The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-02-18

being disianchised not only your indusl interests
would suffer, but your physical constitutions would be
broken down, and you would he the P'uPsrs thel
Without intending to depeeate the genius and talents
Of any member Of this house, you will allow me 10 sug
gest that the Commonwealth would be the loser II
Of should take the place Of those humble hOd
carriers who daily contribute to Us substantial wealth and
prosperity. Laughter.
have heard atterng aiusious 10 his excellencys adj
dress. When heard the gentleman from Newburypor
speak OF Il as he did ia the the highest terms, did not
compare 1t 10 the play Of Hamlet with the part OF Hamlet
left out but IL reminded me OF famous painter who
was once engaged TO paint picture for church The
subject assigned by the elders Of the church was the Red
sea- with the Iaetes passing over and the Egyptians
in full pursuit The picture painted the elders of
the church and the congregation called together TO
examine IT, IL was hung up in its place covered with
thin veil, and all was ready. Tho veil was drawn but
the picture represented nothing but the water,
They asked him, "Where the Israees p co., says
he, rthey passed over. '1heh, says the shrewd
est of the elders, ''where the Egyptians = oh
they are all drowned" Much meuiment Well, sir
in reading that address could not help thinking his
cxcclency passed the republicans and that the
Americans with Governor Gardner Mt their head were
all drowned Great laughter That, sir, was the way
reasoned How the poor know nohings win get out of
IT, don't know but suppose, in all his exceilenoys
charity, he thought he would do something for them II
any of them happened to escape and reach the shore
And he recommends this amendment TO the constitu
tion and he thought if they hadn't most awful appe-
tite, that ought 10 satisfy them Renewed laughter
He says, al respectfully but earnestly recommend your
concurrence in this amendment SO that it may be sub
mited To the people for their approval or r9caon ~
that manner of endorsement be any comfort to them,
am glad Of 1t.
remember sir, when john Randolph was minister to
Russia that in his absence Mr. Everett representa-
tive in Congress from Vermont took it upon himself TO
charge Mr. Randolph with being unkind and unfrendly
TO the Irish adopted citizens. When Mr. Randolph re-
turned and took his place the floor OF the House OF
Representatives he took Mr. Everett to task for charging
him with that of which he never guilty; and re-
member the famous words be used ON that occasion
Mr. Speaker, have strange and wonderful things
in my day; 4 have black swan and white
crow; but have an Irish tory f h"u.'
l. too, sir, have lived to strange things as Mr..
Randolph II have lived to young man, few years
ago. aspirant for political fame, go from cabin to cabin
amongst the poor unsophisticatcd Iishnot thousand
miles from Bostonand solicit votes from house to house
to help him to ride into political power In the absence
Of the por husband at his day labor he would occa-
sonaly take advantage of his Absence and sit in
sation with the wife Of the poor He would even
condescend in all his kindness, to take upon his knee
the babe of the elector He not very particular
either whether the face well cleaned but was sure
to plant kiss upon bis cheek Laughter II 1t was
boy, this young would always wind up by saying,
How much like your father you look y If it lit
tic girlhow much like the mother He would depart.
t. The husband who had vote would come home The
wife would say: g do you know who was here mo,
who WAS 1t p 'Oh, such nice young man J. What
did he want 70 " He wants your vote tomorrow. -
| :" My vote tomorrow l'a9 "Yes, " says the wife,
ddn he kiss little Mickey the cheek and say he
was ike his atherp' Laughter. l don't know, Mr.
Speaker, what profound logic was in that but at all
events he would be sure to get the vote tomorrow
don't know whether the gentleman from Worcester
would say that an abuse of the franchise Laugh
ter Now, this is what would come at Suppose it
possible for that young to rise step by STEP
and that he should become governor of some of our dis
tant States. laughter Suppose he were to recommend
to his Legislature the passage of measure like this
would not be strange thing John Randolph
saw! l think it would / do know that good gov
crnor of this State would blush at the idea of that God
hat hp bn of
He knows better It int in him. [Great merTiment
But sir, suppose have lived to see stranger things
than that have regretted to what have seen.
have regretted to it for the sake of humanity. If
there be one crime in the catalogue of crminaity the
worst Of ALL and the neanest of ALL Ihod it to be black
'ngratitude '...-
Again, ask this house il they have any for
engrafting this amendment the constitution and de-
grading and insulting many good and loyal citizcns
You scarcely know who how many people you do thus
insult upon what devoted heads this sweeping thun
derbolt may fall. Talk about the AngloSaxon 1t
is exploded fiction. At this day there is no such
thing. Again ask, why put this igma on SO many
citizens Does not the Commonwealth need the good
will and the good offices, the social and political coope
ration of all her children native and adopted Can she
afford to make enemies of any class of them Mr. Speak
would remind this house that the Irish adopted c
have strong interests and attachments in this free
country. The English government has been in the habit
of prosecuting the Irish but however the latter
may have suffered, their prosecutors have gained nothing
by it. The Irish will bide their time and then they
Will strike blow that England recover from
trust that time is not far distant Years ago they
driven from England to France, Germany, and Spain by
the foucst persecution. In France they formed them
selves into military companies, regiments and brgades
well versed in the science of and suppose
body here will hesitate to give them the credit of know
ing at least how to fight when duty called: think the
gentleman from Newburyport will bear out in that
claim. WE'LL being thus organized in the armies of
France, in HAS the battle of Fontenoy took place
George the Second commanded the English The fortune
Of the day turned in favor of the French under Mar
shal SAKE, the English being dispersed and awfuy beat
The King said to his aids, s'Who are these that
make such inroads upon my army p They the
Irish, my liege" He paused and, after minute or
two exclaimed 'Cursed be the laws that deprived me
of such subjects! T. ...
Mr. Speaker, hope the day will be far distant whom
Massachusetts will be in position to need the military
assistance of these 300 000 perhaps 1000 900 foreign
ers. We hear on all sides the sound of disunon. God
forbid that should live to that day but supposng
it should come and that Massachusetts, stood alone can
she in the nature of mems feelings expect that these
men, whom she is about to prescribe will rush to
her assistance Man is not like the spaniel which cks
the foot that kicks him. Pass this proscrptive law and
If there possibility of Massachusetts, standing alone
in such crisis, would be no longer accountable to
Massachusetts, but every Of would either stand
aloof or fight upon his hook in behalf of political
Justice, equality, and right Do you suppose, sir that
would rush TO the standard of the State that would put
that ignominious mark of political disability and inferior
iy upon me IL would not be the impulse of nature, of
honor, of patriotism. Do that which you will not
hereafter be ashamed Of show these that you are
willing they should have the rights aud privileges of
citizenship and in your hour Of need peril they will
not prove ungrateul , .....f .... "a r... r- .. !