Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1908-07-02
Notable Orators at Past Conve ntIcus

Notable Orators at Past Conventions
1t is interesting to note a few of the
men who have made themselves ia
nous though this channel of oratory.
Historically the first national conven-
ton was held in Baltimore, in 1881.
Before that time nominations were in
the hands of a few men, but that
method was unpopular. In that year,
however, the Whigs-or national re-
pubhcans-nominated Clay in open
convention and the democrats adopted
the same system.
1t is not strange that the early con-
ventions attracted little or no atten-
ton nationality, for the people felt that
they had no direct hand in the election
of the president. There was usually
one man prominently fitted for the
place and his election was merely a
matter of form. Even in the Lincoln
convention, in 1860, little oratory was
INDUCED in, and up to the time of
Robert Ingersoll's great speech nomi-
mating James G. Blaine, we find little
or no attempt at carefully prepared
nominating speeches, At the Cincin-
natl convention the tide ran strong
for Blaine and when Colonel Ingersoll,
who was then little known outside his
native state of Illinois, made his clas-
sic nominating speech, he won for
himself well deserved laurels. Per-
haps no other nominating speech has
stood the test of time like this won
derful, concise speech. 1t failed to
make Blaine the republican candidate,
for again dark horse" in the per-
son of Rutherford B. Hayes, who had
no political enemies, carried off the
prize and became president.
In 1880 the wonderful speech of
James A. Garfield, of Ohio, in behalf
of John Sherman, at the republican
convention, led to his own nomination
for the presidency, as also did the
'cross of gold" speech of William Jen-
nings Bryan of Nebraska, at the demo-
cratic convention in 1896. These are
the two instances in which nominating
speeches have won the nomination for
the man making the speech.
In 1880 Roscoe Conklin, of New
York, attracted national attention by
his famous speech nominating Grant
for third term. 1t is generally con-
ceded, however, that while the speech
way remarkable it lost for Grant the
nomination, for it was so sarcastic and
vitrolic that it injured Grants case
among the lukewarm friends who
might have been turned to his side bv
more diplomatic speech. Conklin's
manner was arrogant and insolent to
degree. He was fond of the spec
tacular and with his 30e Grant dele
gates back of him he seemed to think
he could bully the convention into Civ
ing him the 70 additional votes needed
for a clear majority. Nothing like
Conklin's conduct has ever been seen
at any national convention before or
since.
Frank s. Black, of New York, WHO
nominated Roosevelt in 1904, carried
the convention with him and made
himself an acknowledged leader
through this speech.
Other great nominating speeches
have been made by BouFke Cochran, of
New York; Leon Abbott, of New Jer-
sey, who nominated Cleveland in
1892 Chauncey M. Depew, of New
York, whose speech for Mckinley was
the most notable GRAFTON of the republi-
can convention of 1900, and James B.
Foraker, Of Ohio, who nominated Nc
Kinley in 1896 and 1900.