John Quincy Adams from Lectures on Rhetoric and Oratory

John Quincy Adams Lectures on Rhetoric and Oratory: Delivered to the Classes of Senior and Junior Sophisters in Harvard University, by John Quincy Adams. Vol 1. Cambridge: Hilliard and Metcalf, 1810. While best known as President lectures be published. In 1810, Adams (1824-28), John Quincy Adams held, in wrote in his diary that “I shall never, 1806, the chair of Boylston Professor of unless by some special favor of Heaven, Rhetoric and Oratory at his alma matter, accomplish any work of higher elevation.” Harvard. As part of the responsibility of However, the lectures failed to make much his position, Adams was required to public impact. deliver a series of lectures on rhetoric Still, when read today, the Adams “based upon the models of the ancients.” lectures give a solid, informative summary When Adams was first notified of of much that has been written about his appointment in 1805, he was still various rhetorical forms. The section here serving as senator of Massachusetts. He is included to give you more ideas about immediately set to work on the lectures. your own deliberative speech. There is We know that he read and studied many also a sense in which Adams is writers on rhetoric, including Quintilian, specifically American in his formation of Cicero, Bacon, and George Campbell. He rhetoric; he offers a public, presented thirty-six lectures between 1806 straightforward, clear and practical guide and 1809. (You will read number eleven, to public debate and discussion. It is on deliberative rhetoric.) While the overall precisely what you might expect to hear reaction to the lectures was lukewarm, from a member of one of the founding when students heard that Adams was families of the Revolution, one who was leaving Harvard to become United States witness to the evolution of the American Minister to Russia, they asked that the public speech. from Lectures on Rhetoric and Oratory “Deliberative Oratory” To ascertain the arguments peculiarly measure of this class is utility. suitable to each of the three kinds of Deliberation presupposes a freedom of public speaking, where eloquence may be election in the deliberating body. It displayed, we must resort to that special presupposes alternatives, which may be principle, which constitutes the distinctive adopted or rejected. The issue of character of the kind. Thus we have seen, deliberation is action, and the final that, as show is the essential property of determination, what that action shall be, demonstrative orations, the arguments, results from a sense of utility or best adapted to discourses of that class, are expediency, entertained by the speaker's such as display sentiment or character. audience. The object of the orator then is Proceeding in the same track to discover to persuade his hearers, and to influence the arguments, which fall within the their conduct in relation to a future province of deliberative oratory, we are to measure. His task is to inspire them with recollect, that the characteristic common the belief, that the adoption of that, which he recommends, or the rejection of that, demonstrative orations the application of which he dissuades, would be useful either the orator's eloquence is only to the to the hearers themselves, or to their opinions of his audience; in judicial constituents, whom they represent. arguments to their judgment; but in deliberative discourses directly to their It is in deliberative oratory, and in that will. alone, that eloquence and the art of persuasion may be considered, as terms From these observations you will perceive perfectly synonymous. Demonstrative the solid grounds, upon which these orations terminate in themselves. They divisions were originally made. So lead to no vote; they verge to no verdict. different is the nature of public speaking, The drift of the discourse is to display the on these different occasions, that the merits of the subject, and the talents of the talents, required to shine in each of diem, speaker. He may indeed exercise powers are different from those, which give of persuasion, but they are not essential to excellence in the others. In our own his task. He has no call to act upon the will experience we may observe, that the of his hearers. Persuasion is not eloquence of the bar, of the legislature, necessarily his aim. and of public solemnities, are seldom or ever found united to high perfection in the Judicial discourses terminate in action; and same person. An admirable lawyer is not in that respect resemble deliberative always a popular speaker in deliberative speeches. But the drift of the argument is assemblies; and a speaker of brilliant to justice; not to utility. The aim of the orations often sinks into silence at the bar. speaker must be to produce conviction, In the relative estimate of the difficulties rather than persuasion; to operate by proof, and importance of the several kinds of rather than by influence. The judge or jury, public oratory, Cicero has assigned to to whom the discourse is addressed, has no judicial eloquence the place of the highest choice of alternatives, no freedom of difficulty, and to the eloquence of option, like the deliberative body. That deliberation that of the highest importance. which is just, that which is prescribed by This arrangement is suited to all law, once discovered and made manifest, republican governments, and indeed to all he is bound to follow. Persuasion therefore governments, where the powers of does not properly belong to that class of legislation are exercised by a deliberative oratory. The judge is to act not under the assembly. From the preponderancy of impulse of his will, but of the lair. He is democracy in the political constitutions of the mere minister of justice. He must take our country, deliberative assemblies are the facts according to the proof. he is to more numerous, and the objects of their presume nothing; to suppose nothing; to consideration are more diversified than imagine nothing. The orator ought not to they ever have been in any other age or address himself to the inclinations of his nation. From the formation of a national auditor, because the auditor has no right to constitution to the management of a consult them himself. This distinction is turnpike, every object of concern to more much stronger in modern times and in our than one individual is transacted by country, than among the ancients; because deliberative bodies. National and state our judicial courts are more closely bound conventions, for the purpose of forming to the letter of the law. So then in constitutions, the congress of the United States, the legislatures of the several states, are all deliberative assemblies. The objects of deliberative eloquence then Besides which, in our part of the country, are almost co-extensive with human every town, every parish or religious affairs. They embrace every thing, which society, every association of individuals, can be a subject of advice, of exhortation, incorporated for purposes of interest, of of consolation, or of petition. The most education, of charity, or of science, forms important scenes of deliberative oratory a deliberative assembly, and presents however in these states are the congress of opportunities for the exhibition of the union, and the state legislature. The deliberative eloquence. These are scenes, objects of their deliberation affect the in which your duties, as men or as citizen, interests of individuals and of the nation, will frequently call upon you all to engage. in the highest degree. In seeking the There is only a certain proportion among sources of deliberative argument I shall you, who will ever leave occasion to speak therefore so modify, the rules, generally to in the courts of justice, or in the sacred be observed, as to bear constant reference desk. Still fewer will ever have the call, or to them. They include all the subjects of feel the inclination to deliver the formal legislation, of taxation, of public debt, oration of a public solemnity. But you are public credit, and public revenue; of the all citizens of a free republic; you are all management of public property; of favored with the most liberal and scientific commerce; treaties and alliances; peace education, which your country can afford. and war: That country, in her turn, will have a. peculiar claim upon you for the benefit of Suppose yourself then, as a member of a your counsels; and either in the selected deliberative assembly, deliberating upon bodies of her legislatures, or in the general some question, involving these great and assemblies of the people, will give you important concerns; desirous of opportunities to employ-, for her communicating your own sentiments, and advantage and your own reputation, every of influencing the decision of the body you faculty of speech, which you have are to address. Your means of persuasion received, or which you can acquire. are to be derived from three distinct general sources; having reference The principles of deliberative oratory are respectively, first to the subject of important also in another point of view; deliberation; secondly to the body inasmuch as they are applicable to the deliberating; and thirdly to yourself, the ordinary concerns of life. Whoever in the speaker. course of human affairs is called to give 1. In considering the subject of advice, or to ask a favor of another, must deliberation, your arguments may result apply, to the same principles of action, as from the circumstances of legality, of those, which the deliberative orator must possibility, of probability, of facility, of address. The arguments, which persuade necessity, or of contingency. an assembly, are the same, which are The argument of legality trust calculated to persuade an individual; and always be modified by the extent of in speaking to a deliberative body the authority, with which the deliberating orator can often employ no higher artifice, body is invested.

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