my memories of eighty years-第60部分

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as　delivered　in　part　to　a　few　friends　who　were　called　into　Mr。　Seward's　library　for　the　occasion。　　The　next　morning　these　headlines　appeared　in　all　the　leading　papers　in　the　country：　　'GREAT　SPEECH　ON　BEHALF　OF　THE　ADMINISTRATION　BY　THE　SECRETARY　OF　STATE　AT　A　BIG　MASS　MEETING　AT　AUBURN；　N。　Y。'

In　the　career　of　a　statesman　a　phrase　will　often　make　or　unmake　his　future。　　In　the　height　of　the　slavery　excitement　and　while　the　enforcement　of　the　fugitive…slave　law　was　arousing　the　greatest　indignation　in　the　North；　Mr。　Seward　delivered　a　speech　at　Rochester；　N。　Y。；　which　stirred　the　country。　　In　that　speech；　while　paying　due　deference　to　the　Constitution　and　the　laws；　he　very　solemnly　declared　that　〃there　is　a　higher　law。〃　　Mr。　Seward　sometimes　called　attention　to　his　position　by　an　oracular　utterance　which　he　left　the　people　to　interpret。　　This　phrase；　〃the　higher　law；〃　became　of　first…class　importance；　both　in　Congress；　in　the　press；　and　on　the　platform。　　On　the　one　side；　it　was　denounced　as　treason　and　anarchy。　　On　the　other　side；　it　was　the　call　of　conscience　and　of　the　New　Testament's　teaching　of　the　rights　of　man。　　It　was　one　of　the　causes　of　his　defeat　for　the　presidency。

Senator　Henry　Wilson；　of　Massachusetts；　afterwards　vice…president；　was　in　great　demand。　　He　was　clear　in　his　historical　statements　and　emphatic　in　his　expression　of　views。　　If　he　had　any　apprehension　of　humor　he　never　showed　it　in　his　speeches。　　His　career　had　been　very　picturesque　from　unskilled　laborer　to　the　Senate　and　the　vice…presidency。　　The　impression　he　gave　was　of　an　example　of　American　opportunity；　and　he　was　more　impressive　and　influential　by　his　personality　and　history　than　by　what　he　said。

One　of　the　most　picturesque　and　popular　stump　speakers　was　Daniel　S。　Dickinson。　　He　had　been　a　United　States　senator　and　party　leader；　and　was　a　national　figure。　　His　venerable　appearance　gave　force　to　his　oratory。　　He　seemed　to　be　of　great　age；　but　was　remarkably　vigorous。　　His　speeches　were　made　up　of　epigrams　which　were　quotable　and　effective。　　He　jumped　rapidly　from　argument　to　anecdote　and　was　vitriolic　in　attack。

I　had　an　interesting　experience　with　Mr。　Dickinson　when　running　for　secretary　of　state　in　1863。　　The　drawing　card　for　that　year；　and　the　most　sought…after　and　popular　for　campaign　speaking；　was　Governor　Andrew；　of　Massachusetts。　　He　had　a　series　of　appointments　in　New　York　State；　but　on　account　of　some　emergency　cancelled　them　all。　　The　national　and　State　committees　selected　me　to　fill　his　appointments。　　The　most　unsatisfactory　and　disagreeable　job　in　the　world　is　to　meet　the　appointments　of　a　popular　speaker。　　The　expectations　of　the　audience　have　been　aroused　to　a　degree　by　propaganda　advertising　the　genius　and　accomplishments　of　the　expected　speaker。　　The　substitute　cannot　meet　those　expectations；　and　an　angry　crowd　holds　him　responsible　for　their　disappointment。

