Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 10.djvu/148

 THE WORLD'S FAMOUS ORATIONS

degree the power of readily absorbing ideas and facts, and, like Doctor Johnson, had the art of getting from a book all that was of value in it by a reading apparently so quick and cursory that it seemed like a mere glance at the table of contents- He was a preeminently fair and candid man ip debate, took no petty advantage, stooped to no unworthy methods, avoided personal allusions- rarely appealed to prejudice, did not seek to in- flame passion. He had a quicker eye for the strong point of his adversary than for his weak point, and on his own side he so marshaled his weighty arguments as to make his hearers forget any possible lack in the complete strength of his» position. He had a habit of stating his oppo- nent's side with such amplitude of fairness and such liberality of concession that his followers often complained that he was giving his case away. But never in his prolonged participa- tion in the proceedings of the House did he give his case away, or fail in the judgment of compe- tent and impartial listeners to gain the mastery. These characteristics, which marked Garfield as a great debater, did not, however, make him a great parliamentary leader. A parliamentary leader, as that term is understood wherever free representative government exists, is necessarily and very strictly the organ of his party. An ardent American defined the instinctive warmth of patriotism when he ofFcrod the toast, "Our country, always right ; but, right or wrong, our country." The parliamentary leader who has a 118

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