Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-02-23
seeno IN she Illinois Legislature.
SPEECH OF A BRAVE OLD PATRIOT.


the state, man who pays over three thousand
per annum taxes towards the support Of the
government. The lobby and gallery were
crowded with spectators. Mr.. Funk rose to
object to tritling resolutions which were being
introduced by the democrats to kill time and
staye of a vote upon the appropriations for
the support of the state government He
said =
''Mr. Speaker: I can sit in my seat no lon
ger and see such Oy-play going on. These
men are trifling with the best interests of the
country. They should have asses ears to set
of their heads, or they are traitors and seceS-
sionists at heart 1 say there are traitors and
secesSionsts 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 to de-
nounce the war and the administration, prove
it.
81 can sit here no longer and not tell these
traitors what | think of them. And while so
telling them, | am responsible, myself for
what | say. | stand upon my own bottom. L
am ready to meet any man on this floor, in
any manner, from a pins point to the mouth
of cannon, upon this charge against these
traitors. tremendous applause in the gale
ries.) Tam an old man of siXty-five; | came
to Illinois poor boy; have made little
hOIHGlillilB lOI LlJScli IdlllllJs lllI6N
thousand dollars year in taxes. l am will
ing to pay six thousand, aye twelve thousand,
great cheering, the old gentleman striking
the desk with blow that would knock down
a bullock, and causing the inkstand to fly in
the air. aye, | am willing to pay my whole
fortune, and then give my lite to save my
country from these traitors that are seeking to
destroy it. tremendous applause, which the
Speaker could not control.)
"Mr. Speaker you must excuse me, l could
not sit longer 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 trail
tors 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 traitors and villains in this
senate Striking his clenched fist on the desk
with blow which made the senate ring again)
are killing my neighbours boys, nov fighting
in the field. l dare to say this to these trail
tors right here, and l am responsible for what
l say to any one or all of them. CHEERS
Let them come on now, right here. l am
sixty-tive years old, and have made up my
mind to risk my life right here, on this floor,
for my country. Mr.. Funk's seat is near
the lobby railing, and a crowd collected
around him, evidently with the intention Of
protesting him from violence, if necessary.
The last announcement was received with
great cheering, and l saw many an eye flash
and many a countenance grow radiant with
the light of defance.) These men sneered at
Colonel Mack few days since. He is a
small man. But l am a large man. l am
ready to meet any Of them in place of Colonel
Mack. | am large enough for them and |
hold myself ready for them now and at any
time. (Cheers from the galleries.
''Mr. Speaker, these traitors on this floor
should be provided with hempen collars.
They deserve them. They deserve hanging,
l say (raising his voice and violently strik-
ing the desk) the country would be the better
of swinging them up. l go for hanging them,
and dare to tell them so, right here to their
traitorous faces. Traitors should be hung.
1t would be the salvation of the country to
hang them For that reason l must joice at
it. tremendous cheering) Mr.. Speaker,
l beg pardon of the gentlemen in this senate
who are not traitors, but true loyal men, for
what L have said. l only intend it and mean
it for secessionists at heart. They are here in
this senate. | see them gibe, and smirk, and
grin at a true Union man. Must defy them ?
l stand here ready for them and dare them to
come on. (Great cheerng.) What man with
the heart Of patriot could stand this treason
any longer? have stood it long enough. l
will stand it no more. (Cheers.) l denounce
these men and their aiders and abettors as
rank traitors and secessionsts. He'll itself
could not spew out a more traitorous crew
than some Of the men that disgrace this leg
islature, this state, and this country. For
myself protest against and denounce their
reasonable acts. | have voted against their
measures; | will do so to the end. | will de-
nounce them as long as God gives me breath;
and | am ready to meet the traitors them
selves here or anywhere, and fight them to
the DEATH prolonged cheers and shouts.)
81 said paid three thousand dollars year
taxes. [ do not say it to brag of it. 1t is my
duty, yes, Mr.. Speaker, my privilege, to do
it. But some of these traitors here, who are
working night and day to put their miserable
little bills and claims through the legislature,
to take money out of the pockets of the peo-
pie, are talking about high taxes. They are
hypocrites as well as traitors. l heard some
of them talking about high taxes in this way
who do not pay five dollars to the support of
the government. L denounce them as hypo.
critics as well as traitors. (Cheers.) The
reason 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 to embar-
raSs the government and stop the war They
want to aid the secessionistS to conquer our
boys in the field. They care about high
taxes They arS picayune men, anyhow,
and pay no taxes at all, and never did, and
never hope or expect to. This is an excuse
of traitors. {Cheers.)
MIR. Speaker; Excuse me. feel for my
country, in this her hour of danger, from the
tips of my toes to the ends Of my hair. That
is the reason | speak as dol l cannot help
it. [ am bound to tell these men to their
teeth what they are, and what the people, the
true loyal people, think OF them. (Tremen-
dous cheering. The Speaker raped upon his
desk, apparently to stop 1t, but really to add
to its volume, for l could see by his flushed
cheek and flashing eye that his heart was with
the brave and loyal old gentleman.)
"Mr. Speaker have had my say. | am
no speaker. This is the only speech have
made, and l do not know that it deserves to be
called a speech. l could not sit still any
longer aud see these traitors and scoundrels
work out their hellish schemes to destroy the
Union. They have my sentiments; let them
one and all make the most of them. | am
ready to back up all L say, and repeat it, to
meet these traitors in any manner they may
choose from pins point TO the mouth of a
cannon. tremendous applause, in which
the old gentleman sat down, after he had
given the desk parting whrck, which sound