The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-03-22
California Eloouence.

Siskiyon has the honor OF supplying, in
the person w. F.Watkins, the wit of the
present Legislature. This gentleman has
made one or two speeches that must hand
his name down "to antiquity" On Mon
day last he made another effort, which
was highly characteristic. The debate
was upon the following resolution:
Resolced, That the interests of our
whole country demand that the govern.
ment of the United States, should, if pos
sible acquire by negotiation, or Nher fair
means, such portion of the Territory Of
Nicaragua as is necessary to secure for all
time to come, free transit of the Isthmus
of Nicaragua.
Several members had let off buncombe
speeches on this fruitful theme, when Mr..
Watkins "took the word, and, as report
ed in the Sacramento Union, said:
| am opposed to the discussion of this
question. If it is in order l move that
all these questions be referred to every
man who is an aspirant for Congress-
Laughter I am opposed to the discus
sion of any such questions. There is an
old maxim, "When in Rome do as Ro-
mans do, and as patriotism, fillibustering,
ETC., seem to be the order of the day, |
am going to count myself in. laugh
ter. The gentleman from San Joaquin
Mr.. Laspeyre1 wanted to know if we
We, the American people-"must lie SUI
pinely on our backs 2" l would like to
know in what other position we are GO
ing to lie p Laughter. He also says:
"What are the French feet doing in the
Atlantic Ocean % It's my opinion that
they are laying off for chance to shoot
into our ships, and 1 would respectfully
say to the French or any other nation, that
if they only shoot into our ships two or
three times. we don't care but when
they come to five and six, let 'em look out
for earthquakes. [Laughter.] "Sir, the
car of progression is travelling fast AL
ready it has scaled the peaks of tho Ale
ghenies fearlessly crossed the Rocky
Mountains and the snow clad Sierras, and
is fastening on to leave its burning axle
in the waters of the calm Pacific. That
once dwindling institution known as the
American flag, is now the greatest institu-
ton in the world: and the same little band
that SO bravely fought at Bunker Hill,
Saratoga and Yorktown have -. IRE
mainder of sentence was inaudible. Eel
low citizens-[Laughter. 1t is no won
der we are SO pugilistic in our duty, when
we take into consideration we're able to
lick the balance of creation, singly, be-
cause we've got more money. A man
that has hundred thousand dollars in his
pocket feels that he could whip most any
thing: and nation with swelling resour-
ces is bound to overthrow any nation not
so rich as they are. 1t is on this princi-
pie that We licked the Injuns in the days
of yore; and we intend to keep on licking
them till we have finished them or exter-
minated ourselves. Laughter We
may, perhaps, save few for specimens.
Before | go any further l would suggest
that We pass bill to declare war. Well,
the people may ask if the car of progress
cannot be stopped. say most emphati-
cally, that it can't. You can't stop it; all
you can do is to step aside and give it
chance. Our destiny is to rule the sea
and go careering over space; we're bound
to annex creation sometime. Taking, per-
haps the same idea that the Quaker gave
MS son: "Get money, honestly if you can
but, anyhow, get money"--if We can't get |
Nicaragua by peaceable means, well |
knock her down and drag her out. Laugh
Ter. San Francisco Bulletin.