The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-27

the strongest arguments. the fiercest invectives. the keenest ridicule- there were flashes of wit. flights of elo- quence, figures of speech-all poured out rapidly and vehemently. He rant ed, he roared, he stamped. he gesticu- lated furiously. He seemed to forget everything but his subject. In all things he was Toombs. the idol of the South Gas was also Yancey for the same reason.) He carried in his heart the very passions. prejudices, hopes. hab- it's, strength and weakness of tho South; and every Southerner felt that here was man who loved the South with all his mind and soul and heart. He was the first Secretary of State of the Confederacy He graduated at Un- ion College. New York. studied law at the University of Virginia and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1880. He was cleo ted to the Legislature by the Whigs of whom he became a leader.
 He served a number of terms in the Legislature and in 1S44. was elected to Congress and served eight years in the Lower House. Becoming an ardent ad~ vocate of the compromise measures he was elected to the United States Sen, ate in 1857. In this body he remained defending States rights until he left Congress in 1861. He earnestly advos cated dfsunion after the election of Lincoln and was elected to the Con- gress of the Southern States at Mont gomery. He soon resigned as Secree tary of State and went into the field as brigadier general, declining election as senator
 William L. Yancey of Alabama was even more widely known as a cham. pion of extreme Southern views than Toombs, and many considered him greater orator and agitator. His fig- ure was tall. well knit and erect; his hair was rather long and black deep- ening the white of manly, handsome countenance He began his speeches in the simplest manner without flour ish or formality and his musical voice rose and fell with never a break in Toombs had much in common in thought, feeling and vehemence, yet Yancey was the more polished speaker Thomas E. Watson says he was no ranter. He struck no attitudes, did not flourish his arms or stamp the tAoor. Like s. S. Prentiss, no man moved while he spoke. What was his charm? Where lay his power? He understood his subject: he understood the people; he used simple words; he used short, positive sentences. He WCuA tO tuc hCdI to of his hearers with reasoning they could follow and language which was their own. His was the magnetism which makes dull men awake, which makes a dull subject glow with light. which lashes calm men into excite ment and makes towards feel brave. which summons the passions to over whelm the judgment. Ills heart was in every word he uttered. hence they reached the hearts of others. Not a great lawyer, not great thinker, not d great debater, not a scholar, logician or legislator, not a great political or ganizer, not even a great political leader--he was great orator. one of the greatest this country ever knew And under the magic of his voice the Charleston convention went to pieces, and the Democratic party was dis rupted insuring the election of Lin- coin and precipitating secession and war. i
 Twelve years before, when the Dem ocratic convention in Baltimore had voted Yancey down on the same issue, he had walked out of the hall fol- lowed by one faithful disciple. Now when he stood up and gave the word for secession the delegations of seven States were ready to troop at his heels.
 Did time permit I might go further and briefly sketch many other great Confederate orators and statesmen, such men as Ben Hill of Georgia, Le- roy Pope Walker of Alabama, Isam G. Harris, War Governor of Tennessee, Zebulon B. Vance of North Carolina; Judah P. Benjamin. the great Louisisn- ian, and still others. But I have con- tented myself by merely sketchinR those who were most promin ent; and whom l consider typical of the diff ferent classes of oratory and states as they existed in the South, during the time of the Confederacy.
 Ann G. Hubbard,
 Troy Chanfar