Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-03-06
SOUTHERN MEN
LIKE CLASSICS
Congressman Often Quote
Them in Speeches Be-
fore Colleagues

Northern senators ana representa-
tives are rather classy In their use of
classical illusions when making their
speeches The southerners are fond
OF their classics, though growing less
fond of them year by year as tie new
members with theeducation that is
broadening the south. as II is broad
ening In the north, come into office
At times. however, to hear one of the
southerners speak is as good for the
brushing OF the cobwebs from mem
DRY as is the re-reading after many
years of the pages OF Smith and An
thon's Classical Dictionary.
The northern men draw compsn'
sons and sharpen their points from
modern instances. and yet there Is Q
charm about the utterances OF the
men OF the south. They pass from
Homer to the Rienzi OF Miss Milford
as readily as II a month rather than
centuries lay between. Ulysses van
ders In the senate chamber and the
voice OF the siren Is heard from the
corridor Regulus again denes the
Carthagenians, while the domes OF
the African city are burning with
the splendor OF MONDAY"
Gems From John Tyler.
Searching the records one hnds
that in tho elder days the classic
habit was stronger than II Is today,
40 strong, indeed. that a man OF sixty
years ago. writing OF one OF the
speeches OF John Tyler OF Virginia
delivered some years before. said
that there were more Greeks and Ro-
mans than Americans In the speeches
The writer set II down that this was
"a fault tor virtuel common to his
state"
During the debate on the force
bill" OF Jacksons time the records
show that John Tyler brushed up his
classics. his Shakespeare and his Col
ley Cibber and delivered himself OF
this
Rather than give my aid would
surrender my station here. .or ] as
pire not 10 initiate the rash boy who
set fire to the Ephesian dome. No
sir, | will lend no aid to the passage
OF this bill had almost said thai
] I had rather be a dog and bay th'
moon than such IA Roman ! will mo-
yet despair. Rome had her Curtius;
Sparta her Ieonidas, and Athens he'
band OF devoted patriots and shall
Il be said that the American senate
contains not one man who will stel
forward TO rescue his country In thi'
moment OF perll7"
/ II ia a somewhat curious fact tina
the writer OF three score years age
who criticises what he calls Mr. Ty
ler's literal use OF plutarch and 9th
ers In his speeches himself places
upon nearly every page OF his writinl
something in Latin or In Greek, fire.
quently piles Pelion upon Ossa. make
Homer. Ovid and Virgil his own, AM
]
brook that flowed fast by the oracle
OF God !, seems 10 have been m,
custom Of the times. this deal.n, II
the merchandise % the ancionts ant
the medieyals. and In some OF tn
wares OF the more modern. TIT
southerners cling 20 the custom fl
part. but Il is fast going It's way.
Story About General Harrison.
Out OF the record OF the DAYS o
Calhoun. Webster. Jackson and m,
rest comes story OF General william
Henry Harrison. ~ whom the recor,
writer saws General Harrison Was
native Of Virginia aud received hi
education there To his last day d,
never recovered from plut5r..
This auimadyorsion. FOR as such
Is intended. vas uttered 90 connection
with the statement tha, the use O
ancient illusions was fault 10
/ yirtuel common 10 the Nlrginians
The chroniclcr tells this story OF Gen
eral Harrison and his love for Plu
tnrch. and Daniel Websters connec
ton herewith
president llarrison's Inaugural
message proved the duration Of hl
attachment 10 Pluthrch pluiarchi
heroes would have appeared thereil
: In still greater numbers but Tor al
untimely fate that KEPT them out.
/ at was said az the time that IN,
morning before the message was de
J livercd the secretary " state cleo
I webster was met by friend walk
ing in the vicinity % the Whit,
House in no little apparent per,urba
ton.
What Is the matter with YOU thii
morning. Mr. Webster" inquired hi
friend. you seem agi'a'ed
Agitated. sir and who would no
feel asitsted. that had con mitted tn,
murder ! have this morning.
Murder, Mr.. Webster
AYE. cir, murder. murder Will
malice Aforethought. Of ! know no
how many Greeks and Romans
II may have been Of benefit 10 Har