Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-02
SET SPEECHES
Are the Foundation for the Fame Of
Proctor Knott, Of Kentucky.
HE WAS HUMOROUS, COX WITTY.
The Orator Should Not Regret the Result Of
His Duluth Effort
4 QUOTATION SHOWING HIS STYLE
rwRrrrEN FOE THE DISPATCH. ]

j
The humorist of the House was Proctor
Knott, Of Kentucky, who sprang into sud-
den notoriety by his Duluth speech, as It Is
called, which is doubtless better known and
more generally read than any other speech
of the period. am told that he has e1-
pressed his regret that it was ever deliv-
cred, because he thinks it has given him the
reputation rather of buffoon than anything
| nobler. And yet I think he is greatly
| mistaken in this If the test of true oratory
be in its carrying its point, then he has no
cause to regret it Humor is often the most
powerful of all weapons in debate, and
there is no more effective way of killing
q scheme than by ridiculing it to death.
This was what Knott did in his Duluth
| speech. 1t was on resolution to revive q
land grant to the Bayfield, and San Croix
River Railroad Company, which had e1-
| pired by its own limitation, and, apart FROM
| its merit as humorous production, it is
| entitled to the far greater credit of having
| put final stop to the giving away of the
| public domain to private corporations.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WIT AND HUMoR.
It is the very best specimen of sustained
humor with which am acquainted. 1t ID
not witty in the general acceptance of that
term. There is difference between wit
and humor, though it is not easy always to
define 1t accurately. Cox has we'll ex-
pressed one at least of the differences when
he says in his book, 'FWhy We Laugh"
that "wit cuts; humor tickles.' This ex-
presses well the difference between his own
style and that of Knott Wit is gener-
ally personal; humor impersonal, and
directed rather to the subject matter than
to its advocate. Humor is not often used
in support Of q proposition, but rather in
opposition to 1t, as In the case just mem
toned.
He obtained the floor in this Instance
after good deal of difficulty. The bill was
in charge of Eugene Wilson, Of Minnesota,
who was anxious to call the previous ques-
tion, and, if he had, would doubtless have
carried the measure. Knott was pleading
for an opportunity to say "a few words"
and made the remark that he believed if he
wss sentenced to be hung, and was appeal
ing to the House to give him time to say
the Lords prayer, somebody would object.
ONLY WANTED FIFTEEN MINUTES.
This was too much, and Wilson asked,
seHow lduch time does the gentleman want?''
"Oh, about Is minutes" Wilson yielded,
and when Knott had spoken for 10 minutes
nobody wanted him to stop, and he went on
till he killed the bill 1t was the most eff
fective use of the humorous in debate that
have ever known.
There nothing In Knott's appearance
suggestive of the humorous He is short
of stature; Of an exceedingly forid or bour-
bon complexion, with white mustaehe,
and gravity of manner that would do
honor to an owl He never shone like Cox,
in extemporaneous debate; had perhaps no
fitness for it; and his reputation as q humor-
ist depends on two set speeches, the Duluth
speech and speech on a bill appropriating
money to repave Pennsylvania avenue,
which, however, all his ridieule failed to
defeat The Distinguishing features of both
these speeches are the anti-climax and the
reductio ad absurdum, as they are styled by
logicians. The former speech is too well
known to warrant its repetition here, but
the latter is worthy of wider circulation
than has as yet been given it, and there
fore feel that no opology is needed for quot
ing from it at some length
ONE OF PROCTOR KNoTT's SPEECHES
Speaking of the money that had already
been spent by Congress In beautifying the
nations capital, ne said: '1f any gentle-
man entertains doubt on this point, let
him walk through Lafayette Square; let him
swing around the circle south of the Presi-
dents palace, or stand on the splendid
esplanade in front of the Agricultural De-
partment. Let him snuff the fragrant air
that hangs over the public gardens; let him
tread the sinuous footpaths laid with an
elastic concrete of white sea sand, bordered
with shrubbery that would have lent new
charms to Calypso's fayorite retreat, and
winding away in all the intricate mazes Of
the Cretan labyrinth Let him do this, and
L I E..I - l.
pains, so far as as it is concerned, that
no stain shall polluts the satin Slip
per of the favored beauty as she
glides along in sylph-like love1iness; that
no speck Of dust shall settle upon the costly
laces of her gorgeous robe as she recIines in
ecstatic languor on the downy cushions Of
her splendid carriage; that even the per-
fumed Zephyr,as he steals from beds of rare
exotics, shall not kiss her velvet cheek too
rudely, nor the dancing sunbeam taste the
delicious fragrance that exhales from her
honeyed lips, while the toil-browned, bare
footed daughter of the honest, hard working
farmer in Indiana or kentucky, in her home
spun gown, innocent of orinoline or train,
Must skelp 1t on through dub and mire
Despising wind and rain and fire."
COMPLIMENTS FOR OFFICE SEEKERS.
And then, referring to an argument that
had been made IN favor of the bill because
the avenue was so much used by the..ofice
holders and employees of the Government
be said: eff there is q being on this earth
for whose comfort and convenience enter
;ain the profoundest solicitude, it is your
,fice holder; your public functionary,
When see one of that noble army of mar.
yrs bidding adieu to his home and all the
weet attractions of private life, for which
le is so eminently fitted, to immediate him
elf upon the altar Of his country's service
or four long years, Homer's touching pics-
Ire Of the last sad scene between the nobls
Hector and his weeping family rises
'efore my sympathetic imagination,
Vhen see him plunging into an office, OF
he duties of which he is profoundly and
efantly ignorant, I am reminded Of the
heroism of Curtius when he
capped into the yawning gulf that opened
q the Roman forum; when behold him
ably contemplating his majestic features in
ne of those gorgeous and costly mirrors
7hich are furnished him at the public ex-
ense my heart goes out to him in SYM
athy; when l see him sorrowfully seated at
is miserable repast of sea terrapin and
hampagne, my very bowels yearn for him;
nd when I see him performing the only
uty for which he is fully competent, sign
lg the receipts for his month paw, Tam so
with pity for his miserable
ondition, that wish were in his place.
soLIcTTUDE FOB OFFICIAL COMFORT.
"When such considerations as these, sir.
ave come crowdlng upon my mind, ap-
ealing to every sentiment Of my better
sture; when have thought how the Of.
cial nerves OF our poor, neglected public