Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1895-10-30
An Orators Method.

Senator Cnnkling Was especially senSi
live to such impulali'n upon his power a.
an orator as the inlimaliun that he always
prepared with care hI> speeches that they
seemed To- have been cast. lie studied per-
haps rs no orator in hi. generation did
the art of seeming Ia say on the insplra
lion of the moment that which ought Ia
be said, and to say il in the best manner
pos>ihe. There were twn illustrations al
this art Of apparent extemppraneous pow
or, which showed how thoroughly he had
mastered it. During the sec md Granr
campaign Senator Cnnk ling was Ia drllv-
er what in the c"ll"quiali-m ni political
canvas>es is called he '"pening gun. =
He was To spaak al the old Academy at
Music in this civ lie WAS thoroughly
aroused, in perfect sympathy with the
candidate aud the isSues ut the campaign,
aud was inspired, rs well. BY IL political
ambilinm. blrn of the already, frequent
hint that he might himself be namr' tour
wears later as New York candidate for
the presidency.
The Senator had probably the finest
political audience that had ever faced Il
speaker in that temple of music. 1t WAS
made up m silly of representatives. at The
refinement and culture of New York
Many ladies were there. and occupied the
bnxas. 50 that. excepting that they were
not dressed as they would have been hal
the entertainment been an opera, their
appearance suggested anything but po'
lillcal gathering.
C,nkling held The audience en'ranced
for more than three hours. Occasionally
he would hesitate, as though framing his
thought in suitable words. Now and
then he would make references 10 the au-
dience, which seemed To have been Spnn-
raueous. To have been suggested by some
thing which at that mnmeul passed beiore
his eye. And 81 perfect was the suggrs-
lion of exiempuraneuus utIerances that
probably every person Ia that audience,
excepting those familiar with Cnkllng 5
method, believed that the speech, 80 lar
as its diclaliun was concerned, was The ln-
spiraiion of the moment.
Yet there were proof slips of that
speech, aud The Identical passage which
seemed To- have been suggested on the in
slant were found in it, Had -uch an au'
duience rs Mr.. Cnnkling presumed he
would have nni heen present, he would
have been obliged 10 omit those references.
Mr.. Conkling's private secretary. I"ng at
lerWarl, in speaking oi that memorable
address. said, that whereas the writing "t
il occupied about two weeks. it took Mr..
Cnnkling nearly three weeks Of cnnlinu-
Gus application to memorize ii, aud To
practice lis rhetorical if cls.
The speech delivered by Mr. Cnnkling
at the Rochester convention of 1871 l.
thought by students of oralury to be per-
haps The most powerful illustration "i sar-
casn, contempt aud the sueer that Is
wholly parliamentary. waich any Amerl'
can orator has left Us. II had every ap'
pearance when delivered ui briug InSplr, 81
bv the passion ot The moment. YrI there
we're ii lew men who heard ii who knew
that il had been carefully written and
thoroughly learned. Mr. Cnnkling read
it, or, in lncu, repeated it with his notes
before him, AT which he did not glance, 10
lew friend, on The evening before The
convention met. Sume of them advised
him not To deliver il, hecause "f lis IN
tense personality, correct as that VA, 81
far as parliamentary usage was Concern
Ell.
In the speech occurred two alternative
passages. Mr. Cnnkllng intended To at
TACK George William Curi~, and did SO.
In case Curtis should reply, or admit av-
ing made certain statements, then Mr.
Conkliug proposed 10 use one passage
which touched greater heights Of sarcasu
and contempt than anythiug else III the
speech. In case Mr.. Curtis sh"uId deny
that he made certain statements. then Mr.
Cuukling propnsed To use another passag"
aud tha, is the one contained in the
speech.
As Curtis did shake his head in denial
Mr.. Comkling was compelled tn use the
passage he had written in Gaze Curtis
should thus deny. But it SEEMED {" tie
Convention. f,lluwing instantly, a 1t did,
upon Curtis denial. rs though it UaS al
inspirali. of the moment Philadelphia
Press
lightning Hot Drops
WhaS a Funny NameI