Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-01-26
PREPARING FOR A SPEECH.

"
in which they are prepared and delivered,
reminds me of an occurrence of last
summer, which as part of the history of
the great debate" on reconstruction, is
worthy the dignity of print
We all remember what perfect ocean
of oratory inundated the Senate from
Japuary to July OF last session. Speeches
of less than two days endurance were
the exceptions, and they occurred rarely.
To adjcarn in the middle of ream of
some Honorable Senator'S foolscap was
the general rule. 1t got to he contagious
after while-this thing of speech ma
king or else an oratorical tarantula
seemed to have bitten the entire Senate,
and united all tongues if it did not un-
deafen all ears. Among others who
were afflicted with the cacoethes loquendi,
which in the Senate is but the result Of
q previous attack of the cacoethes scrib-
endi, was an honorable and eccentric
Senator. He had been on what in com
mon parlance is known as spree, but
what in Congress is emphematically
termed an indisposition-for several
months--in fact hadn't been off of it
in the memory of his brethren in states
manship. He suddenly conceived the
idea that be must give his views" on
the great question pending before Con-
gress. Like many other bachannallan
veterans, he knew very well his
own weakness, and was conscious of the
active form it had taken lately. In fact
he said to friend that he had been as
drunk as damnation for a long time, and
that he couldn't make speech unless he
was sobered off somehow or other. The
friend happened to be a sympathetic
soul, disposed to gently scan his brother
man, on general principles, but espe-
cially to give helping hand to his
erring senatorial brother, in this partic-
ular. "We'll fix it, said he. IF you'll
come with me, I'll get you straight as a
parson in two days" The Senator
acquesced. went with his friend, and
the SOLDERING process commenced IL
consisted of close confinement in a bed
room, and a diet of soda-water vinegar
pickles and light cruel for thirty six
hours. at the end Of which time the
Senator was fit to preach funeral SER
mon or fit to sit on the Supreme bench.
The next point was to get him
''crammed" on reconstruction. His
ideas we're rolling about loosely in his
head, and positively refused to settle on
the terms to which his stomach had sue
cumed After thinking the matter
over a while, he concluded that his best
plan was to get quiet room in Bladens-
burg. seven miles distant, where he might
enioy sort of maiden meditation,
fancy free" for few days, at the end
of which time he promised to appear in
the Senate, loaded and primed with q
three.hours' speech. He must, however,
have some books Of reference from the
Congressional library, and q scribe to
make notes for him; also it was agreed
that little wine to steady his wavering
nerves would be good. All these were
furnished scribe, the books and a
whole basket Of wine--and together with
the Senator were sent to Blandensburg |
in a carriage One day passed--two |
days--a week, and no news from the |
Senator or his speech. The kind friend
TO whose assistance so much was due, |
finally concluded that he had better 60 to
Blandensburg to see how the Senator was |
progressing in the work of collecting his |
thoughts on reconstruction. Arriving at |
that quiet little village he made various
INQUIRIES as to the whereabouts of the |
statesman, but he could hear nothing. |
There hadn't been a Senator there at all
the good country folks were certain Of |
that Atiast, in response to some pretty |
sharp cross-questioning, an old farmer |
said he was very certain there was no
Senator in the village there was, how
ever. a couple Of very badly behaved
strangers in a house over yonderi they |
had come from Washington few days
ago. had taken lodgings with a widow
lady over there, but had got into
drunken duarrelS the day after they
came; had had a very ugly tight, threat
ened to put the woman out OF her
own house, and wound up by beat,
ing one another 50 badly that u
the neghbors had not been called
in they would certainly have killed
each other. They we're now pretty bad
of. in bed, both under the doctor treat
ment Nothing further was needed 70
What he was on the track
of rs Senatorial friend, who, far from
steadying bis nerves on the wine be had
sent him, had got tight as fiddler on il,
and made the scribe tight too. And 50
il proved: over at the widow house we're
the Senator and scribe in a badly de
moralized coudition-both recovering
rom sad debauch, in which the servant
lad 40 far forgotten his duty 10 bis
master As 10 black bis eyes, and the
master had 90 far descended from the
dignity Of employer as 70 indulge IN
rough and tumble hght with he servant
~ 49,. t....i I, III ~ 1arrarnr 4. 1ainrf