The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-07-15

! ing as he spoke JndJ JlllS was not Dd-
vid Bennett Hill speaking. | could but
| think he was the representative of the
/ banking interests, speaking for them
and not his own convictions. 1.-The
| voice is Jacobs voice, but the hands
| are the hands of Esau.' When he had
| finished. there was some applause. but
| it was perfunctory and clearly indi-
/ Gated that even those who held his
! views were disappointed at his failure
! to make a great hit.
| SECRET OF BBYAN'S POWER.
a The fourth incident was the cli-
max of the conventional sent thrill
| through the 10000 hearers which was
| transmitted by wire to the remotest
| section of the continent. The speech
| of Ingersoll nominating Blaine, and
| the Garfield speech nominating Sher-
| man have long ranked as masterpieces
| of convention oratory But Thursday
they were ecIipsed by the reply Will
| liam Jennings Bryan made to Hill in
| closing the debate on the platform.
| That speech, the attendant surround
| ings, and unprecedented enthusiasm
| which it evoked have become known
| of all men. I shall attempt no descrip-
! ton of the occasion. / thought, when
| William T.. Wilson closed the debate on
! the tariff in the House of Representa-
| tives. that his speech was the acme of
| human eloquence. But the scenes of
that day, indelibly impressed upon
| every man present, seem wanting in
| eloquence and power when contrasted
with the effort of Bryan and the en-
| thusiasm that followed. I never hope
| again to witness such an inspiring
I IL
| women had given the young orator a
! gracious welcome as he lifted the
| stone to deal death to the giant who
had preceded him. He had not spo-
| ken five minutes before he owned his
| audience as completely as if they were
| his chattels. His voice, which did not
seem TO be raised unduly. penetrated
| with a musical sincerity the furthest
| recesses of the Coliseum. You did not
| have to lean forward to hear. Every
| word was clearly enunciated. There
| were few gestures and not dn album
| dance of figures. The speech was
| great in its plainness, its simplicity,
| and its truth. There was no beating
| about the bush, none of the tricks of
| the orator none of the special pleas
| which characterized the speech of,
| Senator Hill. There are two things
| about Mr.. Bryan that make him a
| great orator-his sincerity and his
faith" Many a deep glance, and often
with unspeakable precision, has he
| cast into mysterious Nature, and the
| still more mysterious Life of Man.
| Wonderful it is with what cutting
words, now and then, he sewers asun-
| der confusion; shears down, were it
| futlongs deep, into the true
/ - ~, -
only hits ahe nail on the head. but with
! crushing force smites it home. and
| buries it." He has no levity. He is
terribly in earnest. He is charged
with great mission. He came into
that great assemblage with a message
of deep import to his humble fellow
men. He could no more keep from
| speaking the convictions of his life
than the rushing stream can pause on
! the top of the cataract He looked
! the true preacher and prophet, be-
| fore commencing in modest words, the
| delivery OF the message which burned
| in his heart. Martin Luther was not
| animated by a holier zeal than in
| spired William Jennings Bryan as he
| felt the great responsibility laid upon
| him. He was TO speak not for him
self alone or his own people. He was
the voice of labor pleading for Justice,
and, conscious that the prayers of mis-
| good wife were ascending that he
might have liberty. the great-hearted
champion of the plain people, spoke
words that will live as long as there is
a struggle among the masses for a fair
| chance in the race of life. And they
fell upon hearts that had a kindred
touch of love for humanity.
As they listened, they felt
| strangely warmed, their courage for
| the conflict strengthened, their faith
| in themselves made perfect and they
were ready as one man 10 follow wher-
ever he would lead. He has a win
ming smile, but his speech was not
| speech for entertainment. He was Sc
rious and solemn as became the gray
| ity of the great question. He lifted
| it up from mere matters of eXpediency
| and self-interest to a plane as high
and lofty and holy as the destiny Of
/ the human race. From the first word
to the last, the spirit of deep sincerity,
| earnest conviction, and sublime faith
| permeated the argument. And it was
this method of presentation more than
| the eloquence of the orator that
| stirred stong men to a willingness to
| do and die for the cause that has been
made sacred by the sufferings and
tears of the plain people The speech
breathed a consecration 10 the cause
of liberty that was contagious, and
| when he closed with those deathless
words, ''You shall not press down upon
| the brow of labor this crown of
thorns. You shall not cruelty man
| kind upon a cross of gold'-'when
this last heroic challenge to his adver-
! saries sounded out clear and strong,
there was born holy resolve that the
oppressors of the people should not
| longer be their masters. So deep was
this high resolve, that a hush like that
which falls after the benediction upon
| people of the house of God fell upon
| the great gathering and it was
! almost a minute before the thunder