Cary T. Grayson Diary
Title
Cary T. Grayson Diary
Creator
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938
Identifier
WWP16230
Date
1920 March 30
Description
Cary T. Grayson reports on President Woodrow Wilson’s comments about oratory.
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
TUESDAY.
The President this afternoon spoke to me for quite a while on the lack of oratory these days. He cited as an example a quotation from Daniel Webster, who, in a speech delivered in the United States Senate on May 7, 1834, on the Presidential Protest, uttered these words: “whose morning drum-beat, following the sun, and keeping company with the hours, circles the earth with one continuous and unbroken strain of the martial airs of England.”
The President was almost moved to tears as he repeated the quotation. He called attention to the fact that one seldom heard an impassioned speech during the present trying times.
It will be recalled that the President while under the tutelage of his father, Dr. Joseph Wilson, studied very carefully the utterances of Daniel Webster. It was their practice on many an occasion to see if they could express certain parts of Webster’s speeches in better language. They were anxious to improve his utterances, to strengthen the meaning or to put his language in simpler form. The President has more than once admitted that every attempt on their part in thie direction proved to be futile.
The President this afternoon spoke to me for quite a while on the lack of oratory these days. He cited as an example a quotation from Daniel Webster, who, in a speech delivered in the United States Senate on May 7, 1834, on the Presidential Protest, uttered these words: “whose morning drum-beat, following the sun, and keeping company with the hours, circles the earth with one continuous and unbroken strain of the martial airs of England.”
The President was almost moved to tears as he repeated the quotation. He called attention to the fact that one seldom heard an impassioned speech during the present trying times.
It will be recalled that the President while under the tutelage of his father, Dr. Joseph Wilson, studied very carefully the utterances of Daniel Webster. It was their practice on many an occasion to see if they could express certain parts of Webster’s speeches in better language. They were anxious to improve his utterances, to strengthen the meaning or to put his language in simpler form. The President has more than once admitted that every attempt on their part in thie direction proved to be futile.
Original Format
Diary
Files
Collection
Citation
Grayson, Cary T. (Cary Travers), 1878-1938, “Cary T. Grayson Diary,” 1920 March 30, WWP16230, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.