Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-27
AN ORATORS METHOD.
COnLling's Apparent SDonfaniety the
Result of Careful study.

Conkling's Apparent sDontaniety the
Result of Careful study.
| Hollands Lette' In Philadelphia Press
| Senator Conkling was especially sensitive
| to such fmputatfon upon his power as an
! orator the intimation that he ALWAYS
| prepared with care his speeches seemed to
him to cast. He studied perhaps as no
| orator in his generation did the art of
seeming to say on the inspiration of the
| moment that which ought to be said. and
to say it in the best manner possible.
There were two illustrations Of this art Of
apparent extemporaneous power, which
showed how thoroughly he had mastered
] it. During the second Grant campaign
Senator Conklng was to deliver what in
! the coloauialism of political canvasses is
| called the "oDening gun" He was to speak
at the old Academy of Music in this city.
He was thoroughly aroused, in perfect
sympathy with the candidate and the is
sues of the campaign. and was inspired as
| we'll by political ambition. born of the
already frequent hint that he might him
self be named four Years later as New
fork's candidate for the presidency.
The Senator had probably the finest
political audience that had ever faced a
speaker In that temple of music. 1t was
| refinement and culture of New York. Many
ladies were there, and occupied the boxes.
so that. excepting that they were not
dressed as they would have been had the
ance suggested anything but political
gathering.
Conkling held the audience entranced for
more than three hours Occasionally he
would hesitate, as though framing his
thought In suitable words Now and then
ne would make references to the audience
which seemed to have been spontaneous
to have been suggested by something which
at that moment passed before his eve. And
so perfect was the suggestion of extern
peraneous utterance that probably every
person in that audience. excepting those
familiar with Conkling's method, believed
that the speech. so far as its diction was
concerned, was the inspiration of the mo-
ment.
Yet there were proof slips of that speech,
and the identical passages which seemed 10
have been suggested on the instant We're
found in it. Had such an audience as Mr.
Conkling presumed he would have not been
present, he would have been obliged to
omit those references. Mr. Conkling's pri-
Vate secretary long afterward. In speak
Ing of that memorable address, said that
whereas the writing of 1t occupied only
nearly three weeks of continuous applica-
ton to memorize it, and to practice its
rhetorical effects.
The Rochester Speech.
The speech delivered by Mr.. Conkling at
the Rochester convention of 1877 is Thought
by students of oratory to be perhaps the
most powerful illustration of sarcasm, con-
tempt and the sheer that is wholly par1ia-
mentary, which any American orator has
left U.s. 1t had every appearance when
delivered of being inspired by the passion
of the moment. Yet there We're a lew men
who heard 1t who knew that it had teen
carefully written and thoroughly learned
Mr.. Conkling read it, or, in fact, repeated
1t with his notes before him, at which he
did not glance, to a few friends on the
evening before the convention met Some
of them advised him not to deliver it, be-
cause of its intense personality, correct as
that was, so far as parliamentary usage
was concerned.
In the speech occurred two alternative
passages. Mr.. Conkling intended to attack
George William Curtis, and did So In case
Curtis should reply, or admit having made
certain statements then Mr.. Conkling pro-
posed to use one passage which touched
greater heights of sarcasm and contempt
than anything else N the speech In case
MI Curtis should deny that he made GER
tain statements. then Mr.. Conk1ing pro-
posed to use another passage and that is
the one contained in the speech
AS Curtis did shake his head in denial.
Mr. Conkiing was compelled to use The PAS
sage ne had written in casa Curtis should
thus deny But it seemed to the conyen-
ton, following instantly, as it did, upon
Curtis. denial, as though it was an inspira-
ton of the moment