Nebraska advertiser., 1867-03-28
BrowatiIIe March %. 1867.
senator TIpton,s First Speech.


The following remarks Of Hon. T. w.
Upton were delivered in the U. S.. Sen
ate on the Slh, during the consideration
of a resolution giving thanks and a gold
medal to George Peabody, of London
and Boston, for liberal private charities.
It is impossible TO read Mr.. Tipton's re-
marks and not agree with him /; and it
affords us great pleasure to know that
we have in him a representative endowed
with moral courage 10 defend the lowly,
beard aristocracy, and avow his sentiments
fearless of popularity or sarcasm. In
the vote on the resolution Upton and
Grimes, alone, voted in The negative,
while about fifteen Senators were absent.
"Mr. TIPTON.-It is not astonishing,
Mr.. President, that l should be soIicitous
in regard to the manner in which l should
cast my first voie in this body. l &C.
knowledge tAa; solicitude on this occa-
sion, and regret exceedingly that l feel
impelled 10 say anything on this question
at this time. Before / could vote for
this resolution. | should desire TO under
stand most emphalicallY the position that
was occupied by the donor during the
time Of cur recent struggle for national
existence. L am inclined, however, be-.
cause Of the source whence this resolu-
ton comes, to infer that all was right in
that behalf (; bat / ask no enlightenment
On that point, because | am against the
adoption of this resolution, not on account
of any consultation with any member of
this body, but from principle. If | need
any justification for my course on this oc-
casion | desire it to be understood that,
if / am the representative of anybody on
the floor of this Senate, l am the repre-
sentative of an humble constituency !;
with such a constituency on the frontier
| have been and shall hereafter be iden.
tilted and whenI know positively that
[ have constituents of as pure int entions
in behalf Of education and science and
art as the grantor of this charity can be,
and when | remember that some of them
have done all that men could do in a pri-
vate capacity, and when | see this gen.
tleman making a munificent grant in a
private capacity, | cannot consent TO
shower on him the thanks and the honors
of the Senate when / am not able to vote
them to the humblest of my-conslituency
who have done equally well, having done
all they were able to do and he has done
no more. l hope now that on that sub.
jecl | am understood, and will be under.
stood hereafter in all my future action as
a member of this body.
So far as the munificence of this grant
as regards the amount is concerned, !
concede it. Other wealthy men of our
country have granted by thousands and
tens of thousands for educational pur-
poses and they have received the thanks
of corporations and the thanks Of States,
and they will receive them again. If this
grant had been for educational purposes
in Nebraska | should not have come here
for a national Endorsement for the grant
or, but should have secured that indorse.
ment from the recipients of the charity
from my own constituency in Nebraska.
II is legitimate, it is proper, for the peo-
pie who are to be benefited by this grant
10 show their gratitude By gold medals
or in any other manner that they choose
to express it. They have in Louisiana.
as | discover, already indicated their
gratitude by a resolution perhaps, of
| their legislative body. This is but a pri-
vate grant, muni6cent as it may be and
when millions were at the dispose Of the
donor il was easier for him to contribute
millions than for many men to contribute
a hundred or a thousand.
If this were a national gift. if it stood
on the basis of the Smithson grant, l
would, as a matter of course, be willing
10 vote the thanks of the Congress of the
United States; but 1t stands in no ma
lional position whatever, and, therefore,
that cannot claimed for il. 10 making
this grant the donor, l understand. de-
clared that he did it as a duty. If it is
done as a Christian charity, as a Chris
tiau duty, he has his reward hereafter
and the consciousness of it here, and /
am not GaSpOSSu u uOuOA Tue dbilttg VI Tue
Almighty TO reward him TO the utmost,
and ] do not suppose il is necessary for
me to help the Deity out by granting a
gold medal here. / prefer to leave him
10 his golden reward hereafter. / think
he also says that he regards it as a privi-
lege to make this gift. Sir, it is a privi-
lege, a privilege that few men viii ever
have; and the benefits Of the privilege
are great-distinetiOn among men here,
homer after death-for having granted so
much for so great a charity. l say,
therefore, that If II had all been for the
benefit Of my constituency / should not
have voted a national medal for him. but
would be lavish Of the honors Of Nebras.
ka Individually upon him for the munif.
cence Of the grant. With this view Of
the question. impelled to il from a sense
of duty, ! cannot and will not make any
distinction between the giver Of a dollar
and the giVer Of a thousand and The
; giver Of a million, when each in bis