itical speeches and
berated the foreigner in America for not becoming at once an entirely
made-over citizen. The speech contradicted its own sentiments. A wrong
emphasis was placed upon its material. A disquieting impression was
made upon the Pennsylvanians. At the conclusion they felt that they
were guilty for having kept the love of their native soil; according
to the tone of the speaker they should have accepted their new
residence and wiped out all traces of any early ties.

An after-dinner speaker should remember that dinners are usually marks
of sociability, goodfellowship, congratulation, celebration,
commemoration. Speeches should answer to such motives. The apt
illustration, the clever twist, the really good story or anecdote, the
surprise ending, all have their places here, if they are used with
grace, good humor, and tact. This does not preclude elements of
information and seriousness, but such matters should be introduced
skilfully, discussed sparingly, enforced pointedly.

The Commemorative Speech. Besides dinners, other gatherings may
require commemorative addresses. These speeches are longer, more
formal. The success of a debating team, the successful season of an
athletic organization, the termination of a civic project, the
election of a candidate, the celebration of an historic event, the
tribute to a great man, suggest the kinds of occasions in which
commemorative addresses should be made.

Chosen with more care than the after-dinner speaker, the person on
such an occasion has larger themes with which to deal, a longer time
for their development, and an audience more surely attuned to
sympathetic reception. He has more time for preparation also. In minor
circumstances, such as the first three or four enumerated in the
preceding paragraph, the note is usually congratulation for victory.
Except in tone and length these speeches are not very different from
after-dinner remarks. But when the occasion is more dignified, the
circumstances more significant, addresses take on a different aspect.
They become more soberly judicial, more temperately laudatory, more
feelingly impressive. At such times public speaking approaches most
closely to the old-fashioned idea of oratory, now so rapidly passing
away, in its attempt to impress upon the audience the greatness of the
occasion in which it is participating. The laying of a corner-stone,
the completion of a monument or building, a national holiday, the
birthd