America's Greatest Orator: Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899)

I had the honor to introduce this great American at the 2010 National Wellness Conference. Not in person, unfortunately - Robert Green Ingersoll died over a century ago. But he is as important today as when he lived, for his words apply so well to current events and controversies. At last year's conference and in other forums, I have played Ingersoll by dressing the part and reciting a few of his speeches, then describing his passions. The following introduction is from Joseph Lewis' dedication of the Robert G. Ingersoll Museum, located in Dresden, NY. Robert G. Ingersoll was a Colonel in the United States Army who fought in the fought in the Civil War, the war of liberation and freedom and the preservation of the Union-a war to restore the integrity of the original draft of the Declaration of Independence. When Robert G. Ingersoll fought as a Colonel in the Civil War, his conduct was that of gallantry. When he fought the combined opposition of religious hatred, antagonism and ignorant fanaticism, he was magnificent.

When the bloody Civil War was over, Robert G. Ingersoll entered the political arena. He became Attorney General of the State of Illinois. His fame as an orator, his integrity, his reputation as an astute lawyer, made him the most logical candidate for the nomination for the Governorship of his state. His views on the question of religion, by this time, were well known. He never lost an opportunity to speak the praises of Thomas Paine. A delegation of political leaders came to see him. They stated their business, and named the conditions upon which he was to receive the nomination for the Governorship of the State of Illinois. National Honor Society Essays was that he would receive the nomination provided he concealed his religious opinions. Robert G. Ingersoll refused to accept their proposition. They begged, they implored him to change his mind. They told him that they did not want him to change his convictions, but merely to keep them to himself. What intellectual prestige Robert G. Ingersoll would have brought to the Executive Mansion as President of the United States of America!

World admiration would have been showered upon us. What wonders he would have accomplished! Religion has many blots upon her blood-stained garments, but no "damned spot" is more ineradicable, than that of having deprived the people of this great Republic of the genius of Robert G. Ingersoll. And yet, I had rather that the name Ingersoll be omitted from the list of governors and the list of the presidents than that the world should have been deprived of only one of his matchless orations. When you realize the grip of tyranny that religion has had over the minds and bodies of men for thousands of years, it seems almost incredible that any progress, whatever, was made towards liberty. As the breaking of the chains from the bodies of men was a slow and painful process, so it will be in emancipating the mind of man from the invisible shackles of mental slavery. Data was generated with Essay Freelance Writers.

We owe an everlasting debt to the brave men and women of the past who, one by one, faced the brutal power of the church in the best of causes. And yet, after all, what would this world be without death? It may be from the fact that we are all victims, from the fact that we are all bound by common fate: it may be that friendship and love are born of that fact; but whatever the fact is, I am perfectly satisfied that the highest possible philosophy is to enjoy today, not regretting yesterday and not fearing tomorrow. So, let us suck this orange of life dry, so that when death does come, we can politely say to him, 'You are welcome to the peelings. Gentlemen, a tramp has curled himself up on the rear platform of your car; shall I stop the train and put him off?

Certainly," replied the leader of the party, a man many times a millionaire, "put him off, and do it without ceremony." "You will do no such thing," quickly interrupted Colonel Ingersoll; "Let him alone, he is doing no harm." "But he's an intruder, stealing a ride, and how do you know he isn't a 'road-agent,' with accomplices further on? No matter, let him be; I will go and speak to him." Accompanied by the writer, he went to the rear platform. The man at once begged pardon for his intrusion, said that necessity alone impelled him, that he was out of work and out of money, that he was a good mechanic and wanted to go, to Denver, where he hoped to get employment. "Don't apologize or explain any further; I understand;" said the Colonel. "I have been hard up myself.