The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-06
GREAT ORATORS OF CONGRESS-.

GREAT ORATORS OF CONGRESS.
Character OF the Speeches of Blaine,
Blackburn, Conkling ana Ingalls,.
From the Washington Star
II have heard a great many orators in
both houses of congress- said ex-senator
Ferry Of Michigan TO the writer, as he
stood upon the floor of the House 10 front
OF the speakers desk, shortly before the
gevel raped calling the House to order.
II think Julius Caesar Burrows Of
my state" he continued, ''ls the
most pleasing orator Of the present
time. He is a man of exceptionally
wide range of information upon public af-
fairs, and is well abreast OF the times in
every detail of political science. For MANY
years he has made an especial study OF the
practical problems of the revenues and ex-
penditures Of the government. When he
arises TO address the House upon any branch
of that subject he is recognized at once as a
man well equipped, who speaks as one hav-
ing authority. and the House spontaneously
comedies TO him that attention which is de-
MED the average representative III congress,
Although he Is well informed upon
every detail concerning the income
Of the government from customs
duties and internal revenue taxes, he never
fails to prepare himself thoroughly upon
every occasion. Mr.. Burrows Is not only
gifted by nature with magnificent voice.
in which tne orotund notes prevail, but is a
finished elocutionist, and in that domain of
oratory has been for some time uurivaled
in congress. except by the accomplished and
scholastic Ingalls,. Another charm Of his
oratory 10 the fact that IL flows on coutinu-
ously without interruption. There is method
and reason in the fact that his public utter
ances are made without hesitancy. He has
thai happy faculty of memorizing his
speeches without any great effort. He can,
after writing q speech and correcting iJ,
commit 1t TO memory by reading it over a
couple Of times"
"Have you ever known other men pos
sesssd Of that faculty of ready COMMIT
ment"
Eyes, have known several men whose
charm OF oratory is largely due to that fact.
1 was once informed by Mr.. Blaine, when be
was member Of the House Of Representa-
tives, aud the same information was given
to me several years later by him when he
was in the Senate, that after writing a
speech upon any subject and reading it over
a single time, like proot-reader in search
of errors in his own manuscript, he could
rise IN his place and deliver the Grafton
without reference to his notes.
Carl Schurz was a man who committed
his speeches TO memory, but be acKnowl-
part to do 80. When q speech was COM
! mitted, however, IL was impressed on his
mind, page by page. ] have seen him with
his manuscript bstore him deliver a speech
of two hours duration without once looking
at the paper. Nevertheless he would turn
the pages mechanically With his hand. aud
continue the utterance of his sentiments
and arguments.
"While was Vice President pro tenn, on
one occasion l discovered the fact that SEN
ator McCreery of Kentucky committed his
speech to memory. He was talking in aa
imprisoned manner, aud l, of course,
being in the chair, was looking directly at
him, as courtesy required of a presiding
officer. noticed that In ths midst Of a
flowery sentence he hesitated for a word.
Failing to remember that one word his ell
tire speech was lost. and he gradually sank
into his seat as though he had concluded
bis remarks. Suddenly, however, the lost
word came to him, whereupon he straight
ened up and proceeded to the conclusion Of
his address, which lasted more than a half
hour longer.
Mr. Conkling was remarkable orator
in the Senate, as he had been in the House.
He never delivered a speech upon any SUBJ
ject until nearly every one interested had
given utterance to his convictions upon the
subject before the Senate. Mr.. Conkling
would OCCUPY his seat constantly and listen
to every word uttered by his colleagues
until the time came for him to OCCUPY the
floor. Then, with the entire subject well in
hand before him, he would write his speech
In full, commit it to memory with q very
slight effort. and rise in his place the
conscious master of the situation. His
speeches seemed to be extemporaneous,
aud he was given credit for q remarkable
memory because, in the course of his ut
terance, he would refer to the remarks made
on the floor during the debate, and always
quoted the words OF his colleagues YER
batim. Upon no occasion was he ever in
terrupted by any representative or senator,
as other speakers 80 often are, with de-
mand that he change his quotations OF what
others had said, because he was always
right. lnasmuch as his speeches were
thoroughly committed to memory and were
always accurate in every detail, it is not to
be wondered at that he approximated per-
fection as an orator. Every public utter
ance af Mr.. Conkling was the result not
only OF that genius which was recognized by
all who knew him, but also of the genius Of
labor. His speeches were the product Of
honest mental toll
MIR. Frye OF Maine is almost always an
extemporRneous speaker, and 10 may be
truly said that he never makes a poor
speech some of his utterances are almost
akin to genius.
JUG ~ 0Ocb LOb HptGk upon al
topics in the Senate as he used to do In the
House. He is probably the best example in
the country Of constant excellence ia extern
poreneous oratory. do not think that he
often writes his speeches or commits them
to memory. think that the preparation of
studied Grafton by Mr.. Blackburn would
lie a notable exception to the general rule
of his public career. His most powerful
public utterance was the speech which he
dalivarad two VaAra AGO in FAnlv t0 Sanafor
Ingalls,. The celebrated Boanerges from
Kansas had no sooner taken his seat than
Joe Blackburn was recognized by the Vice
President and proceeded TO deliver without
a moments preparation, the most scathing
and unanswerable denunciation to which
Ingalls, was ever subjected. 1t was mani
fest to everybody that Mr. Blackburn's
GRAFTON was without the opportunity Of a
single moment for preparation.
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