The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-10-26

William j. Bryan is the most celebrated
stump orator of the present generation
of Americans, but it is doubtful if all his
cloquence was worth to the campaign
half what his railroad transportation
cost Stephen a. Douglas and James G.
Blaine were infinitely greater on the
stump than Bryan, but, like Bryan, they
failed, as Seymour failed in 1868. Gree
ley's speeches in 1872 have never been
equaled by an American, and yet the
public turned a deaf ear to him.
Perhaps the greatest triumph attained
by a stump orator in our country was
that of John Van Buren, in 1848 Taylor
would have been elected anyhow, but
Martin Van Buren, would not have re-
ceived more votes in the Empire State
than Cass received had not his brilliant
and eloquent son been on the stump in
his fathers behalf. Prince john" as
he was called, was an intense Democrat,
and the "Hunkers. as the Marcy follow
ing of the party were called, reproached
him because of his bolt. His reply was
an anecdote that set all New York APP
plauding. 1t was like this:
"A stranger passing along a corduroy
road in the Empire State came to load
of hay overturned on the side of the road.
Observing a lusty youth pitching the hay
right and left in a most unaccountable
way, the traveller said, My young friend
why do you not return the hay to the
wagon? Wiping tho sweat from his brow
and pointing to the pile of hay the boy
answered, Stranger, dads under there
In 1882 a baker of Brooklyn, n. Y,
made the following argument" in favor
of the reelection of "Old Hickory" and
doubtless it made more votes than Bry-
ans eloquence influenced when he invad-
cd the "enemy's country" in 1896:
Fellow citizens: 1t is we'll known to
you tina when John O. Adams was Presi-
dent the Emperor of Brazil seized some
of our ships. and wouldn't let 'em come
home. So President Adams wrote him a
letter, and very purity letter 1T was,
toO-for to give him his due, he knew how
to write, if he didn't know anything else
So the Emperor he got the letter. And
after he read it, he asked who this
Adams was? And his head men told him
he was President of the United States
Well, we'll, said the Emperor, he wants
me to send them ships home, but won't
40 1t, for 1t Is quite plain to me that a
man who can write so beautiful don't
know anything about fighting, so the
ships must stay where they are
well" continued the baker, "by-and
by Feneral Jackson got to be President
and he wrote to the Emperor:
You Emperor: Send them ships home
right away
ANDY JACKSON.
We'll, the Emperor got that letter, too,
and after he had read it, he laughed and
said, This is a mighty queer letter! Who
this Jackson? Pears to me I hayo
heard of him before Wen tell you
said his head men. who he is. He's the
New Orleans Jackson What! said the
Emperor, the New Orleans Jackson! Send
them ships home right away
Perhaps Amos Kendall himself could
not have treated the tissues" Of the cam
paign of 1882 any more effectively than
did that simple baker Andrew Jacksons
personal character was the paramount
issue, and that same Jackson did for the
King Of France what the baker said lie
did for the Emperor of Brazil, if we use