The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-22
ORATORS IN POLITICS.
STLyER-ToNGIED STATESMEN WHO
SOUGHT THE PRESIDENCY.
List Includes Able and Popular Men
Who Failed in Their Efforts 10
the Peopie-Quieter Men Who
Pulled on the Prize.

"A recent inquiry among students in an
eastern college as 10 preferable occupa-
tens or professions revealed the surpris-
lhg TACT TIA. not one would be . preacher.
certainly there is much about the pulpit
10 sralIy = paE6ona Die ambition, TO say
nothing OF the spirituality that attaches
70 IL A young man, however. with rosy
view or iife. may have aspirations well
nigh Imitless, and lock 20 an immediate
occupation as oaf foot rest from which 20
reaca iottIer attitudes. The genius OF the
church Is IN its pulpiEs. and there Is moth
Ing higher in that line nor 90 they open
into other realms OF activity. This OF II
self may deter q young man who dreams
OF fame Something IN the line OF political
advancement would likely be preferable.
In that direction the ultimate point = the
presidency. A great aggregate of intellec-
tual force has been wasted in pursuit OF II,
and others are coming on TO take the
pisces OF these who now aspire TO IL NO
preacher has been president. Did this occur
to any OF the young men referred 10! Pos
sibly. Politics Is attractive, and douoly so
CT account CT its high prize Oratory IS oae
OF its fascination And how about orators
and the presidency? There seems 10 De
quite as strict enforcement here as IL the
case Of preachers.
III latest evidence of this We have in
tongue and lost. And but recently he was
Grating in Indiana. Ohio and the east with
all his old-tlme campaign yisor. Thus Tar
at least has Bryan come by his oratory.
He Is said to be a man Of some erudition.
II he is, he knows that an Grafton is not
d passport TO the White House 1t is
privileges OF approach merely. IN the list OF
presidents, from Washington TO Mckinley,
Is there a Demosthenes? asks a writer in
the st. Louis Globe-Dsmocrat. The first
voice of thunder was that OF Patrick Hen
~. But Henry was not an aspirant for
the presidency. No: he couldn't very well
be. The Office was not for him or any
other orator Of that epoch. Down TO Mon
rec there was no man of silver speech and
magnetism. And, indeed. Monroe IS thought
TO have died In a measure unknown for the
want Of the oraIoricai gift. Ee had more
solidity than splendor. Adams and Madi-
son had touch Of it, though no such plen-
tltude of speech as Henry or Otis or
Ames.
No man after the adoption of the consti-
tuition could have been president in the
face of Washington's popularity, and He'll
~ stood further removed from considera-
ton in this respect than any other. He
was member OF the convention that was
to decide the fate OF the constitution in
Virginia, and he attacked IL with fero-
city of eloquence that rivalled his most
brilliant efforts on the eve Of revolution.
For eighteen days. two-thiras OF the time
the Virginia convention was in session,
speaking sometimes seven hours at
stretch, he sought to defeat the ratification
OF the constitution. The brunt Of the battle
was on him alone, as opposed to Marshall.
Madison and others. 1t was In a sense
Henry's finest forensic display. and re-
vealed in him an amplitude of power I'M
suspected. The combat was terrific, and
Henry came off with plaudits, in spite of
LT.r s1,Ir
tie, though 1t was practically a single
handed battle for Henry. However strong
an element his speech may have been in
marshalling the forces of the revolution, il
was now just as potent he could make
il in lighting the plan OF government the
revolution evolved. That plan. we know,
provided for president. The power con-
ferred on the president was to Henry alb
horrent. So the greatest gift of the people
could never, In the nature of things have
fallen 10 him. Il cannot with patience
he cried, think Of this idea. Away with
your president. We shall have 4 king.
The army will salute him monarch What
Will then become of you and your rights?'
Such conviction and such dauntless asser-
ton Of them would not likely line a man
up with presidential possibilities. 1t IA
not In this view that Henry is referred to
as an orator but because he was one OF
the first instrumentalitias that hurried
osIty OF storm. The sentiment of liberty
or death was filled with meaning. 1t was
bare-faced truth. That is why il was
electrical In the storm that Henry helped
brew were the clash Of arms and the
groans of dying men. The constitution was
born OF blood. The republic with its pres
idency followed. So the oratory of Henry
in connection with the presidency is not
amiss though II went before. and he dis
dained to reach after il.
1t was this way: While the revolutionary
feeling did not begin with Henry he
famed the eTubers into a flame. That fs
the opinion OF jefferson. His position was
midway between two emotional currents.
and, 1t might be said. with foot In each.
He did not belong TO the noblesse or upper
social circle. and his mental stature as dis
tinctiy separated him from the rank and
file. The spirit of rebellion was first mani
Tested in the upper classes. But for their
pride they could have borne the burden of
taxation more easily than the poor They
were, however. proud and keenly sensitive
to injustice. Aspiration had given their
perceptions sharpness that is unusual to
the daily toller with on expanse Of hori-
Zon Left TO themselves the mass OF the
people would not likely have resented Eng
lands ind!gnity. But what could the aris-
tocracy do by way Of resentment without
the masses The one was impotent the
other iethargic. A fusion OF interest was
needed. Ii required more than master
hand to do this. Nothing but a command
ing personality fired with the common SEN
tinent Of both classes could do Il. Patrick
Henry by the power Of his eloquence. ef-
fected the union. and liberty resulted. He
did not think the presidency compatible
with the result. though "A consideration Of
hts oratory lS never incompatible with any
feature Of the revolution. the presidency
included.
Another man Of that time ia the cate
CORY Of orators was Hamilton. An tnscrfp-
ton on Boston monument. recitlng the
NeFsatlHty CT his genius has for It's first
word orator Hamilton was some ten
years younger than Henry. and not a bst
Ike him. He was Federaltst from tha
start. and, as a leader. was in tine for the
presidency, even after the stretch Of Re-
publican succession. fer he would have
then heen bat little II any past his prime.
As things turned out II was impossible OF
course. thaf Hamilton should BE- president
But he started right. The words introduce
ing the constitution. % x3vagely assaIla4i
by Henry. were MS. As an orator he Is
described sustained and lrneas s.arod.
considering tire logical more than the rhe-
tortcal lie IS Ikeuei % Tire younger Pltt.
watch seems not an altogether apt parallel
though both. no doubt spoke with author
nv. TaliryranG told Buchanan thar be was
the greatest American. and ha was rot sure
that Re was behind any man be had known
a..