ever have seen the light of day。
One of the greatest orators of his generation； and I might say of ours； was Robert G。 Ingersoll。 I was privileged to meet Colonel Ingersoll many times； and on several occasions to be a speaker on the same platform。 The zenith of his fame was reached by his 〃plumed…knight〃 speech； nominating James G。 Blaine for president at the national Republican convention in 1876。 It was the testimony of all the delegates that if the vote could have been taken immediately at the conclusion of the speech； Mr。 Blaine would have been elected。
Colonel Ingersoll carried off the oratorical honors that campaign in a series of speeches； covering the whole country。 I say a series of speeches； he really had but one； which was the most effective campaign address I ever heard； but which he delivered over and over again； and every time with phenomenal success； a success the like of which I have never known。 He delivered it to an immense audience in New York； and swept them off their feet。 He repeated this triumph the next day at an open…air meeting in Wall Street； and again the next day at a great gathering in New Jersey。 The newspapers printed the speech in full every day after its delivery； as if it had been a new and first utterance of the great orator。
I spoke with him several times when he was one of the speakers after an important dinner。 It was a rare treat to hear him。 The effort apparently was impromptu； and that added to its effect upon his auditors。 That it was thoroughly prepared I found by hearing it several times； always unchanged and always producing the same thrilling effect。
He spoke one night at Cooper Institute at a celebration by the colored people of Mr。 Lincoln's proclamation emancipating them from slavery。 As usual he was master of the occasion and of his audience。 He was then delivering a series of addresses attacking the Bible。 His mind was full of that subject； and apparently he could not help assailing the faith of the negroes by asking； if there was a God of justice and mercy； why did he leave them so long in slavery or permit them ever to be slaves。
To an emotional audience like the one before him it was a most dangerous attack upon faith。 I was so fond of the colonel and such an intense admirer of him； I hated to controvert him； but felt it was necessary to do so。 The religious fervor which is so intense with the colored people； made it comparatively easy to restore their faith； if it had been weakened； and to bring them to a recognition of the fact that their blessings had all come from God。
Probably the most brilliant speaker of the period immediateIy preceding the Civil War was Thomas Corwin； of Ohio。 We have on the platform in these times no speaker of his type。 He had remarkable influence whenever he participated in debate in the House of Representatives。 On the stump or hustings he would draw audiences away from Henry Clay or any of the famous speakers of the time。 I sometimes wonder if our more experienced and more generally educated audiences of to…day would be swayed by Corwin's methods。 He had to the highest degree every element of effective speech。 He could put his audience in tears or hilarious laughter； or arouse。cheers。 He told more stories and told them better than any one else； and indulged freely in what is called Fourth of July exaggeration。 He would relieve a logical presentation which was superb and unanswerable by a rhetorical flight of fancy； or by infectious humor。 Near the close of his life he spoke near New York； and his great reputation drew to the meeting the representatives of the metropolitan press。 He swept the audience off their feet； but the comment of the journals was very critical and unfavorable； both of the speech and the orator。 It was an illustration of what I have often met with： of a speech which was exactly the right thing for the occasion and crowd； but lost its effect in publication。 Corwin's humor barred his path to great office； and he saw many ordinary men advance ahead of him。
The most potent factor in the destruction of his enemies and buttressing his own cause was his inimitable wit and humor。 In broad statesmanship； solid requirements； and effective eloquence； he stood above the successful mediocrity of his timethe Buchanans and the Polks； the Franklin Pierces and the Winfield Scottslike a star of the first magnitude above the Milky Way。 But in later years he thought the failure to reach the supreme recognition to which he was entitled was due to his humor having created the impression in the minds of his countrymen that he was not a serious person。
Wayne MacVeagh was a very interesting and original speaker。 He had a finished and cultured style and a very attractive delivery。 He was past master of sarcasm as well as of burning eloquence on patriotic themes。 When I was a freshman at Yale he was a senior。 I heard him very often at our debating society； the Linonian； where he gave promise of his future success。 His father…in…law was Simon Cameron； secretary of war； and he was one of the party which went with Mr。 Lincoln to Gettysburg and heard Lincoln's famous address。 He told me that it did not produce much impression at the time； and it was long after before the country woke up to its surpassing excellence； and he did not believe the story still current that Mr。 Lincoln wrote it on an envelope while on the train to Gettysburg。
