The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-18
MASTER STUMP SPEECHES.
Sta TEsMEN VINO GAINED FAME on
TyfE C.fMpifGN PLlTFORM

Rosco. ConEiing's Painstakiue Prepare
tion for Addresses saa His Lesson.
trom Ton, Corwin--Ton, Marshall In
Kentucky nnd william II. seward In New
York The Lincoln Douglas Debates =
byron, Shakespeare. Mncauiuy, and
Milton - Aids In Stump Speaking.
Chaunccy ". Dcpow thinks that the greatest
stump speaker this country ever produced was
Abraham Lincoln: not that he was the most
fascinating OF orators. or had any impressive
charms OF rhetoric. but because he alone OF
all the men who have won tho chief honor this
nation has to bestow upon Its citizens won 1t
by reason OF one stump speech and ono series
of addresses to political mutitudes. Ever
since that campaign of fire and frenzy which
resulted In tho election Of William Henry Har-
rison to tho Presidency 1t has been deemed
essential for that young man who aspires to
hold political Office. whose ambitions reach
forward to the chief OF such Offices. that he
should reveal power as a stump speaker.
Mon hive obtained great political powor who
have been practically spoechless. but generally
such persons nre not seekers after office. Tho
astounding aud probably unprecedented ca
reer OF ex-senator Plat. who. utter he had lost
apparently all political influence and was
spoken OF even by his party associates either
with pity or contempt has become perhaps the
most powerful OF those who control party ma
chincry In any State In tho Union. shows that
In order to DO master politician 1t Is not nee
essary to be u master rhetorican Mr.. Platt
made but one speech which attracted any at
tention aud that was II philippe against the
Administration OF rutherford B. Hayes. While
he has boon reGaining his power Mr.. Platt has
been almost silent. Thurlow Weed. though he
occasionally made very brief and informal
-. thn~s L.,
his long reign. in which he absolutely con-
trolled the Wing party in New York State and
for time the Republican organization. never
made u speech Platt and Weed. however. were
not Office seekers for themselves Had Mr.. Plat
desired an elective Office no could not have
played his politics SO finely after he resigned
from tho Seuate as to get one Indeed. 1t Is
said Of him that he had a secret yearning to
become Secretary OF the Treasury under Har-
rison. an Office entirely in the gift OF one per-
son whose election Mr.. Plat had made pos
sibe. and yot no could not get that.
But it is almost rs true now as 1t was in the
fortcs that the royal road to political prefer
ment is over the stump. and there havo been
SO many successes achieved by those who
took this pathway that It may be interesting
to recall tho exploits OF some OF tho greatest
stump speakers. and the honors which came
to them by reason Of these gifts.
Mr.. Blaine has frequently said that In the
days OF the Wing party the greatest OF all
stump sneakers. as he was also one OF the
most brilliant OF forensic orators. was Henry
Clay Mr.. Clay did not owe his extraordinary
success in political career Of more than fifty
years to his gifts OF oratory entirely. but without
his wonderful capacity as public speaker he
would not have gained the honors which he
did. When he was a poor lad in Virginia
he discovered. by accident almost, that he
could talk enterainingly to his neighbors
and his friends upon political subjects:
and afterward. when he went to Kentucky.
it was his power as stump speaker and the
fame of 1t which induced his neighbors to send
him. while still a very young man. to Congress-.
or course in his career in Congress he revealed
extraordinary capacity. with which oratory
had nothing to do. which ranks him as one
OF the three greatest statesmen OF his period.
In reading some histories OF tho times OF
Henry Clay will be found many an ac-
count Of vast public gatherings which this
wonderful orator swayed. II these accounts
are correct, there has been none like him In
this generation.
Daniel Webster was not considered q re-
markable stump orator. In fact his speeches
as a partisan and on the public stump were
few compared with those Of Mr.. Clay. and they
do not seem to have left any such impress
us did those Of the Millboy Of the Slashes."
In the Senate he. OF course. made one historic
taught this country IT. that It was nation ' and
ILL., is fS arguments a his 5atIotic addresses
.o9memeration Of Adams and geterson an have
Ss2SP k fpefs n Of hf H TsG f now
NheIi@liine nnsrWhle5, 10 could assume: #
to paW Wendell 10 Philjips' wh spea h
e 1at this remark said TINT !, some little
and ns Dsssns had
asIdd tint great dthpg ths it
ster. drawing, himself w to his full height.
looking with his imperrous, manner and with
tho question. it seemed when he said e as il
swei; In his younger, days Webster made q
number Of campaign addresses az and these tlrst
abandoned that sort II oratory after his fame
was established. nor did he need to cultvateit
hoard By potca @ fbly II Es s wss
Tom CoETl I Mr. C9rwln was already IN the
trail New York. 4 report 81 one Of. Conkiins's
p years Of age. came before the eye Of Nj.
Corwin. and he at once opened a correspond
hs there %as aGas
tween those who addressed masses Of men.
and that he had detected In report Of Mr..
Conklings, speech abilities which ho was
enee was continued until. Dir. Gorwln's death.
and when Conkling went tn Congress these
two orators met and compared notes. There
Is some reason to believe that Corwin sug-
speaksIpg,I spme tricks Of the stump, as they
talked far into the night about oratory. and
the best method to sway masses: how to
feel tho temper of an audience; how to gain
its confde1eo: how to play with II: how to act
before 1t: how to simulate earneBtness and
passion; how to compliment. and how to
menace.
COrwin then told Conkling that no had relied
for his vocabulary upon the three English
poets He read Milton constantly, and could
miration for M M superb Epslish and for
nifty Of his thoughts. Corwin also read Shake
spesre. not with fippalt glance but with
with Shakespeare could easily maintaip IRE.
such masses as assemble on political occasions
daacriptiyo powar for hu mr. lndv ~ hicv aron