Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1867-04-19
A LEGISLATIVE WAC.

From the Albany IN. " Evening Journal.
John Oakley represents the county OF
Kings in the Assembly. He is the Artcmus
Ward Of the House, man overflow ing with
wit, humor and good natured geniality.-
Oakley never speaks without saying some
thing. He seldom says something without
giving the lovers of fun all the merriment
they desire. Mr.. Oakley, on Wednesday
evening last went il strong on the new cap
itol bill. We give, below, his speech YER
batim:
Mr.. Cbairman-I intend to favor this hill.
and yet should not. When recolect that
the Goldfish aristocracy of Albany Is not
worthy OF decent red herring, am tempted
TO say "Oakley, do not make an ass of your
self by voting for the new capitol bill,' not
because l like Albany, but because love the
State.
Mr.. Chairman-I once thought that to be
a member of the Assembly was to be high
cockalorun at worlds poultry show. |
have lived to see my mistake. An Assem-.
blyman is some punkins in New York. He
is looked upon as Cicero in Duchess couu-
ty and as a Lycurgus In Schoharie. But II
is not 50 in Albany. In this city of SURGE
ons and stickups, legislators are small pota-
toes and few to the hill.
The first day | reached Albany, hunted
round, VIDA shot gun and pointer,
to find a~boarding house. found one
kept by night cap and mammoth water
fall, the widow OF a defunct gentleman in
heavy West India goods. asked the wild
ow of said defunct If. she desired another
boarder. She replied:
"That depends upon circumstances"
informed her l VIA, q member of the
Legislature. She became cold as an iceberg
and informed me that respectable boarding
houses did not desire patronage from Assem-
blymen or colored people. She shut the
door and retired. sought smother lady,.
She was more complacent, and she did not
not mind boarding few Assemblymcn, pro-
vided they would pay in advance or give Sc
curity. Is this the way, Mr.. Speaker,
to treat the successor Of Solon2 I fancy
not.
But while I am down on the people of
Albany as community, have found some
individual exceptions, who deserve the high
est marks Of my esteem. A few weeks ago,
a gentleman loud in the praise of the new
u y,
Oakley, let's go TO Peck's and get some
oysters" Oakley said In reply, Nothing
would afford me more pleasure" We went
to Pecks. We ordered oysters, venison
steaks. green seal, and all that sort of thing
My friend left the room to obtain some
cigars-ffty cents apiece. He did not come
back. He has not come back yet. He left
Oakley to pay the bill, seventeen dollars and
sixty cents. You may laugh, gentlemen,
but that Is not the worst Of it. He got four
fifty cent cigars and had them charged to
me also.
Last week gave eight shirts to be wash.
ed. They came bask in the shape of five
collars, four dickies, and one colored Shirt
Now what do want with a colored skirt ?
| am not an old granny, like my friend over
there, who believes the Erie canal has injur-
ed the State, nor am a female brother like
Susan Anthony, or those other specimens OF
unfeathered poultry who caclS4e at hen con-
ventions. do not want the skirt.
| A short time ago | visited the Baptist
church, one of the great washing machines
of the city. An elderly gentleman address.
ed the Sabbath School children, and point
ing at this building, said: "My young
friends, that's the lunatic asylum, to which
one hundred and twenty eight crazy men are
sent every year TO make laws for four mil
lions of gulls" could stand no more.
seized my hat and left the edifice. But while
! cannot and will not 90 much on the red
herring aristocracy Of Albany, I.must be al
lowed to say that have received nothing
but kindness from the representatives of Al
bany ON this floor. Robinson never smokes
cigar without asking me 10 smell its favor
while Smith never sips a glass Of Madeirs
without saying "Oakley, chew tho cork
screw" Robinson and Smith, are clev.
er fellows especially Smith, aud more par
ticularly Robinson.
There is an unknown gentleman, who re-
sides in the Bowery, to whom am also un.
der obligations. To every chicken dispute
and fight which has come or in that part o
the city, this unknown friend Of new capi
tol has sent nue. no less than twelve free pass
es, one for myself three for Dan. Wood, fon
for Parker, and the other four for reporters o
leading and influential papers like the N. Y
Tribune and Independent.
But l will not detain the house any longer
| have endeavored to do justice to all con
cerned, especially to the unknown bird fan
cier in the Bowery. Having said this
again say am in favor Of the new capito
bill and hope to very soon see it become
law.