The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-18
MAI. MELDBIMs ELOaUENcE.
Extract From His Address TO the
Graduates of the University.


Athens Ca. June I7.-Hon. P. W. Mel
| drirn Of savannah. in delivering the med
ais 10 the successful students yesterday
morning at the chapel. spoke so interest
ingiy and eloQuendy as TO elicit the high
est praise Of the audience. Mr. Meldrim
spoke as follows:
The judges have made up their award.
and / have been deputed 10 render the
decision. Before making actual delivery
or these medals I am expected 10 give
utterance 70 some glittering generalities
upon me exhausted, and Yet ineNhausti-
Die. theme or OrarOry.
The rhetoricians OF every age have
FAnly sought TO define eloQuence. and
equally vain have been their endeavors
70 lay down rules by which one may
learn 10 speak elOQueutly. Much can be
done in the schools but at last effective
public speaking depends upon the man,
the subject and the occasion.
Truth is the foundation upon which the
temple must be reared. But how ascer-
tam the truht VIII you permit me 70
say that due observation Of men and
things is the best means Of ascertain
ing the truth.
Observation IS a flower that blooms
everywhere. but must be plucked by each
man for himself. See things as they are
Information coming from the lips of men
IS the most uncertain or all our means OF
knowledge. Prejudice, bias. fear, favor.
hope, reward, interest and the want OF due
observation Of things as they occurred
make the statements OF men unreliable.
Books are the great reservoirs Of thought
from which infinite streams OF knowledge
are ever flowing Drink from these
springs. whether on their banks CLEANS
the crescent or the cross.
AT last, truth can only be learned by dill
gent earnest hard and continuous work.
Having obtained a knowledge as to what
you want to say, then say IL. Violence Of
gesture Is not grace, loud noise Is not
music, turg-d rhetoric is not elOquence,
and cheap ornaments Of speech are not in
good taste. The object of all oratory Is
persuasion. II is not sufficient TO con-
vince the understanding, but all persua-
sion should be based on convictions. Con-
| vince your hearers that you are right and
| then the burden OF your work is done.
| But thought without action is a helpless
/ cripple action without thought blind
/ fanatic, but the union of thought and &C
| ton is a god. Hence you must do more
| than convince, you must move to action.
/ 1t is in this that the power of true oratory
| lies. The secret of that power can never
/ be learned. AT times silence is elOquence
| at other times words rouse like a bugle
! call. There is an indefnable something
| that the learning Of the schools never
! gives and this subtle essence is the soul
/ OF eloquence. You hear il in the murmur
/ of the fountain and the roar of the ocean;
] you see il in the light of woman's eyes and
| the glare of battle; you feel IL when the
! lips of the orator are huShed by deep emo
! ton or thunderous In their denuncation
! of wrong
But learning and emotion are not suhi-
! cient. There must be expression. 1t is
! this that causes the cold marble to throb
| and the dumb canvas TO speak. The ex-
! preston must not come through the me
/ dunn Of responsiveness and rags. Not only
! should your speech suit the occasion, but
! your matter and manner should be APP
| propriate. The coarse and uncOuth In
| dress and appearance are apt to be
| coarse and uncouth I'm thought and Ian
| guage. No young man, especially no
! graduate of this university, can afford to
| be, even in appearance, other than the
! gentleman. 1t is related of Pericles that
he always prayed TO the, gods that he
| Pericles. Pray TO your God that you will
| never utter a word unworthy of your
| gia, the south and our common country
| need the bold. earnest, courageous words
| of her cultured and intelligent sons
| Higher citizenship IS to-day on trial. Be
! We worthy of your sires Yea, and Of
| your mothers, for the safety of the re-
| public lies in the hearts of the women Of
| the country