The morning call., 1892-01-17
COLONEL E. D. BAKER.
RpcGlleCtiOns of His Last Public
Speech in San Francisco.

A few days since l had occasion 70 enter
store in the building on the northeast corner
of SansOme and Haleck streets, the one in
which for some years Wells, Fargo Il Co.
carried on their express business, and,
Willie there, there came upon me a food OF
recOl ectiOns. [ imagined myself in the old
building when il was the American Theater.
I thought Of the many bright geniuses who
had trUd the boards there, and then there
came 10 nv mind recOllectOnS Of the last
time that the musical voice and eloquent
words of Colonel L. ID. Baker were heard in
San Francisco. Ii was when he delivered
his patriotic address upon tie occasion If
his return from Oregon as SenatOr-elect,
one that has echoed sdOwn tie Stream:of
time aud yet fingers in the ears Of those
who heard Il. As l unused the scene came
up before me.
The house would hold 1900 under an ex-
cessiye jam, and a few minutes after the
doors had been opened nothing could be
seen but a sea of heads, The immense
stage was crowded with ladies. All the
beauty and fashion aud manhood that could
squeeze between the walls were there, swell
teTIug tanning and waiting for good
speech, B Eer entered al the rear door and
WaGei through pillows u silk and satin TO
tile front Of the stage, causing prOdigiOus
uprO3T, ladies standing up and waving
their haudbeTchiefs aud tile men cheering
at tie top OF their lungs. Ii was the trl-
umphant elimination in the lie OF tue
orator. It was the eXiltd Arstides return
ing 10 Athens after the cruel ostTaclsm; II
was an ovation after Marathon.
Standing with his arms crossed before
him and his white hair gHsteuing IN the
gaslight, one could see the swell of his
heavy rrsp.ratiOns and that he was under
60 ng great meuta. excitement
Presently the noise ceased and he began
Now when / ought 10 make the very best
speech of my life l am afraid | viii make
my worst" but nobody else thought 50 and
everybody vas wrought up 70 that nervous
condition which an orator can himself feel
as existing among tie people. The drama
opened with a scene of indeScTlhable mBj-s-
" and splendOT, and every spectator was an
actor under the control OF the great master
player.
One cannot recall much Of what was said
then. In fact, l believe II was never re-
ported in FUN There were several report
eTs on the stage, but IN their excitement IN
der the tremendous inspiration Of the orator,
heightened by the bO.sterUuS scene in front,
. they forgot their business and let escape
what can never be recalled One 20 T fei-
low, Mr. Hart l believe, spranE up, swung
his arms around him and exclaimed:
You are right COlOHe', we are all >laye', ="
and then sank back abasIed into his char,
white as q ghost and trembling violently.
Nobody laughed at him, but after a few mo-
ments the whole house from sleeper 10 roof
tree shook with stormy applause, such as
was never heard before.
The people seemed about crazy with one
consent, and every now and then, without
regard to what the speaker was saying 1t
that particular time, the electric wave would
start again and run over the audience as
from the effect OF some previous impulse only
half subdued. Ion, liberty" he cried, and
his voice rang like silver bugles from the
four walls aud down from the roof; ION,
liberty! Il IS the Genius Of Liberty we
worship to-day. | have seen her clOVea
down on hundred battle-felds. | have
seen her enemies bind her to the stake. ]
have seen them consume her body to ashes,
and give them 10 the four winds Of heaven,
aud reg Their them that they might scatter
them yet more widely than before. Yet,
when they PAUSED and proudly turned TO
eXult, they beheld her standing before them
Respondent. clad in panoply Of complete
steel, and bTandishing in her strong right
hand a sword, red, red, with insuiferabte
light-unconQueTable and inYincible. The
Genius OF Liberty will lead us to a glorious
triuml h. Years, years ago, took my stand
by freedom, and where the feet OF my youth
were planted, there shall they march 10 my
manhood aud my age"
At length the memorable speech was
ended, the people went slowly away, and
the living Baker disappeared from the view
Of California forever. j.