Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-01-22
white MAN. Government.

IRON inc N. l.. IrlDunes Jan. 1z-l
The Kansas Bogus Legislature of 1886
had a Committee on Phraseology. 1t was
a useful and a busy body; but it was a
difficult task to compose If, for Lindley
Murray's rules had always been more
honored in the breach than the Observance
in the Platte Purchase, from which most
of the Kansas Solons "hailed.p Its duty
was to bring the style of Honorable Mem
bers' bills into some sort of conformity to
the established usages Of English compo-
sition, or, as they phrased it, to flick EN-
into shape" We think the time has come
to form a Committee on Phraseology
at Washington. We notice that on
Tuesday Mr.. Boyer, of Pennsylvania,
argued that this was q white mans gov
eminent. From the frequency with which
this phrase is persisted in, we infer that it
will soon creep into a motion or bill.
Now, it does not convey the meaning that
Representatives attach to it. Nobody ever
denied that this is a white mans govern
ment. How, else, could it exist? There
are millions of white men in our country.
Of course, therefore, our government is a
white mans government. We suppose
that Mr.. Boyer means to say that 'this is
not a black mans government" Why
don't he say it, then2 Let the gentleman
from Pennsylvania define his position
more accurately; or if he has no time to
do it-or the House has no patience to hear
it-let him adopt this little speech, which
we furnish at the moderate cost of four
cents, and which covers his doctrines COM
pletely:
Mr.. Boyer-Mr. Speaker
The Speaker-The gentleman from Penn
~sylvania.
Mr.. Boyer-Mn Speaker: I rise to define
my position
The House-Yawning-(some voice. An
gels and ministers Of grace defend usl
Mr.. Boyer-Sir, this is not a black mans
government, and I will illustrate this great
truth by historical principles. Jefferson
Davis is a white man-it is his government.
Raphael Semmes is a white man-it is his
government. DR.. Blackburn is a white man
lit is his government. Lieut.. Wirz was a
white man, and slasi however unfatheriY
it proved itself to be, it was his gov
eminent also. Sir, I am a white man
it is my government. But, Mr.. Speaker, l
repudiate with unutterable scorn and con-
tempt those dangerous and repulsive doc
trines of the radicals by which such whole
salefslaughter of our fellow-citizens as the
SOluleFS OF the A~dssacnuSetI5 0fLny or Lnat
unwhipped thief of a niger Robert Small,
whose grand larceny IN the harbor OF
Charleston is notorious, or Frederick Doug
lass, who has dared again and again to
malign our Southern brethren, or any Of the
accursed race of Ham
Mr.. Garrett Davis-Qn the gallery-s new
joke)-0r the Ham fat man.
Mr.. Boyer-Or n other man, l say, whose
blood is not derived from the Saxon race.
A Fenien5(Looking in)-Badluck to yez,
ye Know Nothin' spalpeen!
Mr.. Boyer-Yes,. sir, / repeat, I repudiate
every theory which admits the right Of ne
grOes to enter the family circle Of our homo
geneous civilization.
D~utchman-In the gallery)-Yawl Yaw!
First clearing the galleries flor other
wise, as we have shown, he might be in
%terrupted), Mr.. Boyer by adopting this
speech might make himself Ineligible to
the general public. Whether he would be
appreciated, is a second if not secondary
consideration.