Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-06-24
4 4 new Congressional Orator.
IFrom the Bsltimer 9 Gazette: IN

A MeWsC0nSreSSIOH2t UfaSOr.
EIFrom the Baltimore Gszette.I
Brownlow, Of f Tennessee, must look to his
laurels He must spice his speeohss with
backguardism OF aA5rstilS stronger flavor and
with blasphemy Of ranker, character, or his
uratorical reputation will pale beside that
which another Tennessee statesman bids fair to
acquire. Mr.. Mullins is the rising man. Here
totore he has generally occupied the attention
of the Houssof Representatives with what he
overcome by loyal emotion, be delivered him
self of harangue that must have held the
House spebound, # that body has the faint
est appreciation of poetry, or Is capable OF
being touched by eloquence. A bill was re-
ported which removed the political disabilities
of several hundred citizens Of the South, who
are now disiranchised. This was more than a
Ioyal Mullins could stand. Tho pardoniog Of
former 'Ercbels' was all wrong, he said, in
principle and he, doubtless, medltated inward
iy upon the effect which a general act of en-
REIMBURSEMENT in Tennessee would have upon
politicians Of the Mullins grade. He there
Iere in schooboy parlance, "let himself out:
Upon the subject of our late civil var he dis
coursed with great fervor The rebels ne
described, of course, as very monsters OF in-
iouity. They had run riot in blood and over
human ile," and had "assaled the stars and
stripes, and civil, political and religious govern
ments. " In attempting this great undertaking
thew were crushed out in this wise. They were
captured" says Mullins "by the armies of the
Republic that were for the perpetuatlon OF the
Government of our fathers, and to perpetuate
the right of all beings to stand before the burn
ing eye of God, accountable to Him who died
for them that the will OF man should be free: ;"
After this accurate analysis Of the motives by
which Butler and Banks and Hunter and Nc
Neil and Turchin and the leaders of ''the
armies of the Republic were animated, the
orator paid to the fag-under which they
tought-a happy and original compliment lie
saluted it as ''the stars and stripes that waved
over the bloody fields of l776, and rode the
storm against the British lion.'' Of the fields
of l776 we remember to have heard, but never
before have our reason and imagination been SO
taken captive as they are by this picture Of the
storm which the American flag and the British
lion strove to ride out against each other. The
only other description that equals this in gran
deur is the passage wherein Mullins, referring
impressively to his well known and patriotic feats
says: II met the Southern Anak and negro God
and made it bow" With the recollection OF
all his mighty deeds pressing upon his mind, we
are not surprised that even the Intellect OF a
Mullins should have become slightly confused.
But while the paragraph which We proceed to
quote is unqucstionably little hazy, it is not
to be denied that in point of grace, fire and
logic it will compare favorably with the best
extracts from the speeches of Cicero or Charles
Sumner. Alluding, we do not know precisely
to what, Mr.. Mullins exclaimed: Now we
come in council together, and take to our DO.
SOM an old man called Abraham Aye, and
he saw there Dives, who had driven the negro
L.. l,ll, 4 xDox,l5 not piuo him even
crumbs and he saw figure coming up with
his garments dyed in blood. Who is. that l
see on the black horse, with the sword drawn
against the rainbow of hope and promise OF the
world-the stars and stripes? It is death rid
ing under the ensign of the Democratic party
of the South, in open VI ar against human hb-
erty and human rights. Then, soh, my soul
look down. and wonder at them coming up as
Dives. holy and never having stained their
hands in blood Now we ask to be forgiven
Oh, yes'' 4 - S'' r,ci 81 80 -Ts,
This extract is one of the most pleasing and
creditable specimens of Congressional oratory
that we have latel met with. While 1t IS 10,
cid it is at the same time highly poet!cal, ana an
though very igurative, it contains nothing llke
mixed metaphor. The crumbless negro, the
figure with blood. stained garments, the man on
the black horse, the rainbow of hope and prom
ise, the stars and stripes and the ensign OF the
Democratic party are charmingly blended IN
one harmonious illustration OF something.
What that something is We do not exactly ,ap-
preciate. but that perhaps is our fault, and we
do not on that account admire the eloquence,
of Mullins any the less. We would with all
due diHidence venture to suggest one alteration,
which, in our Judgment, would have made the
passage we have quoted absolutely perfect as
an oratorical effort. The climax would have
been, we think, much more telling and lar
more sublime if Mr.. Mullins, instead OF saying 1;
"Oh, YES, had thundered out Yes, Stree!
A PLAGUE OF LocUsTs. "A plague OF 10
Gusts is securing the island of Sardinia 10
wards the end of April the municipality OF Sas-
sari published manifesto offering seventy-lVe
centmes for every kilogramme Of locust brought
ia The result Of this offer was an average
supply for several days of forty hundred weight
per day: in three and -a-haIf days ten thousand
francs having been thus paid away. Then the
reward lowered to fifty centimes per kllo; ana,
unluckily, this reduced tariff was appheu TO
several sacks Of locust which had been pfoughI
in the day before the abatement rhaq peen
Known This exasperated the locust gatherels,
and strike ensued A letter from oassaf'
says: -, r !,
"a day lost means SO many myriads OF 10.
Gusts rescued from determination, and capable
Of over running the whole island. No one can an
form an idea Of the thing without seeing it. Ii
the hunt be not resumed tomorrow, IN lew
days we hall see the crops OF every klno, the
corn in the fields, vegetables, meadows the
young shoots Of the vino utterly destroyed
throughout the Whole plain of the sassarese: Sc
The municinaIitys has opened subscriptions tor
a loan Of. one hundred thousand francs. bnt
this viii certainly not suffice II the govern, RI
ment does not come to the assistance OF ln Inc
Parishes contributing share OF the EXPENSE e