Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-07-27
Com M unitate6.
Hon. c. M. straub-A Testimoni.l.

on tuesday evening number of the per
sonal and political friends of the Hon. G. M
Straub, of Pennsylvania, repaired to the resi-
| dence OF that gentleman, and there presented
him with hickory cane, mounted. not will
iron and steel, but California gold; prett,
gift to look at as well as to make use Of: bu
we trust that the honest colonel will neye,
have occasion to appropriate it to other thar
walking purposes.
The cane is inscribed aTo Hon. G. M. Straub
1854; Nebraska Kansas; from Pennsylyan;s
friends, as memorial of XXXIII CONGRESS-.
Colonel j. F. Carter, of the Keystone State
was the organ of the donors, and his presenta
ton was, somewhat, as follows:
Col. STaAUB.-A number of your Pennsyl
vania friends, some residing temporarily and
others permanently in this city, have for some
time been anxious to show their personal anG
political regard for you in more substantial
manner than simple expression of attach
ment and respect. The bold and uncompro
missing stsnd which you took on the great prin
ciple OF sslfgovernment, involved in the Ne
braska- Kansas bill, while it reflected the demo
cratic sentiment of the noble old State which
you in part represent, fully justified the conf.
dence which we have always reposed in the
soundness OF your political principles. The
abuse and calumny which have been heaped
upon yoa by the abolition press, have only
siren gthened the attachment of your friends,
and afforded no slight vindication of the pa.
triouc character OF your views, as we'll as Of
the ability with which those views were nro.
mulged and defended.
BY your Pennsylvania friends, sir, I have
been selected as the medium to present Won
with this memorial of their regard-a r;gbt
good hickory stick, cut from the forests of Ne.
braska, and mounted with California gold: the
one a most significant symbol of our party. and
the Other no slight emblem of the triumphs
OF a fo'mer democratic administration. In
selecting me as their medium on this occasion.
presume they were solely influenced by the
fact tina: am your oldest personal friend now
In the city OF Washington; and, although YOU
and are now almost in sight of the Potomac,
the bes, may be the happiest, years Of our
life wee passed on the banks Of the west
branch OF the Snsquehanna-whose swelling
hills and lofty mountains will only fade from
our memories when the things of this earth
fade from our sight,
Col. Sraub replied as follows:
COL jARTER-Sir: acknowledge with deep
sensibiliy the substantial mark of respect pre-
scented ty my Pennsylvania friends through
you, ther representative. 1t is an evidence of
their Kindness and generosity to an humble in.
dividual who thinks he does not merit it: and.
permit ne to add, that it is as unexpected as it
is undes,rved. Your reference to my attach
ment to he great principle of self-government,
and which is the vital principle of the Nebras-
ka-Kanss bill, is correct. Should ever this
principle fail to be recognised by the people OF
these STATES, (which God forbidI) there will be
an end to the Union. In regard to the abus,
OF the abolition press, referred to by you, Colo
mel, it has not disturbed the equanimity Of my
temper In the slightest degree; nor can the
open or Anonymous attacks, with which have
been honoed, force me to yield that notice
which then authors seem so ardently to desire.
Time and he good sense of free people will
consign 1t the tomb Of the Capulets" the men
who would burn down the Capitol and set
their own 1lasphemous interpretations of
higher law above the laws Of the land.
Iaccept the cane, and will ever look upon il as
most valued gift--as memento of friends
whose names will be cherished names as long
as memory lasts. In conclusion, permit me to
say, that to support all the States in their Just
and equal rights is to support the Constitution;
but to refuse to do so, is violation Of that
sacred instrument