MacVeagh became one of the leaders of the American bar and was at one time attorney…general of the United States。 He was successful as a diplomat as minister to Turkey and to Italy。
I heard him on many occasions and spoke with him on many after…dinner platforms。 As an after…dinner speaker he was always at his best if some one attacked him； because he had a very quick temper。 He got off on me a witticism which had considerable vogue at the time。 When I was elected president of the New York Central Railroad； the Yale Association of New York gave me a dinner。 It was largely attended by distinguished Yale graduates from different parts of the country。 MacVeagh was one of the speakers。 In the course of his speech he said： 〃I was alarmed when I found that our friend Chauncey had been elected president of the most unpopular railroad there is in the country。 But rest assured； my friends； that he will change the situation； and before his administration is closed make it the most popular of our railroad corporations； because he will bring the stock within the reach of the poorest citizen of the land。〃 The stock was then at the lowest point in its history on account of its life…and…death fight with the West Shore Railroad； and so； of course； the reverse of my friend MacVeagh's prediction was not difficult。
One of the greatest and most remarkable orators of his time was Henry Ward Beecher。 I never met his equal in readiness and versatility。 His vitality was infectious。 He was a big； healthy； vigorous man with the physique of an athlete； and his intellectual fire and vigor corresponded with his physical strength。 There seemed to be no limit to his ideas； anecdotes； illustrations； and incidents。 He had a fervid imagination and wonderful power of assimilation and reproduction and the most observant of eyes。 He was drawing material constantly from the forests； the flowers； the gardens； and the domestic animals in the fields and in the house； and using them most effectively in his sermons and speeches。 An intimate friend of mine； a country doctor and great admirer of Mr。 Beecher； became a subscriber to the weekly paper in which was printed his Sunday sermon； and carefully guarded a file of them which he made。 He not only wanted to read the sermons of his favorite preacher； but he believed him to have infinite variety； and was constantly examining the efforts of his idol to see if he could not find an illustration； anecdote； or idea repeated。
Mr。 Beecher seemed to be teeming with ideas all the time； almost to the point of bursting。 While most orators are relying upon their libraries and their commonplace book； and their friends for material； he apparently found more in every twenty…four hours than he could use。 His sermons every Sunday appeared in the press。 He lectured frequently； several times a week he delivered after…dinner speeches； and during such intervals as he had he made popular addresses； spoke at meetings on municipal and general reform； and on patriotic occasions。 One of the most effective； and for the time one of the most eloquent addresses I ever heard in my life was the one he delivered at the funeral of Horace Greeley。
When the sentiment in England in favor of the the South in our Civil War seemed to be growing to a point where Great Britain might recognize the Southern Confederacy； Mr。 Lincoln asked Mr。 Beecher to go over and present the Union side。 Those speeches of Mr。 Beecher； a stranger in a strange country； to hostile audiences； were probably as extraordinary an evidence of oratorical power as was ever known。 He captured audiences； he overcame the hostility of persistent disturbers of the meetings； and with his ready wit overwhelmed the heckler。
At one of the great meetings； when the sentiment was rapidly changing from hostility to favor； a man arose and asked Mr。 Beecher： 〃If you people of the North are so strong and your cause is so good； why after all these years of fighting have you not licked the South？〃 Mr。 Beecher's instant and most audacious reply was： 〃If the Southerners were Englishmen we would have licked them。〃 With the English love of fair play； the retort was accepted with cheers。
While other orators were preparing； he seemed to be seeking occasions for talking and drawing from an overflowing reservoir。 Frequently he would spend an hour with a crowd of admirers； just talking to them on any subject which might be uppermost in his mind。 I knew an authoress who was always present at these gatherings； who took copious notes and reproduced them with great fidelity。 There were circles of Beecher worshippers in many towns and in many States。 This authoress used to come to New Haven in my senior year at Yale； and in a circle of Beecher admirers； which I was permitted to attend； would reproduce these informal talks of Mr。 Beec