The Progress., 1893-09-30

ward Wolcott 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 other hand, never 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 in his case because ALWAYS per
fectly natural.
Next to Wolcott l suppose Joe Black
burn of Kentucky is entitled to rank as an
orator. Blackburn much resembles VOL
colt in the easy and rapid flow of his Ian
guage. Like WOlcott, too, he uses a very
simple vocabulary. But Blackburn is
rarely heard. Perhaps he is too lazysto
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 a set speech and then re-
lapses into almost continuous silence for
another long period, breaking forth now
and then in few simple tpmarEs which
serve only to remind us of t9ose attractive
qualities which might, if NJ eOre 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 a delightful
conversationist and charming old man
who has had wonderful career. He is a
pleasant man to sit opposite at dinner or over
a small bottle at Cham5erlain's. If he in.
vites you.to drive with him in the suburbs
OK the capital behind his pair of fleet west
ern ponies, he will bring you back t. 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 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
ator Gray, while not natural orator, is n
great logician, and. besides, he is one of
those men whose solidity of body and
strength of mind, clearness 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 diffident, 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 as forcible and
as logical as 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, a good imagination and a
method of delivery which is very hearty,
convincing and attractive, but like many
men whose fame and position are well Sc
cured he makes few efforts to please his
hearers in the senate or attract the atten-
tion of his constituents at home
Much like him is Senator Manderson of
Nebraska. Probably no more graceful and
polished public speaker than Mr.. Man
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 delight to hear Mr..
upon even the simplest sub
jects. When he chooses to rouse himself;
when he becomes very much in earnest, as
be at times does, he is indeed fascinating.
But for the most part in the ordinary
course of senatorial business he is Spen-
cerian copy plate sort of orator, whose
Efforts are well worth the imitation of
many of his colleagues.
Joe Blackburn's colleague, Senator Lind
say, came to Washington indorsed as an
orator, and his speech on the silver ques-
ton the other day confirmed this reputa-
lion. He was eloquent, forcible and suffi-
,iently cutting to turn the chamber into a
merry one for a time. He is a smooth
aced giant and always appears to be very
much pleased with himself or some one or
something There is not happier looking
ng man in all congress. I
The most remarkable public speaker in
BE senate, or in congress, for that matter, I