The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1853-09-15

ing MS uOtS. tudlS TdlS philosophy !.
and the other members cried hear,
hearF did they?"
"The other members said, tHear,
hearp answered Morgan"
In quarter of an hour afterwards
the house arose. Morgan went away d.
rectly TO the office Of the paper for
which he was employed. while Jack,
in perfect ecstacies at the eulogium
which had been pronounced on the vir-
tues of the potato Of "Old Ireland" ran
in breathless haste to a public house
where the reporters, who should have
been on duty for the morning papers,
were assem- mbled. He read over his notes
10 them, which they occupied verba-
tim. and not being at the lime in the
best possible condition for judging of
the probability of Mr.. Wilberforce de-
livering such speech. they repaired
to their respective Offices, and actually
gave copy into the hands of the
printer.
Next morning it appeared in all the
papers, except the one with which
OSullivan was connected. The sensa-
tion of surprise it created exceeded
everything. Had it only appeared in
one or two Of the papers. persons of or
dlnary intelligence must at once have
concluded that there was some mistake
about the matter; but it appearing in
all the journals except one, and that
one so very obscure that scarcely any
body knew whether the speech was in
it or not, forced, as it were, people to
the conclusion that it must have been
actually spoken.
The inference was plain. Every
body, while regretting that the neces-
sity should exist, saw that no other
course was left but TO put Wilberforce
at once into a straight jacket, and pro-
vide him with keeper. In the eve
ming the House met as usual, and Mr..
Wllberforce. on the Speaker taking the
chair, rose and begged the indulgence
OF the House for one moment, 10 mat
ter which concerned it as well as him
SELF personally. Every honorable
member he observed, "has doubtless
read the speech which am represent
ed as having made on the previous
night. With the permission of the
House | will read itn (Here the hon.
orable members read Tie speech, amidst
deafening roars of laughter.)
I" can assure the honorable men,
bers that no one could read this speech
with more surprise than myself did this
morning. when found the paper on
my breakfast table. For myself per
sonally, care but little about it
though if | were capable of uttering
such nonsense, sas is here put into my
mouth, it is high time that, instead of
being a member of this House, were
an inmate of some lunatic asylum. Ii
is for the dignity of this House that |
feel concerned for. if honorable mem
bers were capable of listening to such
nonsense, supposing me capable of
giving expression to it, it were much
more appropriate to call this theatre
for the performance of farces, than a
place for the legislative deliberations
of the representatives of the nation"
1t was proposed by some members to
call the printers of the different papers
in which the speech appeared, 10 the
bar Of the House, for breach Of privi-
lege. but the matter was eventually al
lowed TO drop.
To show the mistake which such
jokes are apt 10 cause, the Missouri Re-
publican lately published this same
speech as coming from Mr.. Wilber-
force. upon bill for the amelioration
of the laboring classes of Great Britain
and Ireland. Mr.. Wilberforce is made
to say:
Physically, he himself presented
but very unprepessessing specimen Of
humanity: but. had it not been for the
Irish potato. it would have been worse
with him. Had it not been for that in
esculent, upon which he was
mainly raised, in body and mind. he
never could have been, incompatible
with what he was, inconsiderable as he
might be in both; and TO the great use
Of that vegetable he attributed the su-
perior brightness, shrewdness, wit and
sagaciiy of the Irish over the English.
who lived mostly on roast beef and pud-
iinC.v