When　I　left　the　train　at　the　station　I　was　in　the　midst　of　a　mass…meeting　of　several　counties　at　Deposit；　N。　Y。　　A　large　committee；　profusely　decorated　with　campaign　badges；　were　on　the　platform　to　welcome　the　distinguished　war　governor　of　Massachusetts。　I　did　not　meet　physically　their　expectations　of　an　impressive　statesman　of　dignified　presence；　wearing　a　Prince　Albert　suit　and　a　top　hat。　　I　had　been　long　campaigning；　my　soft　hat　was　disreputable；　and　I　had　added　a　large　shawl　to　my　campaigning　equipment。　　Besides　that；　I　was　only　twenty…eight　and　looked　much　younger。　　The　committee　expected　at　least　sixty。　　Finally　the　chairman　rushed　up　to　me　and　said：　　〃You　were　on　the　train。　　Did　you　see　Governor　Andrew；　of　Massachusetts？〃　　I　answered　him：　〃Governor　Andrew　is　not　coming；　he　has　cancelled　all　his　engagements；　and　I　have　been　sent　to　take　his　place。〃　　The　chairman　gasped　and　then　exclaimed：　　〃My　God！〃　　He　very　excitedly　summoned　his　fellow　members　of　the　committee　and　said　to　them：　　〃Gentlemen；　Governor　Andrew　is　not　coming；　but　the　State　committee　has　sent　THIS；〃　pointing　to　me。　　I　was　the　party　candidate　as　secretary　of　state；　and　at　the　head　of　the　ticket；　but　nobody　asked　me　who　I　was；　nor　did　I　tell　them。　　I　was　left　severely　alone。

Some　time　after；　the　chairman　of　the　committee　came　to　me　and　said：　　〃Young　fellow；　we　won't　be　hard　on　you；　but　the　State　committee　has　done　this　once　before。　　We　were　promised　a　very　popular　speaker　well　known　among　us；　but　in　his　place　they　sent　the　damnedest　fool　who　ever　stood　before　an　audience。　　However；　we　have　sent　to　Binghamton　for　Daniel　S。　Dickinson；　and　he　will　be　here　in　a　short　time　and　save　our　big　mass…meeting。〃

Mr。　Dickinson　came　and　delivered　a　typical　speech；　every　sentence　was　a　bombshell　and　its　explosion　very　effective。　　He　had　the　privilege　of　age；　and　told　a　story　which　I　would　not　have　dared　to　tell；　the　audience　being　half　women。　　He　said：　　〃Those　constitutional　lawyers；　who　are　proclaiming　that　all　Mr。　Lincoln's　acts　are　unconstitutional；　don't　know　any　law。　　They　remind　me　of　a　doctor　we　have　up　in　Binghamton；　who　has　a　large　practice　because　of　his　fine　appearance；　his　big　words；　and　gold…headed　cane。　　He　was　called　to　see　a　young　lad　who　was　sitting　on　his　grandmother's　lap。　　After　looking　at　the　boy's　tongue　and　feeling　his　pulse；　he　rested　his　head　in　deep　thought　for　a　while　on　his　gold…headed　cane　and　then　said：　　'Madam；　this　boy　has　such　difficulties　with　the　epiglottis　and　such　inflamed　larynx　that　we　will　have　to　apply　phlebotomy。'　　The　old　lady　clasped　the　boy　frantically　to　her　bosom　and　cried：　　'For　heaven's　sake；　doctor；　what　on　earth　can　ail　the　boy　that　you　are　going　to　put　all　that　on　his　bottom？'〃

Mr。　Dickinson　introduced　me　as　the　head　of　the　State　ticket。　　My　speech　proved　a　success；　and　the　chairman　paid　me　the　handsome　compliment　of　saying：　　〃We　are　glad　they　sent　you　instead　of　Governor　Andrew。〃

One　of　the　most　effective　of　our　campaign　speakers　was　General　Bruce；　of　Syracuse；　N。　Y。　　The　general　had　practically　only　one　speech；　which　was　full　of　picturesque　illustrations；　striking　anecdotes；　and　highly　wrought…up　periods　of　patriotic　exaltation。　　He　delivered　this　speech；　with　necessary　variations；　through　many　campaigns。　I　was　with　the　general；　who　was　Canal　commissioner　when　I　was　secretary　of　state；　on　our　official　tour　on　the　Canal。

