Evening journal., 1910-12-30
NEW NEWS or YESTERDAY
The Orator Who Preserved
His Fame by Not Speaking
by "HOlland."
by "Hollsnd."

when an orator has gained q great
reputation he should stop speaking, q"
James A. Garfield. himself no mean
orator, once said to a friend And
! this Is an enecdote of another famous
orator who agreed fully with Ga field
Que OF the Fighters OF the Union
! Army. who gained distinction for his
bravery was Walter Hartman, col
onel Of a New Hampshire regiment.
lie WIS wounded several times. and
was once taken prisoner tie was
sent to Charleston, S. c., whc'o he
found a large company of Unlol
officers. A few days after Colonel
Hauiman's arrival at Charleston it
became known that the Union forces
had established a battery with one
great gun called the Swamp Angel %
upon an island In the harbO- about
four miles distant from the city. the
Confederate authorities IN Charleston
having been informed by the Union
commander that il was his intention
TO shell the city. This warning was
given in order that his non-belliger-
ents, especially the women and chill
dren, could be emovod to place OF
safety before firing began. There
upon, the Confederate officers decided
TO select some fifty federal officers
and place them, day and night, in
most exposed position, and the COM
manding officer Of the Union Army
was informed Of that purpose.
Among the fifty selected Was Col
onel Har imam. The shelling Of the
city began, but it caused compara-
lively little damage and did not harm
TO any of the Union officers although
Colonel Hartman afterwards declar-
ed his enforced exposure to the fire OF
the great guns caused fac greater
apprehension than any that he had
experienced while i'm battle. How
ever. none Of Colonel Harrimans fell
low officers saw the slightest indica-
ton OF timidity on his part He was
entirely composed, saying to his COM
panions: This is one Of the chances
OF war;
AT the close OF the Civil War Col
oncl Hartman returned TO New
Hampshire He speedily gained great
reputation as "a political orator. He
was very slender. tall and thin fea-
turod but his voice was clear and
ringing, his gestures g-aceful, and
he was in great demand by Republic
cans all over the United States when
campaigning was In progress. His
record as a soldier and his promi-
lnence as political speaker caused
| him TO be unanimously nominated for
goveYno- of New Hampshire and lie
was elected by great plurality in
tho late sixties.
In 1875 there was TO be a great
meeting of the Grand Army of tho
| Republic at Boston. The expectation
was that General Grant would at
tend, and "Phil" Sheridan had prom
ised to be there without fail and 20
march ON foot at the head of his sol
dies. The committee of arrange
mcnts asked Governor Hartman 10
deliver the chief address of this oc-
casion. He held that to be about iha
most distinguished honor that hsf
come to him. He said TO the COM
mittee:
I'll appreciate the compliment you
have given me. and | will commune
cate with you by letter i'm the course
Of few days"
But when the committee had re-
ceived the letter and read IT, they
found that Governor Hartman had
declined. They were amazed and dis
appointed, and they urged the COVER
nor to withdraw his declination. But
he persisted in holding TO it.
! The great gathering of the Grand
Army took place. Governor Har-i-
man was present, but did not speak.
Said a friend to him some time later:
/ Governor, you have national
reputation as an orator. The Grand
Amy has high admiration for you.
You had a noble opportunity to speak
before IT. Why did you decline it?'
"For very simple reason" -e-
piled Governor Hartman. Il have
learned by my reading and by my ex-
perience that it takes about twenty
( years to make reputation, and tho
the next twenty years are occupied m
maintaining it, An orator has a
1 peculiar reputation. He is liable 10
lose It by reason of the failure Of a
cingle speech. 7 could not afford %
take that risk I declined TO speak
before the C.. A. r. simply because !
wanted a keen unimpai ed the repl-
tation ] already have gained as an
orator"
. Copyright. 1910. By y. j. Edwards.
All rights resarved.1
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell
y story of the Last Days OF A Great
ORATOR"