The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-07-05
DR.. C. A. SMITH ON
SOUTHERN ORAT0RY
A Big Crowd Enjoys a Splen-
did Lecture.
INFORMAL SOCIAL TIME
Or. Smith Charmed His Audience Last Night at
A. & N. College---After the Lecture About
20 Couples Enjoyed an I'm
promplu Dance,


a large and representative Raleigh audience
last night, besides the nearly three hundred
teachers who are taking courses at the
Summer School at the A. and M. College.
DR.. Smith, who is Professor of English
at the University lectured in the big au-
ditorium of the Pullen Memorial Building
on "Orations and Oratory in the South
before the War;" and completely captured
his audience. He has a charming man
ner, wonderful flow of language, great
facility for happy expression, and wlthai
shows unconseiously a deep scholarship
and vast deal of reading.
He spoke entirely without notes of any
kind, in a conversational way extremely
pleasant to listen to, and indicating great
familiarity with his subject.
A bare outline of the main thought of
the lecture may be given follows:
The historians have not yet appre-
clated the influence of orators as factors
in history. Rome and Greece were mould
ed by oraors at critical periods of their
history; England in George the Thirds
reign was dominated by great orators,
and America has witnessed two periods
in which public Sentiment was essentially
the product of political oratory These
periods were III the Revolutionary period
and CD the twenty years between 1880
and 1850. The questions at issue in the
first period were first, resistance to Eng
ish control and, second, the formation
of constitution. The questions at issue
in the second period were slavery and
secession.
The first period was dominated by
Patrick Henry, Washington, jefferson and
Madison. John Randolph, of Roanoke,
forms the connecting link between the
two periods. In the second period the
South was represented by Clay, Calhoun,
Hayne and Prentiss.
In the field of political oratory the
South can challenge comparison, with any
nation and with any age. The variety of
her oratory has been equal to its ex-
cellence. From the deep, sonorous SEN
fences of Patrick Henry, the clear incis-
i've bell-like tones of Calhoun, the defiant
impetuous yet graceful periods of Henry
Clay, to the feryor and passion of Prem
tiss, there is not a note in the whole
gamut of oratory which the South has
not sounded and sounded with the ease
of the master. L4 50 s.a
Most of the great antebellum orations
of Southern men are inaccessible today,
and it is a shame that they are. Our his
tory viii never be truly written till these
dead voices are made to speak again,
There is no more interesting or valuable
historical material To be found than that
contained in our ante-bellum oratory. Let
us see to it that it is rescued before it be
lost.
When our history comes at last to be
- =, ~,
splendor of attainment, in integrity OF
purpose, and in loyalty to conviction.
none of her sons have deserved better of
the South than her patriot orators who
fought her battles on the political arena
and bequeathed an unsullied legacy to the
generation that followed them.
After the lecture was over a delightful
informal reception was held by the fac
ulty, and the visiting teachers were IN
troduced all around. For about an hour
a delightful time was had socially.
About twenty couples participated in a
little impromptu dance, Mr.. Viii A
arker playing for them.
A feature of the evening was lecture
talk by Mr.. N. B. Broughton on Sun
day School work. This was of great IN
terest to large number Of the teachers
who are also Sunday School teachers.
Next week and in fact during all the
month other Sunday School workers OF
the city will lecture, representatives IRON
all the various denominations. Work on
this subject wiz be taken up every after
noon.
Yesterday morning Col. F. A. Odds read
an excellent paper descriptive of the Hall
of History in the State Museum, and cor
daily invited the teachers to visit the hall
under his guidance. This invitation they
will gladly accept.
There will be no school work today. 1t
had been intended to visit the State
Offices and Institutions, but it being a
holiday, this will have to be postponed
The teachers are delighted with their
surroundings at the college. The breeze
up in the auditorium these hot days and
evenings is magnificent, and the great
lawns are enjoyed to the fullest extent
with their big shade trees.
The fare is pronounced excellent, I'M
der the supervision of Mr.. B. S. Skinner
the greatest satisfaction being expressed
bv everyone. The dining is tastefullJ
arranged. In short. everything is as Il
should be.