One　night　the　general　said　to　me：　　〃Mr。　Blank；　who　has　a　great　reputation；　is　speaking　in　a　neighboring　town；　and　I　am　going　to　hear　him。〃　　He　came　back　enraged　and　unhappy。　　In　telling　me　about　it；　he　said：　　〃That　infernal　thief　delivered　my　speech　word　for　word；　and　better　than　I　can　do　it　myself。　　I　am　too　old　to　get　up　another　one；　and；　as　I　love　to　speak；　I　am　very　unhappy。〃

This　illustrated　one　of　the　accidents　to　which　a　campaign　speaker　is　liable。　　The　man　who　stoIe　the　general's　speech　afterwards　played　the　same　trick　on　me。　　He　came　into　our　State　from　New　England　with　a　great　reputation。　　He　was　a　very　fine　elocutionist；　of　excellent　presence　and　manner；　but　utterly　incapable　of　original　thought。　　He　could　not　prepare　a　speech　of　any　kind。　　However；　he　had　a　phenomenal　memory。　　He　could　listen　to　a　speech　made　by　another　and　repeat　it　perfectly。　　His　attractive　appearance；　good　voice；　and　fine　elocution　made　the　speech　a　great　success。　Several　orators　told　me　that　when　they　found　their　efforts　a　failure　they　asked　for　the　cause；　and　discovered　that　this　man　had　delivered　their　speeches　a　few　nights　before；　and　the　audience；　of　course；　thought　the　last　speaker　was　a　fraud　and　a　thief。

General　Bruce　told　me　a　good　campaign　story　of　Senator　James　W。　Nye；　of　Nevada。　　Nye　was　a　prominent　lawyer　of　western　New　York；　and　the　most　eloquent　and　witty　member　of　the　bar　of　that　section；　and　also　the　most　popular　campaign　speaker。　　He　moved　to　Nevada　and　so　impressed　the　people　of　that　young　State　that　he　was　elected　United　States　senator。　　In　the　Senate　he　became　a　notable　figure。

Nye　and　General　Bruce　were　sent　by　the　national　committee　to　canvass　New　England。　　Nye　had　become　senatorial　in　his　oratory；　with　much　more　dignity　and　elevation　of　style　than　before。　　He　began　his　first　speech　at　Bridgeport；　Conn。；　in　this　way：　　〃Fellow　citizens；　I　have　come　three　thousand　miles　from　my　mountain　home；　three　thousand　feet　above　the　level　of　the　sea；　to　discuss　with　you　these　vital　questions　for　the　safety　of　our　republic。〃　　The　next　night；　at　New　Haven；　he　said：　　〃I　have　come　from　my　mountain　home；　five　thousand　feet　above　the　level　of　the　sea；　to　discuss　with　you　these　vital　questions　of　the　safety　of　our　republic。〃　Bruce　interrupted　him；　saying：　　〃Why；　senator；　it　was　only　three　thousand　feet　last　night。〃　　Nye　turned　savagely　on　Bruce：　　〃Bruce；　you　go　to　the　devil！〃　　Resuming　with　the　audience；　he　remarked　very　impressively：　　〃As　I　was　saying；　fellow　citizens；　I　have　come　from　my　mountain　home；　ten　thousand　feet　above　the　level　of　the　sea；　to；　etc。〃

A　story　which　illustrates　and　enforces　the　argument　helps　a　political　speech；　and　it　is　often　the　only　part　of　the　speech　which　is　remembered。　　I　have　often　heard　people　say　to　me：　　〃I　heard　you　speak　thirty；　forty；　or　fifty　years　ago；　and　this　is　the　story　you　told。〃　　Sometimes；　however；　the　story　may　prove　a　boomerang　in　the　most　unexpected　way。

For　many　years；　when　I　spoke　in　northern　N