The semi-weekly messenger., 1900-11-20
REMINISCENT.

The three greatest men We ever heard
speak were George E. Badger, Henry
CLAW and Daniel Webster. Respective
ly one was a native of North Caro-
lima, one of Virginia, and one of New
HAMPSHIRE Of speakers of other
states, those we have heard who most
impressed us most were Harry Winter
Davis of Maryland, and Alexander III.
Stephens, of Georgia When a lad we
had the pleasure of shaking hands with
Mr.. Webster, Governor Graham pre-
senting us to him on the steps of the
then Governors Mansion" at Ra-
leigh 1t was in 1916, on the occasion
of Mr. Webster's visit. In 1874 we
heard Mr.. Clay deliver his memorable
speech to a great crowd, estimated at
10. 900. from the west end of the state
capitol.
We do not recall the finest opening
we ever heard in an address of any kind
but Mr. Clay's was the most taking,
bringing out hearty cheers near the
beginning. For a quarter of a century
we could repeat it we'll nigh verbatim
The most exquisite and eloquent intro
duction to sermon we ever listened,
was Rev. Tom loves sermon to an il
Hterate congregation in 1864, at Ebe-
nezer church, Halifax county, n. {.
We could quote it for a long time, but
it has at last faded nearly from the
memory. Mr.. Charles Bruce, OF Vir-
ginia, an accomplished alumnus of the
University of North Carolina, gentle
man of marked refinement and large
wealth, told us in 1870, at Buffalo
Springs. Va, that the most striking
and successful opening he ever heard
aof a speech was by Roger A Pryor,
candidate for congress, at Charlotte
court house, Va, we think, about 1858.
He said it was very splendid. Mr.
Bruce had heard all of the leading men
of his state, and most of the foremost
men of Great Britain, prior to that time,
and he heard no one reach the excel
ience of that speech. He said vener-
able and prominent gentlemen had
ridden in their carriages forty and even
fifty mills to hear young Pryor and he
stood with them under the trees In
front of the court house-trees under
which Patrich Henry and John Ran
dolph had stood, and spoken, and look
ing each other in the face, they said:
<'There has been no such speaking in
Virginia since John Randolph Our
recollection is that Mr.. Bruce not only
thought Mr. Pryor's speech superior to
any he had ever heard from Virginlan,
but from any one Of any land.
The greatest lawyer we ever heard
at the bar was Mr.. Badger. The late
Mr.. Edward ]. Hale, who established
the Fayetteville Observer, now edited
by his able son and namesake, in his
advanced age held that Mr.. Badger
was the greatest actor he had ever
seen He of course had nothing of the
mannerisrn and peculiar elocut1on OF
the theatre, but with admirable voice,
always under complete command, and
natural, effective elocution, he pro-
duced his effects. He was witty, hu-
morous, and at times indulged in elo-
quence of a high and imposing kind.
Whenever Mr.. Badger was to make a
speech in Granville court on an i'm
portant case, the academy boys al
ways had a holiday that they might
hear the greatest forensee orator and
most mastery pleader at the state bar.
Visiting our TRULY admirable and ac-
complished friend, the late Mumford
McGhee, ESQ, at his home in Caswel
county, in 1868, we ventured to remark
TO him Che had married a daughter of
the great lawyer) that not knowing
how we had received the impression,
we nevertheless had it, that Mr.. Bag
gers greatest legal achievements had
been at the Granville bar, about which
The Messenger had an article written
few months past. Mr.. McGhee at once
said that he heard Mr.. Badger say
DDCe than once that he had that very
impression. He had a great many
Efteds able men around him to delight