Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-08-07

gov HB GAINED HIS FAME As AN
ORATOR.
Some Interesting Modernism the Career Of the Dis
dnguishsd Sa!ssman-Hs Habits Of
Shdy-A Hini to Young
Orators.

men 10 give earnest attention 20 Presi-
Dental campaigns IL they desired TO be-
come influential and conspicuous on ac-
count OF their abilities IN public life.
He doubtless had in mind his own eX-
perience, for be made q campaign SUgech
IN 1852, when he was % years Of age,
which caused all of those who heard 10
70 spsak with admiration of this young
man and brought 20 him many OppOr-
tunities for preferment. Mr.. COnkling
believed that any young man OF fair
ability, good education, honorable, am-
bilious, could become such an orator
as to make himself a man Of In
iuence, provided he would only
cultivate the art OF oratorY necessarily
and wisely. He thought that It was no
more difficult TO become a pleasing
speaker than 70 get mastery over a
musical instrument like the plano or
violin, for instance. To win great re-
pute as pianist or yioliniSt entailed
several years OF persistent toll, and so
also 10 gain fame as an orator entailed
similar patient discipline. Many OF
those who heard Mr.. Conkling speak
thought that his addresses were deliv-
cred without preparation; THAI he spoke
thus easily and impreSSively because he
possessed a certain wonderful genius
for oratory which distinguished him
above his fellows.
Yet ia this opinion such persons
erred. Conkling's power as an orator
was due 70 years Of toll In his youth,
and, in fact, throughout his life, and he
bestowed upon everyone Of the great
oratlons which he delivered as much
labor and as great care as the greatest
musicians give In learning TO perform
a musical composition written by a
master.
In his early day, Mr.. CsnklinE made
Il a habit TO read az least an hour or
two every morning from one Of the best
writer's Of English prose. He read Mil
ton that he might gain a rhythmical
and melodious dOw OF language. he
studied MacauleY, committing many
passages from Macauley's most brill
liant essays, and 10 that habit he at
tributed whatever gift he aiterward re-
vealed Of fascinating narrative.
An incident will illustrate this. When
Mr.. Conkling was serving his second
term In Congress he was one OF the
Youngest members Of the House. The
war had Just begun. An appalling bat
tie had taken place az Balls Bluff, upon
the Potomac, in which the Union SOL
diers had fallen into trap, and the
slaughter which followed had been
such as TO almost annihilate several
regiments. Congress resolved to take
official notice Of the battle so that 10
might fix responsibility for the defeat.
Mr.. Conkliug, then only thirty-three
years Of age, delivered a speech in
which he described the battle OF
Balls Bluff with such brilliancy OF mar
ration, with such power of vivid de-
scriptlon, and withal with such clear
ness Of statement that IL seemed TO
those who heard the speech as though
they could see the battle progressing on
lat bloody field, and could almost wit
N.ess the heartrendiBg struggles Of the
Soldiers who fol- down the bluffs only
70 meet death 10 the waters OF the POtO-
mac. This speech gave Mr.. COnkling
national fame, and from that day he
was spoken OF as one Of the great ora
tors Of Congress.
A friend speaking 10 him OF this
speech asked him how il was possible
for him, man who had not seen the
battle, to describe it with such accu-
racy OF detail and with such a perfect
word picture as be made OF IL. Mr..
COnkljng replied that he owed such
success as he bad won to a diligent
study Of Macauley's variations, es-
pecially Of Lord Gives cOntestin India.
The power which he had was purely
acquired, and the patient study be had
given 10 Macau.ey in his youth had en-
abled him when the opportunity came
TO gain such fame as Macauley himself
won with his essay.
Senator Thurman, Vice President
Hamlin, President Harrison, and other
distinguished men after Mr.. COnkling'S
death spoke Of his wonderful tuency,
his copiouS and rich dictiOn, and his as
tOnishing command Of the English Ian
guage. Mr. COnkling, In speaking once
to the writer, said that he had been &C
customed 10 read Byron's poems, the
book OF job, some Of Shakespeare
plays, Millions ComuS, and had made 1t
a habit while dressing In the morning
70 commit from six 70 ten lines
taken from some OF these poems TO
memory, and he attributed such facil-
ity as he had In the use Of English, a
facility which made him in some re-
spects the most fascinating speaker 10
Congress since Webster's day, 10 this
habit Of committing extracts TO mem-
Org, and of storing his mind with treas
ures from the best OF English poets. So
that this astonishing capacity which
distinguished COnkling above most Of
the orators OF his time was not native
gift, but was only acquired after years
OF discipline.
Then, too, Mr. Conkling practiced as
frequently as possible elOCUtiOn. he
did not disdaiR to stand before glass
that be might observe the effect Of yes
lures which he made. His idea OF ora
tory was that in some respects il was
akin to the dramatic art, and that the
most successful orator must be In
measure an actor. Like the great act
ors, the successful orator, be thought,
must have attained such art OF delivery
as concealed the art, that is, he must
appear 70 be perfectly natural, although,
10 fact, in a certain sense acting. To
acquire this appearance neceSsitated as
much drill as the actor on the stage
must submit 20. But when it
was attained, IL enabled Mr.. COnk-
ling to address an audience
with such perfect repose and natural
ness Of manner as caused the general
belief that his OratiOnS were imprOmptu.
Instead Of being impromptu, however,
nearly all Of them were carefully writ
ten out, patiently polished, and COM
mitted to memory. He delivered one
political address in New York City
which required more than three hours.
To the splendid audience which he had
before him 10 seemed as though his