The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-04

SENATOR wOLCOTT OF COLORADO.
ward Wocott of Colorado. OF course there
are many senators who talk well, forcibly,
entertainingly and now and then with
touches of eloQuence and magnetism, but a
few bright flashes do not make an orator
Wolcott, on the OF her hand mover speaks for
the mere sake of speaking When he talks.
which is rarely, it is with. finished effect.
gravely studied subject matter, and with a
display OF all the arts of oratory, the more
charming i'll his case because ALWAYS per-
fectly natural.
Next to Wolcott suppose Joe Black
burn of Kentucky is entitled to rank MS an
orator. Blackburn much resembles VOL
colt in the easy and rapid flow of his Ian
guage. Like Wolcott, too, he uses n very
simple vocabulary. But Blackburn is
rarely heard. Perhaps he is too lazy to
study and too sure of his position and of
the affections of his devoted followers in
his native state to feel the necessity of be-
| stirring himself Once in five or eight years,
| or some such matter, Blackburn makes
what we call set speech and then re-
lapses into almost continuous silence for
another long period. breaking forth now
and then in Il few simple remarks which
serve only to remind us of those attractive
qualities which might, if more often exer-
| cised, win great fame.
| 1t is rather odd that the men whom ma
ture has endowed with greater or less gifts
of eloquence, and who, if they chose, could
speak to full floors and crowded galleries,
are rarely seen upon their feet, while men
who speak most drearily and tediously wish
to talk all the time. If the fates would
only be kind enough to reverse this order
of things, we unfortunates who are com
| PEELED to haunt the halls of legislation
would ever be grateful to them For in
stance, there is Mr.. Stewart, the patriarch
| from Nevada. Mr.. Stewart is delightful
conversational and charming old man
who has had a wonderful career. He is a
pleasant man to sit opposite ut dinner or over
small bottle at Cham5crain's. If he in
vites you to drive with him in the suburbs
of the capital behind his pair of fleet west
ern ponies, he will bring you back to town
with your clothing splashed with mud, but
with your soul refreshed with his tales of
pioneer life and mining adventures in the
| far west.
Now, if Mr. Stewart would only talk once
in five years, and Il man like Mr.. Gray of
| Delaware would speak with Mr. Stewards
we'll known and apparently continuous fire.
quency, we should be in great luck. Sen
ntor Gray, while not Il natural orator, is a
great logician, and. besides, he is one of
those men whose solidity of body and
strength of mind cleamess of perceptions
and forcible methods of expressing them
selves always command our attention and
respect. Senator Gray is one of the ablest
men in our house of lords, but he seems to
| be difiident, not lazy. He is always at
work--studying, reading, inquiring, but
| precious little does he contribute to that
| daily journal of which he is supposed to be
one of the joint editors-The Congressional
| Record.
Senator White of Louisiana comes very
near being an orator. He is rs forcible and
as logical rs Gray and has just little
more dash and fire in his delivery, but he
too, is heard from very rarely. He has not
been long in the senate, however, and we
may hope many things of him in the future
He made his reputation with one speech,
but should not be content to rest there
Senator Hawley of Connecticut could be
an orator if he tried little He has great
natural gifts in this direction an easy flow
of language, n good imagination and II
method of delivery which is very hearty,
convincing and attractive, but like many
men whose fame and position are we'll Sc
cured he makes few efforts to please his
hearers in the senate or attract the atten.
tiCD of mis- constituents at home.
Much like him is Senator Henderson of
Nebraska. Probably no more graceful and
IOllSHtO puUilC SpCdhCI WI.
derson was ever seen in this old capitol.
1t would be impossible for any man to turn
his sentences with more neatness, to use
better chosen words or to deliver them
with more perfect infection, pronunciation
and rhythm. 1t is a delight TO hear Mr..
Henderson upon even the simplest sub
jects. When he chooses to rouse himself;
when he becomes very much in earnest, RS
he at times does, he is indeed fascinating
But for the most part in the ordinary
course of senatorial business he is a Spen-
cerian copy plate sort of orator, whose
efforts are well worth the imitation of
many OF his colleagues.
Joe Black burn's colleague, Senator Lind
say, came to Washington Endorsed as an
orator, and his speech on the silver ques-
tion the other day confirmed this reputa-
ton. He was eloquent, forcible and suffi-
GENTLY cutting to turn the chamber into a
merry one for time. He is smooth
faced giant and always appears to be very
much pleased with himself or some one or
something. There is not happier looking
ing man in all congress.
The most remarkable public speaker in
the senate, or in congress, for that matter.