion on which he could de-
! liver 1t; third that the fact that he was called
| upon suddenly to deliver 1t does not impair the
force OF what no tCol. InGersoll snys; and
fourth. that 1t was not extemporanoous.
| /. l have conyersed with Mr.. Webster n great
many times concerning tho circumstances uu.
der which he made that celebrated speech and
the kind and degree OF preparation which he
maie for II. He always told me that II was
| most unexpected to him to have to reply to
Hayne on tho doctrines OF notification: and
the account which | have given OF tho history
Of the debate is the one which received from
Senators and with many of the great audience
who heard the speech, and they all said that II
there everiwas, In the proper sense. an extern
poraneous speech, that Que was.
3 Mr. Joseph Gales senior editor Of the Nc.
tbat time m G H'1 Smsef taoR DOWN an
the speech in shorthand a. twas delivered.
sb ia wE2S @ ghs dTft
edition OF the speech was printed aud the best
proof that the speo.h, as We now Ind i In Mr..
'.spIrt'' tho speech that was actually made, in
the senate is TINT It does not follow tho order
writton preparation which Mr. Webster made.
NJ TlSs ROlntsa, ,h!f ont to ne M H%ssl
changed, some expressions. but he .dd not
change the form OF the speech rs Mr.. Gales re-
5. When / was writing the lie OF Mr.. Web
ster bad before me tnS only brief or notes notes,
ht he Sn on wSo ne1
tanned on three sheets OF letter paper of the
size in use at that day; and It did not exceed
elaborate passages In the speech as 1t was de-
livered were not Indicated at all, and others
"9.i In non one sense Mr.. Webster had been max
ing nreparatop for this sreesh all his iiie sine.
o ns ~SS hserY s sa knoW
phase Of opinion and belief concerning tho
formation and adoptiop down to the time when
he was suddenly CHILLED upon to encounter the
Doctrines Of nuHGs9n MS has me
stitution, printed on II, cotton h9ndker-
chief; when he was boy. and that he
man OF Ills day was more thoroughly .ac-
gnainted with american political history than
Being fully equipped with this knowledge he
was prepared 10 produce Il at any time; but
TO have made preparation for this speech. be-
yond tho very imperfect and meagre notes
which he Jotted down before he made it.
5. ] do not know what Col. IngersollS ideas
OF eXtemporane0us speaking arc No man
who values his reputation, unless he be pro-
fesSed improvisation ever makes an important
speech without previously acquired knowledge
OF the subject. Tho celebrated speech OF
Demosthenes For the Crown - may or may
not havo been an eXtemporaneous speech.
But Demosthenes had been for years studying
the designs and character OF Philip. and know
how 10 address the neople Of Athens 80 as to
induce them to resist the Macedonian King,
He may have written the speech beforehand
Webster did not do, excepting when he had to
deliver formal discourse. such as the eul2gy
on Adams and Jefferson or the Bunker Hill
grafton. To refer now to a very different
person Edward Everett He never made an
impromptu speech Of much Importance. 1t
was his habit TO write out his speeches and
commit them to memory. He had such mar
yellous memory that he coul repeat accurate:
once read it over in manuscript.
GEO. TICKNoR CURTIS.