Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1847-02-27

tdU0ttUK unutT q m1Stdke with regard to The
nature Of the oath which he took"
For every member upon this floor must be aware
Of the FACT that il is never necessary, for any
purposes, tina, person sworn into the military
service Of the United States, should preserve
certified copy Of the oath administered in such
cese. That he should preserve his discharge from
such service, showing that he he'd performed The
duties oil soldier truly and faithfully, is what all
might reasonably suppose, and which the witness
in this case appears to have done; these dischar.
ges, no states, with his naturalization papers, were
destroyed by an unavoidable accident.
The efforts Of the Attorney General 10 get rid
Of the vote Of this old grey headed soldier brings
to my mind an account which | have read in
natural history Of a small marine animal, Uhe
name Of which | cannot at this moment recol.
lec,,) that has been furnished by nature, with
rather a singular mode OF avoiding the pursuit of
the more voracious monsters Of the deep. The
little animal 10 which | aude, il my memory
does not deceive me, is represented as being pro
vded with pouch sack, containing dark
cooriug fluid, which, being placed in the poste
fior part Of the body, il is enabled to discharge
In such quantities as to render dark and OPAQUE,
for considerable space around, the element in
which it moves and in the midst OF this murky
mass OF its own creation, il can defy pursuit, and
repose in safety
That same nature which produced this little
Insignificant truant Of the mighty deep, and thus
provided it with the means OF defence, also, |
have no doubt, gave birth to that very considera
BILE being, the Attorney General, and it seems,
has likewise provided him with similar means
oil rendering obscure that which it is his interest
to conceal. So, that whenever there is truth
which if rendered apparent, would injuriousy at
feet the interest OF his Client he has only to give
tlounce. discbarging herewith the contents o
ms sack, and the whole matter becomes inme
dately enveloped in such darkness that nothing
tan be seen but the nose and goatee Of the Attor
ney General himself, peering out in the clear al!
mosphere above!
But owing perhaps to the fact that he has drawn
upon the aforesaid sack until the dark matte
therein contained is nearly exhausted, he has no
yet | think quite succeeded in the present CASE
Sir, spite Of his efforts 10 produce obscurity, thu
clearness and consistency Of the statements con
tanned in the deposition OF the witness in this case
must appear manifest TO this House, through al
the fog he has been able 70 emit around them; an
that il the oath Of any man, born in foreig
land, can be received in proof OF his naturaliza
ton, John Murphy, tie old weather. beaten sol
der, is entitled TO all the rights and privilege
belonging to a native born citizen Of the countr
Of his adoption.
But, sir, if there were really grounds upo
which 10 predicate doubt with regard to hi
naturalization | think might be pardoned 70
beseeching this House, il only in this one case
to resolve such a doubt in favor of the man, VIII
bears upon his aged frame, now tcndng beneai
the weight Of sixty winters, the best possibl
proof Of his devotion to the welfare Of his adop
ed countryside scars left by The bullets of its en-,
mics,
In the brief ausion TO his services, containe
in his deposition, nothing like egotsm can
detected he makes plain and simple statement
becoming man whose sun of life is decnn
towards the horizon, and whose highest remain
ing aspiration is, 10 enjoy the rank Of the hun
best C tizen Of this great republic, in defence
which he poured out the blood OF his youth!
He states that in the commencement Of tn
war, he served twelve months as a volunteer in
company of horse under Gen. Harrison; alte
that he served six months under the same con
mander, and then twelve months in the Mounte
Rangers OF Detroit.
Such, sir is the outline OF the services rende
ed by the man, whom it is now necessary 10 di
franchise, in order to give my opponent SCI
upon this floor! They were rendered too, at
time when our country needed such services
when we had no weak and puslanmous enem
10 contend wilh-when we were fighting, not f
conquest, but for our own beloved homes and fir
sides.
They were rendered, sir, when many OF
now assembled in this hall, were yet reposing
our mothers arms happily unconscious of ii
storm which beat with such relentless fury upo
our land-in that memorable war, when our vel
capitol was razed to the ground, and our mo-
pleasant places laid waste by foreign foe
when British bayonets bristled upon every sid
and the tomahawk and scalpng knife glanced
the lurid glare lit by the savage torch-then, the
it was, sir, that the man whose right yes, ,oho
right of citizenship am now defending, stsppt
forward as a volunteer, ana barred his bosom
the blast! My God and can it be so! Can
be that any man can place such an estimate upo
the petty honor OF seat upon this floor, as to b
willing to purchase it, even by the sacrifice
every manly, generous and grateful feeling
the human heart
As for myself, sir however, much may des
a seat here, God forbid that Should eUer find
necessary 10 obtain IL by DISTINGUISHING the o.
grey headed soldier, who shed his blood in oGlen'
Of the rights and liberties ofmy country!
FROM MEXICO.