Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-06-26
TALK WITH A RING
Beauties of Speech by Orator
ical Giants
IN REPUBLICAN, CONVENTIONS
Lincoln and Douglass Great Debate.
M2gnifcsns Nominating orations-
Very Noted Party Speakers

Very Nored Party Speakers
was . msre lad when, for the drst
and last time. 1 saw Stephen A. Doug
Las. &c wa then making MS famous
campaign against Abraham Lincoln, and
the spa-eh heard was delivered at Chi
easo In the presence Of at least ID, 900
people. The orator threw his head back,
inflated hiz mighty lungs 10 their fun
capacity and talked slowly. As conse-
qaenee. every word reached the ears Of
the most distant listener In solemn. state
~ cadence. forceful with dignity and
power Then followed ths immortal
Rail Splitter" . contrast in every way
10 the Little Giant" His tall. ungainly
form. his nournful face and cayerncus
eyes attracted attention where the solid
frame and Roman massiyeneas of his
competltor had demanded Difference
Douglas voice had roared forth like the
boom Of minute guns; that OF Lincoln
seemed a. mellow as the sweet and sill
very tones OF bugls call. and each IN
turn moved the vast audience by the
magic Of his geniua
Those were the glorious old days Of
"'loint debates In the west, and | re-
member with even more distinctness
than the Lincoln Douglas controversy.
the verbal duel wsged ia the campaign
Of 1854 by John A. Logan and T. Lyle
Dickey. The former was fresh from the
scene Of war. with all the glories of a
victorious general clustered about his
brow. The slogan Of the iron hearted
Logan had sounded on many a stricken
field and the Republicans Of Illinois
swore oy him then. as they continued TO
do until the hour Of his lamented death.
de spoke az be had fought. tie regarded
grssnmatic rnles - little as no had pre-
viOrsiy r-yerenced the book Of tactics.
bat ne mad won on the battlefield and
be won on the stump. for he hit straight
from the shoulder. and his tremendous
earuestness overcame all opposition.
Yet u was restfui and charming. though
not convincing. after one Of Black
Jacks sledg- hammer speeches 10 drink
In the graceful. scholarly and often sar-
castle remarks Of Dickey. He welded
the delicate but piercing blade of Saladin,
while LogIn's weapon was the big two
handed sword Of Richard the Lion
Hearted
However. the political speeches that
are % live In the history of the Repub-
hcan party were YET 10 be delivered. and
- bag. k.~fxr. rnfot rhav have hx.~v,
made on behalf Of the vsnquished and
not 81 the yictors. Who that witnessed
II can ever forget the electric enthusiasm
produced BY lngersoll's advocacy Of
Blame az the Cincinnati convention OF
1875 VINO asked some one near the
reporters table. is that Illinois man.
ln.ersoily A Chicago scribe answered.
hes PeorIs lawyer sho doesn't be-
ieve ia God and who can talk like an
angel ~Goshr' ~as all tho comment
msae Dy TINS unknown victim to the
power of elo4asace.
Again Republican nominating con-
vention. snd again a struggle Of giants:
rIas 1880: place. Chicago. so vividly
II II Impressed on my memory that |
can close my eyes and see II all once
more. Up the aisle strides Roscoe
Conkling. tawny named ~ . lion. ius-
irons eyed a. a tiger. ~ determined to
WIN a. . bulldog. and yet suavely cour-
teous IN that naughty way which seemed
part and parcel of his splendid physique
snd ins-terful intellect. Then the speech
and the dght Of the so6. a. stubborn as
any Of the contests Grants soldiers
wsged for b. in the Wilderness. lean
also see Garfield eulogizing Sherman
and pleading with the delegates 70 ''hear
aim for his cause" Later on. the eli
mar and the tragedy. State flags wav-
ing over the bead Of the chosen man
from the W estern Reserve. election. in
Aaguration. Guitesu. Elbcron. the tomb.
Although l listened to LOCKWOOD
speech nominating Cleveland in 1884,
and to tho eloqueuce poured out on be-
half OF the various candidates at the
Republican convention of 1888. shall
always recall most vividly that grea,
political battle Of 1880 when Ulysses ).
Grant irst suffered defeat in peace OF
war
Viewed from nearly any standpoint,
one who studies the subject must arrive
az the conclusion that orstory Is pred.
net " the American soil. men seem tc
spring fall armed with sloqusnce from
the earth hike the fabled warriors Of old.
And ,he long speeches are not what sur.
vive. The heart IT the patriot thrills
rather ~ The repetition OF sore sentence
that stasds foe courage. loyalty or high
purpose Hence we love to apply the
cid school ststssmaa's term 10 the stars
and stripes and refer to our banner ~
sOld 9lory." 20 remember that DIR said
eff any man attempts to haul down the
American Gag. shoot him on the spot
20 cherish Lioeoln's assertion that this
is a government Of the people. by the
people and fJr the people. and 10 keeI
In mind t2srieid's famous uttersnce
when Booth's bullet had dor its work
'God r-ixss and the government 81
Washington stin lives
Fnzp C. DAYTON