Fisher Ames is easily first among the New England Federalist orators
of the first quarter of a century of the Republic. He was greatly,
sometimes extravagantly, admired by his contemporaries, and his
addresses are studied as models by eminent public speakers of our
own day. Dr. Charles Caldwell in his autobiography calls Ames "one
of the most splendid rhetoricians of his age." . . . "Two of his
speeches," writes Doctor Caldwell, "that on Jay's Treaty and that
usually called his Tomahawk speech, because it included some
resplendent passages on Indian massacre, were the most brilliant and
fascinating specimens of eloquence I have ever heard, though I have
listened to some of the most eloquent speakers in the British
Parliament,--among others to Wilberforce and Mackintosh,
Plunkett, Brougham, and Canning. Doctor Priestly who was familiar
with the oratory of Pitt the father, and Pitt the son, as also with
that of Burke and Fox, made to myself the acknowledgment that the
speech of Ames on the British treaty was 'the most bewitching piece
of eloquence' to which he had ever listened."
Ames was born at Dedham, Massachusetts, on April 9th, 1758. His
father, Nathaniel Ames, a physician, had the "honorable family
standing" which was so important in the life of most of the
colonies. He had scientific tendencies and published an
"Astronomical Diary," or nautical almanac, which was in considerable
vogue. The son, however, developed at the early age of six years a
fondness for classical literature, which led him to undertake to
master Latin. He made such progress that he was admitted to Harvard
when but twelve years old. While there, it "was observed that he
coveted the glory of eloquence," showing his fondness for oratory
not merely in the usual debating society declamation, but by the
study of classical models and of such great English poets as
Shakespeare and Milton. To this, no doubt correctly, has been
attributed his great command of language and his fertility in
illustration. After graduating from Harvard in 1774, he studied law
in Boston, served in the Massachusetts legislature, in the
convention for ratifying the Federal constitution, and in the first
Congress elected under the constitution. After retiring, be was
called in 1804 to the presidency of Harvard. He declined the honor,
however, on account of diffidence and failing health. His death
occurred on the fourth of July, 1808, in the fiftieth year of his age.
After the treaty with Great Britain (Jay's), concluded in 1794, had
been ratified and proclaimed by the President, he communicated it to
the House of Representatives, "in order that the necessary
appropriations might be made to carry it into effect." The speech
on the Treaty, delivered by Ames, was on a resolution in favor of
making the appropriations thus called for, the House being in
committee of the whole April 28th, 1796.