The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-09-21
A BRILLIANT ADVOCATE.
Joseph II. Choate's Position ut the Bar and
In Politics.
[Special Corresponde


is not esteemed the leader of the New York
bar, that honor having been by common
consent bestowed upon James C. Carter.
Mr. Choate. however, is spoken Of as the
| greatest advocate at the New York bar,
and it is the opinion of lawyers that he
/ has equal rank with the most brilliant of
hisi prius and jury lawyers who have ever
! gained the highest honors IN this country.
If the gossip of Mr.. Chosts's fellow law
yers is founded upon tr.sh, then he has
already gained the prize which his ambi-
ton set before him when, a young lawyer,
he came to New York nearly 10 years ago.
| He is then reported to have said that he
| would rather be esteemed the leading ad-
vocate of the American bar than to gain
the presidency Of the United States.
OF late in New Yoak state much has
| been heard about the possible nomination
of Mr.. Choate for tho eovesnorship of the
state, and this is aOmewhat surprising,
since it had been supposed that Mr.. Chcate
never had any political ambition. 1t was
said by his friends that if he were to DO
nominated and elected by considerable
majority then his party in this state would
be likely to urge upon the national con-
vention in 1896 his nomination for the
presidency.
While the political comments occasion
ed by this use Of his name were interest
ing many politicians Mr.. Choate was
busy with labors connected with a very
exalted post to which he was chosen last
spring-that of the presidency of the con-
vention which is engaged in framing a
new constitution for the state of New
York.
Many lawyers would regard such an
honor as that as sufficient official recog
milton of pre-eminent ability, and Mr..
Choate's friends say that ne, too, is con-
tent with It. In that body Mr. Choste
has frequently revealed TO the delegates
those fascinating qualities of oratory which
far more than his legal abilities have made
him conspicuous above almost all other
lawyers of New York.
a generation ago the oratory of the bar
was of the perfervid kind, or else the law
yers were elaborate in their display of
learning and in their mastery of rhetoric
and elocution. Some of them even iIni-
tated the methods Of William Pinkney,
once famous, now forgotten. Mr.. Pinkney
was in the habit of writing out and COM
hitting to memory his speeches to the SUI
preme court and even practicing his ges-
d
time his speeches were pronounced mar.
velous. and lawyers used 10 travel a great
distance that they might hear him.
Today such oratory as that would he
thought artificial, and it would bore jury
and would be likely TO weary a Judge.
Mr.. Conkling and Bob Ingersoll were
plain spoken, simple and without especial
rhetorical flourish when speaking either
go hA w. . ha inv IL Y~gy-.-
tional style of oratory has been brought to
its highest charm by Mr.. Choate He
seems to have studied very closely the
methods of Wendell Phillips, vino was the
first to break away from oratoricsl trsdi-
tions and to speak upon the platform in
such way as to suggest to each nearer that
the words were addressed to him person
ally. 1t is n manner OF public speaking
which is most effective when it Is done
with the highest art, and, on the other
hand, it is the most painful kind Of speak
Ing when it is done without art
SO perfec; is Mr.. Choste's command Of
this manner of public speaking that the
courtrooms in New York are always pack
ed when public announcement has been
made OF his appearance as counsel in a
case. Standing before the judge or the
jury, Mr.. Choate is quite apt 70 thrust one
hand in one Of his trousers pockets or else
10 trifie gently with the charm upon bis
watch chain. He may even place one foot
upon the rung Of a chair. He begins 70
speak precisely apparently as he would do
II he were engaged IN private conversation
with an acquaintance Or one OF the Jury.
By and by the judge, the jury, the great
throng in the courtroom, begin 20 realize
that the wondaful charm Of his voice,
that the easy famiiisrities Of speech, that
the auie. tones. the wit, are al controlled
b. an art which Is invisible, but whose
effect Is most potent in the making Of eio-
quent speech
While he does not hesitate 20 ssy don't,
even sometimes 10 drop the from the
end Of the syllableiDg. a. YGrkees are sid
a. be fond Of doing, nevertheless ths won
terful fascination q his rhythmic sen
fences. his pure dic-ion- sentence sfter sen-
tenee bling spoken in the tongrs q SHAKE
sDeare and the English Bible. rryeal The
fact tha: IL j. master mind and mas
terry trained mind. that il thus occupied
in the ATTEMPT 70 convince the court and
Jury. IL Is no. until his speech Is ended.
perhaps some hours thereafter. thai rIcn
rss<l.zs The fun beauty ~ il, and Il = then
they say 20 one ano<5sr, Al. you should
have beard Choate's sGdress 20 the jury
yesterday
II NJ. Choa-e shoult sTsr ente, high
public ot3oe. whatever power as an exec
ufsye he might reveal Il = certain tAzI
his address hts public papers Rnd his
Brsrsararce upon cer~nonisI oocSs;oas
roGid re sure 80 create p~rAaps rSorz N
isrest than any other perSoE row IN p-i-
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