The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-23


Statesville and Charlotte gave him real
fame as lecturer, and was delivered
with great acceptability to Jew and Gen
tile, by request, in different parts of the
country, North and South. One on the
"Demagogue, i'll the derivative sense Of
| the word, Il leader of the people.
should be i'll print. 1t contains n very
amusing account of the experience of
an enterprising canvasSer for Congress-
| doubtless his own, and some excellent
lessons to public speakers as to the use
! of illustrations and anecdoeS in popu-
lar speeches. Neither, he says, should
| be used except as part of the speakers
| argument, and ito accentuate thought
and impress it upon the minds and mem
DRY Of the audience. He insists that
speaker has failed of his purpose, if his
| hearers remember only his stories and
jests, and forget the points they were in
tended to illustrate, and that he should
reserve them until the eXigency demand
ed them For example, when the
speaker, watchful Of all his audience,
! sees Il man, in the outskirts of the
crowd, balance himself on one foot, shut
one eye and spit at Il chip, it is time
! to throw in an anecdOte, to arrest his
| tagging attention. This serves to illus
trate his own method as popular
speaker His anecdotes were so amusing
that they were, after every speech, wide
ly circulated; and not to repeat well
| known stories he must either have had
Il wonderfully large repertOry, or have
manufactured many of them for the Oc-
casion. ] have often thought that both
he and Abraham Lincoln, the only man,
! who in the history of American Oratory,
compares with him in the variety and
aptness of the stories and homely illus
| tratiOnS, with which he instructed his
hearers. made their anecdotes to hand,
or changed old ones to suit their purpose.
! Governor Vance was accustomed, on ac-
count Of having devoted so much of his
time to other things than the law, to
speak lightly to his friends, of his ac-
complshments as Il lawyer; but he was
well grounded in legal principles and his
sense of Justice was so strong, ana ne
was so quick to apprehend a point sug-
gested by Judge or counsel, that his eli
ent's cause seldom suffered from his
want of technical knowledge; and his III
fuence with the jurieS was more than
sufficient to make up for any deficiency
in that direction He took no notes of
testimony, but he always remembered
what witnesses had said, and his array
of what was material, and made for his
side, was masterful. He commanded the
confidence Of court and jury, and illus
trated his own sincerity and candor by
Imisrepresenting nothing. TO be for, and
with Vance was Il great temptation to
the average juror. An opponent III some
of his cases, himself an able and success
| full lawyer. said, after some of Vance $
triumphs. that a law ought to be passed
by the legislature, denying the last speech
to Vance before 4 Mecklenburg jury.
His quicknPss and knowledge of human
nature made him very skillful i'll eX-
animation Of witnesses, while by uneX-
pected repartee, 10y apt illustration and
/ mirthful stories. he often upset the de-
cOrum of the court and conyulSed Jurors
and by-Standers. | give two instances,
MS samples of his variety of illustration.
In case in onion court, man who from
! former official positions i'll the county.
was frequently witness in litigated
cases, was reluctant to tell what he
! knew that might benefit Nance's client.
| When Vance came to comment on his
testimony, he told the jury that Mr.. A
must have reminded them of what they
| often saw in their stable-yard-an old
cow holding back her milk from the pail
of the mixer but with open legs letting
! it flow in copiouS streams when the calf S
time came. SevereSt denunciation would
not have served the purpose better. The
other is of widely different character
! IT was told me hy the latte Chief Jus
tice A.eIrimon. In February. 1867. as
judge of the Superior Courts. be held by
assignment of the Governor special
| term in ChoWan county. for the trial of
the caveat of the will of James c. John
ston. wealthy bachelor. who. dying
near the eud of the war, left Il paper
writing cutting off relatives who expect
| ed to be his legatecS. aud giving his
estate to those not of his blood. The rel
atives attacked the will on the ground
| of insanity. and 0X-GOveInorS Graham.
Rragg. and Vance, and eX-Attorney
| General Eaton Were retained Ito break it,
| while the prop0underS had an array of
equal legal ability 10 support it. -Four
| - len r.in
| intense interest was felt in the result
! When Governor Vance arose to make his
| argument the court house was filled to
its utmost capacity, the most intelligent
| people of Edent0n of both sexes being
| present. He read parer. written after
| the execution Of the will, mt the dicta-
ton of Mr.. Johnston in which he spoke
! OF the seliishneSs and ingratitude of peo-
! pie, VINO fawn and Hatter one when in
| prosperity and turn their backs upon him
IN time of adversely. This" said Gov
ernor Vance. is libel on human ma
ture.. | myself am living contradiction
Of all such statements. The people of
| my district took me uD and sent me to
| Congress when but little more than a
boy. and the people Of the State twice
made me their Governor, and have hon
| 0red me otherwise far beyond my
| deserts. Adversely came upon me and
! upon them; | was deprived of my Office
itHd sent Il prisoner ana for what | knew
| to fel0n'S doom ut Washington. |
now stand before yon gentlemen. with
out money or place. paroIcd prisoner:
buf IN all my life | never had the con
Sc.ousness that | had the good will and
direction of the people of North Caro-
| ma IN greater degree than I have
| today"
Judge Meanimon, who was an excellent
lHiSl plluS judge, and commanded greas
| reSpect for tine administration of the laH
az hlS court, sand he never wit Itsyed
SSuch enthusiasm and excitement a. Col
lowed. Ladies waved their handkel>
| chefs weeping i'm sympathy. and MEN
suld boys applauded with voice. hands
Snld feet; and ''Hurrah for Vancer
| came nm spontaneous Outbm.StS from al
| most every Throat. The hubbub con.
| tmued In repeated hounds of applause
| for ten of fifteen minutes, the judge and
sheriff being powerless to suppress it,
| and the OffenSe being fully pardOned as
free from amy element I'm intentional con
tempt Of court
He was courteous to brethren of the
bar, and conspicuously fair to honest
and thruthful parties and witnesses.
though opposed to his client; but his
| denunciation of fraud, oppression, and
m9ni fest l,rinr I'M. nl-pVanTl cation WAS ter