Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1914-11-03
New News Of Yesterday
A Yankee Tribute TO a
Brilliant SOutherner
ny Holland.

The late William ?. Frye. OF Maine,
for many years United States Senator
from that State and, earlier. Repre-
sentative in the Lower House of
Congress from the Lewiston. Me-. dis
trict. said to me. in the summer OF
1884. that there was no member Of
the House in whose personality and
in whose career he had found greater
interest than in the instance of Repre-
sentative Robert NJ. McLane, of Mary
land.
1T always pleases me to hear Me-
Lanes voice." said Senator Frye, "and
no matter what | was doing at the
time ] mover failed to drop my work
and carefully listen and also watch
Mr.. McLane when he took the floor.
81 think, without exception. he was
the most graceful member of the
House during all my service there. His
gestures were models. They appear
ed to be unstudied. They aided adj
mirably in expressing his thought.
They consisted usually of a slight
movement of the arm, never violent,
always gentle. and yet at times IL
seemed almost as though his hand
10 ask him whether he had acquired
that art or whether il was natural.
The only public speaker l ever heard
or saw whose gift for graceful and
yet almost undesirable gestures was
the equal OF McLane's was Wendell
Phillips. In fact, their gesticulatiOns
were similar.
"McLane possessed voice of pc
culiar quality. / never heard one that
resombled IT, IL was soft and yet very
distinct. He seemed never TO exert
himself, and I think he had either
unconsciously or through study learn
ed the secret OF how to make the voice
carry a long distance without strain
ing the vocal organs. II is a sort Of
singing quality, although very differ
ent from what IS called information.
II sometimes thought that there was
no member OF the House whose career
was so varied and of such extent as
was that OF McIane. He had been a
member OF the House of Representa-
tives when Lincoln served in Con-
fress. His service there began during
the administration of President Polk.
After that. he was much occupied
with diplomatic matters. He carried
with inviolable secrecy the story or
the message which at the outbreak of
the Mexico war he took from Presi-
dent Polk to Gen. Zachary Taylor
"He was practically minister 10
China He was one of the powerful
I, intellects of the East who became
familiar with conditions on our Pacific
Coast. And now. when he is nearly
seventy years of age, he is governor
of Maryland.
Il hope McLane has carefully pre-
served his correspondence and has
| recorded in his diary OF in some con-
venient way his various life as a law
yer By the way. / learned by acct
! dent that McLane was trained as a
soldier. having been, l think. a cadet
at West Point.
But. after ALL as l think OF him.
find myself recalling with especial
vividness the peculiar grace OF his per
sonality. the charm of his gestures
and the melodious quality Of hi
voice. for these we're characteristic.
which distinguished him from IN,
great company with which he wa
associated as a member OF the Lowe
House"
! (Copyrisht. 1914. by 2. ]. Edwards
All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell O
: "A Book Which Was Never Printed.