The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-25
oLD-TIME CAMPAIGN ORATORS.
STORIES OF THEIR GREAT POW
ERS OF PERSUASION.
Daniel Webster the Greatest in In
tellect, Hut Clay the Most Popular
of His Dny-IincOIn and Douglas

Washington Correspondence of Louisville
Courier Journal
a group of veterans gathered at Will
lard's the other night were discussing the
great campaign orators of the past, and
one veteran, whose memory went back to
the early 4Gs, declared that the trimuphs
of Webster on the stump have never been
exceeded, although they have been closely
approached by others who followed him
m political life. When he was to speak no
hall was big enough to hold those who de-
sired to hear him. He had only to open
his windows and step forth on the balcony
of any hotel in the land to find a vast
throng, stretched out as far as the eye
could reach, waiting patiently to listen to
the man who was called the god-like Dam
iel. The impression said the veteran. has
been current that Webster's great
speeches were unstudied but as a matter
of fact, he was always a laborious stu
dent, and expended great deal of time
in the preparation OF his public addresses
Once, when the first message of an emil
nent public man, then governor OF
New York, was issued, Webster was ap-
pealed TO for his opinion OF the document.
Mr.. Seward" he replied, sis very able
man and very able writer, The only
thing he needs to learn is how to scratch
out" Webster himself was past master
of the art of scratching out.
Henry Clay, was, perhaps the veteran
continued, a more popular orator than
Webster. He was loved while Webster
was feared. In some of Clay's political
circuits, extending often through dozen
states, enormous crowds gathered, inn
PEELED not so much by the desire to be
impressed with Clay's argument as with
the feeling which led so many of them to
seek to touch his hand and to receive the
kindly glance of his eyes. Clay's voice
was one of great compass, power and
melody. HIS attitudes and gestures We're
natural and graceful. These personal adj
vantages gained the good will OF an audi
ence at the outset and when his strong
common sense his logical reasoning, his
clear conception of a subject in all its
bearings and his striking illustra tions
We're applied to the discussion of a sub
ject, his auditors were convinced and
| charmed. No. political orator of his gem
GRAFTON, perhaps none since, the veteran
concluded has swayed great masses with
charming personality and with affection
as Clay did during his political tours
Mention of Clay and Webster brought
group the name and achievement of Ru-
fus Choate, the friend and contemporary
OF both. Choate this gentleman declar-
ed, was one of the greatest forensic ora
tors that ever lived. His voice was sim
gularly sweet and musical, and no speak
| er was ever listened to with greater de-
| light. He was all nerves, and when speak
| ing his whole frame vibrated with the
most intense emotion. Nature had endow-
| ed him with a sparkling wit and lively
| fancy. His memory for he was all his
| life tireless student, supplied apt quo
| tations; his Imagination called each poeti-
| cal fancy to his aid his musical voice at
| tuned itself to all the varied, tones of his
discourse, which never twice followed the
same lines, for, while speaking, he was
| wont to closely study the faces of his au-
! ditors, and. If he noted the slightest look
| OF dissatisfaction, he changed his course
| and with amazing tact would modify or
| change an obnoxious statement until he
| gained the appreciation of his stubborn lis
| teners. Choate was the Proteus OF ora
| tory.
very different man from Choate an
| other member of the group interrupted for
| by this time the minds OF all were turned
| on the great campaign orators Of the past.
was Tom Corwin Of Ohio, whom Roscoe
| Conkling often declared to be the most
| brilliant stump speaker ever heard by a
| political assembly in America Men would
travel scores Of miles to listen to Corwin,
| and 1t was worth Sabbath days Journey
| to hear him tell story. No matter how
often heard, it was always fresh and racy
| by his inimitable way of telling it. While
wondrous facials expression and a charm
| ing voice of unusual compass lent attrac-
| tiVeness to his speeches, they were never
| lacking in eloquence and force. Corwln's
| language was choice and chaste; he knew
| when he had exhausted a subject and
| when to stop and he conveyed at all times
| the impression of absolute sincerity Cor
win was in public life for over forty years.
| The people of Ohio we're at his feet. and
| there was no office within their gift that
they did not bestow upon him; but, by a
| curious irony of fate, the most solemn
and ambitious speech Of his life-the one
against the Mexican war, In which he
| said Were l Mexican, as / am an
American, l would welcome you with
! bloody hands TO hospitable graves"-was
| his only unfortunate one, and 1t came near
being fatal TO his fortunes. In Kentucky
Tom Marshall had much the same reputa-
| ton that Corwin enjoyed in Ohio.
Indeed, the most brilliant orator in the
| south between 1910 and 1860 was Sargent
! s. Prentiss. A native of Maine, he went to
| Mississippi poor and friendless, and not
| only became foremost among her sons.
but acquired a national reputation. Ed
ward Everett, after having listened to one
Of his bursts of eloquence In Faneuil hall.
| turned TO Daniel Webster, who sat next TO
him, and asked: did you ever hear any
thing like it?' Never" said Webster, EEK
cept from Prentiss himself" He was in
| deed, a remarkable orator, his intellectual
endowments presenting a signal example
of the happy blending Of great logical pow
ers with the most vivid imagination. As
Dryden said of Halifax, he was a man "of
piercing wit and frequent thought en-
dowed by nature and by learning taught
to move assemblies" The great secret of
Prentlss oratorical success was his readi-
ness-he seemed never at a loss for an cpl
gram or a retort. and, like Corwin, his i'm
promptu speeches were the best. Prentss
died in 1850 at the meridian OF his powers.
To the same period as Prentiss belonged
Daniel $. Dickinson and John Van Buren,.
The former was what would be called a
magnetic man on the stump His speeches
were, and were meant to be, ephemeral,
but popular. Dickinson gained such repute
that whenever he was announced TO speak
the day OF his appearance was n holiday
He. was so popular with his party that he
was leading candidate for the vice-presi-
Dental nomination at least twice, and
many of the n1ernborg Of hfg marty refra rd-