, 1868-03-27
The Presen,atIon speech.

henry upon the presentation Of a testimonial to
SpeakefP. B. Johnson
MR. SPEAKER AND GENTLENES: shall not at
tempt direct response to the sentiment pros
posed BY my friend, the Hon. Mr. Newell. |
take II for granted that l am already glori6ed
by this company a worthy representative Of
the Henrys of history and should content my
self by simply thanking You all for the gratify>
iug acknowledgement, did not believe that
such a course would leave me open to the aeeu
satlon Of ingrattude by our generous host. l
do not propose be the first to violate the prin-
ciple.upon which this kind Of meetings are got>
ten Up. That principle, as | understand it Is,
"Yoeldctie me aud III tickle you" have
| already been tiekled by the toast to which am
called upon to respond, aud am truly happy TO
know that it has been made my privilege to ems
ploy my poor skill artist to illustrate the
gratitude which words alone could never ex-
press. have been appointed by the represent
tatiVes Of the mud sill democracy of the Territos
ry in the House of Representatives to present
our Hon. Speaker with testimonial of the est-
nation 10 which we hold him as a man and as
Speaker, and with permission of the company
will make the presentation now.
As there seemed to be general wish that
the presentation should take place at once, the
| Hon. Mr. McCaw was called upon, and soou pros
duced large covered basket, containing the
testimonial. Mr.. Henry then proceeded with bis
remarks.
Iu making this presentation, l speak by
press authority for the democratic members of
the House, who are solemnly bound to endorse
everything l may have to say.
Whilst we have reason to doubt that the
sentiments which l am directed to express are
equally those of your partisan friends, we cons
sidered that the testimonial might be most acs
ceptable offered in this manner The genuine
soldier, either in war or politics, wages war upon
principle only. He spares no one who assaults
the banner which be follows. He strikes no
blow but such advance the cause under which
he bias enlisted He holds animosity towards
the opponent who has met him fairly. He has
no motive to reproach such for faults they do not
possess, for errors they have not committed
neither does be hesitate, when the smoke of bat.
tie has cleared away, to recognize their merits
or to acknowledge their courtesies.
The first md most essential requisite in pre-.
siding officer is impartality, and am happy to
express the opinion that you have, throughout
the session zealously endeavored to enforce the
rules which were established for our government
according to the best Of your ability. That you
should have made some mistakes, aud committed
some errors in the course of the session, highly
probable But under all of the circumstances,
and considering that the position new to
you, we believe it creditable that you have com
mitted no greater errors than you have. And
will here say that if the few occasions on which
your judgment has been on the wrong side had
been multiplied hundred fold, they would be
more than cOunterbalanced by the grace, candOr
aud cheerfuness with which you bave always
been ready to acknowledge and correct an error
when pointed out.
Having now, in behalf of myself and political
friends congratulated you on the successful and
credtabe manner in which you have discharged
the arduous duties of your position, l will say
few words concerning the testimonial which we
offer in hopes that you will accept and bear it
with you when you return to your distant home, |
to be kept as an evidence of the sincerity of the
sentiments that have been expressed by myself
aud others on the present occasion. Here Mr. |
Henry drew fromtbe basxet gavel of The ordinS |
ary dimensions Of a maui fer splitting rails. The |
article, you will notice, is gavel, and though |
of but trifing intrinsic value in material and |
construction, it is emblematical, and ex
pressly designed fer the present occasion. The
material Is suggestive of the division of the |
Territory from which it comes, being made of
the staple of the Sound. We trust that upon
future occasions it will call up the glowing des'
criplion of our forests and the ndUies that to
be manufactured from them, with which we
have just been favored by the Hon. Mr.. Newell,
and ways remind you, and whoever may see it,
of this wooden country. 1t is also Intended to
remind you of the notorious poverty of the mud.
sill party who offer it. The gavel itself, need
not say, is emblematic of authority. Nor do |
pretend to denny that in size and weight this
tolerated. heagy ruling. It's fashioned and hoop
ed in the manner of barrel, for the purpose of
typifying your own conception of democracy as
| repeatedly expressed upon the floor ofthe House.
And here | will express the hope that you may
continue to draw inspiration from that shrine,
believing that, unwholesome as such democracy
is it will purify the smell of your political
breath little. Having thus indicated the lead
ing ideas designed to be conveyed by our testi-
monial, l will suggest that it is not intended
as a mere useless emblem, but as a instrument
that upon proper occasions will be put to some
practical and useful purpose Should you up
on some future occasion come before the people
of the Territory as a candidate for Office, and
feel that the new system of voting is as intima-
ted by you the floor of the House in opposs
sing tie bill, about to endanger your election, it
is thought that you might use the gavel to adj
vantage on the sore>heads of Walla Walla
county, so often patheticsly described by your
self. Should you meet with that success in life
| which we cordially wish and expect foryou, and
| at some future time be called 10 preside over
| some higher and more digni6ed body than this,
it is believed that the gave presented will
| in your hands call doion any House. Should
you, however, retire to the shades of priva'e
life, you can lend or give the eavel to the "Walla
Walla Baby to be used when be becomes Pres
dent of the Territorial Council, or President
pro tenn of the U. S. Senate. At last we have
disappontments which attend upon all personal
aspirations and prospects far more common
than their accomplishment, that though men
| frequently shoot like rockets from darkness into
splendor aud fame, they also at times complete
the simile, and merely go mp that they may
gather impetus to run themselves deeper into
the ground upon their return. Whilst none of
us have anticipated such close as this to the
| brilliant career upon which you have started,
we yet believe it our duty to suggest that in the
| possibility you should become an illustration of
| the fckleness of fortune aud the instability of
all human affairs, and be forced by untoward cir
eumstances to end your career where the illus.
trious Lincoln began his, in that event the gavel
will answer all OF the purposes for splitting rails
Here the mallet was handed over by Mr.. Henry
10 the Speaker, who, feeling that bis emotions
were too great for expression, passed it to Mr..
Newell, who thanked.the democracy Of the House
for the testimonial in elegant manHer.-W.
S,andard.
PERSON was Boosting that he was sprung