The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-06-26
TWO CONVENTIONS
THE CHICAGO GATHERING COMPARED
WITH THAT At MINNEAPOLIS.

Colored Orators IN the Republican Con-
Vention-1auy Political Clubs at chi
eago-Innncnce Of Women In Pou,Ie'-
sirs. Lakes Exploit.
Especial Corrospondence.l
CHICAGO June 20.-As write the Dem
pcratio national contention Is meeting In
the wiQwam These great political as
scmblages are not only spectacular and in
spring. but they contain features which
The observer Of human nature, the student
OF society and the analyst Of onr national
Iife seize upon and discuss with profit and
interest While this Chicago convention
Is Of course similar IN the main 70 The
one which we have Just left az Minneapolis,
u r. different In many important particu-
lars. The most noteworthy difference Is In
the absence Of representatives Of the col
cred race IN this great gathering. SO far
~ am informed there Il not 80 this con
vsntion either as delegate or alternate,
one ooiored man. And yet the signs Of the
times arc that the day IS rapidly coming IN
which the oolored race will be represented
10 The national conventions Of both pohu-
cal parties At Minneapolis the colored
men were a decided feature. There were
fully eighty Of them holding seats in the
convention as delegates. and as many more
as alternates. Oneoeventh Of the conyen-
Zion was composed Of men who had more
or less African blood ia their veins. am
plad 10 gay that. a. n rule, these colored
representatives acquitted themselves WIFI
credit Their manners were good, their
temper even better than that OF the aver
age white delegate.
When the great national oratorical
contest came on In the convention hall the
eolored delegates surprised the vast
crowds IN attendance Black men came
up out n blank obscurity and charmed
the assemblage with their rude but IN
sorting eloQuence One in particular
a very dark man from TenDessee-came
near touching the highest note in the
chord. BE had popular theme, the name
Of Blaine, and the sympathy Of a great
majority Of the people in the hall. But
even with these advantages, other orators
who had preceded him failed to touch the
popuJar heart. This coored man, Boyd
BIZ name, reused more genuine enthusiasm
than any man who talked for Blaine, with
tbe single exception Of Edward Wolcott
WHO IS fast coming to the front as Amer
teas greatest orator. Boyd was favored,
As most Of those of his race who spoke in
mis- convention were favored, with
mighty voice.
0ratory In q small hall and oratory in
one Of these mammoth convention auditO-
RUNS are widely different. At Exposition
hall. Minneapolis, and in this great wig
wan the man with an average voice would
do we'll 10 decline appearance upon the
stage Think of a hall covering nearly an
acre Of ground, containing 1900 or more
people--a stretch Of eyes faces and ears as
for almost a. the eye can reach-a great
expanse hori zontaliy aud vertically to be
filled with the sound waves from one little
throat. and marvel not that some of the
best public speakers IN the country fail
while addressing the multitudes who com
pose these national. conventions The col
Ored mon who spoke az Minneapolis did
not fail in this regard. Their mighty
voices rang out clear and strong to the
farthest hooks and crannies OF the edifce.
is the colored man the coming orator Of
American I sometimes think he is. He
has the physical strength, the development
Of throat muscles, the sonorous tone, the
native enthusiasm and the rugged fervor
WHICH ONAl Hft1h tyiithluk hlu tAtAuAo ~
convert il into the magnetism of genuine
oratory. l regard IL az noteworthy cir
cumstance that the second most effective
speech at Minneapolis-I do not say the
most artistic or polished-was made by a
eolored man. The first, without question,
was that silyern. that Ciceronian effort Of
young Edward Wolcott's. Better charac-
terization Of il I cannotgiye than that made
20 me by Congressman Boutelle the next
day. Il have been at all the national con
ventions of the Republican party for
the last twenty years." said Boutelle,
"and in congress and campaigns and
on many other occasions have heard some
of tho greatest orators and greatest ora
tions OK modern times WolcOtt did what
] have up 20 this time thought to be inn
possible, and that is 70 make a speech at
least equal in beauty I'm eloquence and
magnetism 90 Bob lngersolPs justly ia
nous speech nominating Blaine in 1870"
The cOlored men AZ Minneapolis behaved
themselves wen. There was plenty OF
drunkenness, too Snuch disorder great
surplus Of idiotic efforts TO show loyalty 10
and enthusiasm for ones favorite candi-
date. But the colored men did not offend
Ia any Of these particulars. They were loyal
70 Blaine or Harrison, as they had been
elected 30 be, or as they had decided 10 be
The wishes of their constituents, but they
did not think IL necessary, as thousands Of
white men did, 10 30 conduct themselves
that had a savage from the interior of
Africa or the South Sea Islands suddenly
appeared upon the scene of revelry and
grotesQueris no would az once have fed in
fear OF bis life al the hands OF these so
called representatives Of civilization.
The delirium of hero worship was car
yfed 10 a most ridiculous extreme in the
Minneapolis convention, though | think
there are signs in the sir that hero wor-
ship is IN its deoadence in our politics, and
that noise and fuFore are losing their eff
oacy as political agents. In these particu-
lars we have probably reached high tide in
this country, both In conventions and in
campaigns, and while in future we shall
probably be less spectacular than We have
been In the past, there is a chance that we
shall be more rational Here at Chicago
there is less Of the grotesque methods Of
expressing earnestness than there was at
Minneapolis, though l am convinced the
feeling Is fully as deep. In the Repub- |
hcaa convention men of high standing in
their communities men Of years and dig
nifty, made boys and almost mountebsnks |
Of themselves by carrying Blaine plumes |
br Harrison banners through the streets
and hotel corridors, singing at the top Of |