The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-02-21

FUNK, enc OF inc memOeIS, Aoue tNe A0AAv"s~-e
speech. The Copperhesds were endeayoring
to block necessary legislation, by dilstory mo-
tons. Mr.. Funk got the floor. He is an ex-
tepsiye farmer, not much accustomed to speech
making, bus be certainly made hit, and gave
the Tories about him little palmer talk than
they found at all Aattering. We copy from
the Chicago Tribune. he said
Mr. Speaker: can sit in my seat no long
er and see such boys play going on. These
men are triHing with the best interests Of the
country. They should have asses ears to set
off their heads, or they are secessionists and
traitors at heart. rs -. a"l ,
l say that their are traitors and secessionists
at heart in this Senate. Their actions prove
It, Their speeches prove it. Their gibes and
laughter and cheers here nightly, when their
speakers get up in this hall and denounce the
war andth Administration, prove it. j
can sit here no longer and not tell these
traitors what think Of them. And while SO
telling them am responsible myselffcr what
say. /, stand upon my own bottom. I am
ready to meet any man on this floor, in any
manner, from pins point to the mouth of q
cannon, upon this charge against these traitors
Tremendous applause from the galleries. l
am an old man Of sixty.fve. ] came to Illinois
Q poor boy. ! have made q little something
for myself and family. / pay $4,000 ayear in
taxes. am willing to pay $4,000, aye $l2,-
600, [great cheering, the old gentleman bring.
ing down his fist upon bis desk with Q blow
that would knock down bullock, and caus
ing the ink stand to bounce half dozen inches
in the air, aye, 4 am willing to pay my whole
fortune, and then give my life to save my coun-
try from these traitors that are seeking to de-
stroy it. Tremendous, cheers and sppause,
which the Speaker could not subdue. ss d
Mr. Speaker, you must please excuse me. 1
could not sit alonger in my seat, and calmly
listen to these traitors. My heart, that feels
for my poor country, would not let me. My
heart, that cries out for the lives Of our brave
volunteers In the field, that these traitors at
home are destroying by thousands, would not
let me. My heart, that bleeds for the widows
and orphans at home, would not let me. Yes,
these villains and traitors and secessionists in
this Senate [striking his clenched fist on the
| desk with q blow that made the house ring
again. are killing my neighbors boys, now
fighting in the field. I dare to tell this to
those traitors, to their faces, and that / am
them. fCheers Let them come on, right
here lam sixty-6ve years old, and have
made up my mind to risk my life right here,
on this floor, for my country. TMr. Funk
stood near the lobby railing his desk being
one Of the row Immediately in front Of it. A
crowd, as he proceeded, collected around him,
evidently with the intention of protecting him
from violence. if necessary. The last an.
| noancement was received with great cheering,
and saw many an eye flash, and many q
countenance grow radieut with the light Of
defiance oas 7oS s2 2Sa5 a ha apif :
These men sneered at Col. Mack, day or two
ago. He is little man; but am large man.
/ am ready to meet any Of them, in place of Col.
Mack am large enough for them, and hold
myself ready tor them now and at any time
| [Cheers from the galleries aa $50
r. Nj. Speaker these traitors on this floor should
be provided with hempen collars. They deserve
them. They deserve them. They deserve hang.
ing, cay. raising bic voice end violently
striking the desk. The country would be better
of to ewing them up. l 60 for hanging them,
and dare to tell them so, right here, to their
trsitorous faces. Traitors should be hung II
would be the salvation of the country, to hang
them. For that reason, would rejoice at it =
| Tremendous cheering. sa. $3.50
Mr.. Speaker: beg pardon Of the gentlemen
in the Senate who are not traitors, but true, loyal
men, for what have said. only intend it and
mean it for seceesionists at heart. They are
here, in this Senate see them Joke and grin
and emirk at true UIion man. But ] defy
| them. l stand here ready for them and dare
them TO come on. [Great cheering. What
man With the heart of . patriot could stand this
treason any longeri have stood it long
enough. I win stand it no more. Cheers. !
denounce these men and their aiders and abet-
tors az rank traitors and secessionsts. He'll it
self could not spew out q more tritorous crew
than some of the men who disgrace this Legis-
lature, this State and this country. For myself,
protest against and denounce their reasonable
acts. Ihave voted against their measures !
will do 60 to the end. will denouDce them az
EloDg a. God gives me breath And am ready
to meetthe traitors themselves here or anywhere,
and fghs them to the death. Prolonged cheers
and shouts Essi = gaa 80 J sfgr
O. said lslpaid three thousand dollars year
taxes. / do not say it to brag Of it. It is my
duty yes, Mr. Speaker; my privilege to do it.
But come Of the traitors here, who are work
ing night and day to get their miserable little
bile and claims through the Legislature, to
take money out Of the pockets of the people,
are talking about high taxes. They are hypo-
critics, % we'll as traitors. heard some Of
them talking about high taxes in this way who
do. not pay Eve dollars to support the Govern
ment / denonuce them as hypocrites as we'll
as traitors [Checrs a3fst - w
The reason that they pretend to be afraid Of
high taxes is that they do not want to vote
money for the relief of the soldiers. They want
also to embarrass the Government and stop the
war. They want to aid the secessionists to con-
quer our boys in the field They care about
taxes? They are picayune men any how. They
psy DO taxes at all, and never did, and never
hope to, unless they can manage to plumber the
Government Cheers This is an excuse of
traitors. at 5H3 p
| Here the Speaker called for order in the gal
leries
| MrSpeaker: Excuse me. feel for my coun-
try in THE her hour of DANGER feel for her from
| the tips of my toes to the ends Of my hair. That
10 the reason that speak as do. ! cannot
help it, / am bound to tell these men to their
teeth what they are, sndwbat the people think
Of them. Tremendous cheering. The Speaker
raped upon the desk iu unison with the APP
plause, apparently to stop it, but really to add to
its volume, for could see by his flushed cheek
| and flashing eye that his heart was with the
h,. IN opd lnv nj old gentleman I q gig -stt.f,