The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1868-05-14

non TT Mercurius, which may be literally
translated, you cannot maka a statesman
out Of every demagogue.
Mr.. Speaker, tremble for my country.
IL it true that eighty odd years Of Republic
can Government have reduced US 20 low that
there is but one honest man in this House,
but one Lot in all this Sodom? Does no
voice but his ring out against cliques and
oonspiracios and rings? Will no voice but
his be heard in all the future assuring this
House that they arc all pack of knavcs,
that tho country is going to the devil, and
concluding with that favorito quotation Of
his launched at us from the vast stores Of
his erudilion:
r Shak emo, no, III; nS. cory LICK; mo.
gwen with roar like that Of wounded
gorilla, und ending with q rush for the
cloak-room amid the shouts and laughter Of
the House. Laughter.
Mr.. Speaker. that may not appear TO ex-
aggerate let me read to you one or two ex-
tracts from the gen.leman's speeches. On
the Goth Of March Of the present year, The
question under discussion being the Union
Pacific railroad, the gentleman spoke thus
Of this House:
1.-The lobby mustered in its full force. I
say nothing here Of the shameful means
which It is a!lsged'-
He hedges in his SANDER with an if
(which it is alleged were used in conf
Dental way"
ln quotation marks
40 carry through the bill; but do say
that the scene was one Of the most exciting
and animated that have ever witnessed in
service Of nearly sixteen years. The gal
ieries were packed with people interested
III the measure, by lobbyist, male and f.
male, and by shysters and adventurers,
hoping tor something to 'turn up Your
gildcd corridors were filled with lobbyists
who broke through all rules aud made their
way upon the floor and into the seats Of
members"
This, sir, was not an attack upon any
one man. 1t was an attack upon the virtue,
the desency, the honesty Of this entire
House, cowardly attack-because if he
knew that shameful means" were used it
was his duty to lay them bare.
Again, sir, in speaking ON the 10Th Of
March last Of smugglers, violaters Of the
law Of The land he told the country by in
situation, that they were potent in this
Chamber. Listen to him:
"Thls is great interest in the country,
IN interest which controls, l may say, hun
dreds Of millions Of dollars, an interest
which goes through Congress: No, sir
Laughter. y
Tie made his point, ''laughter''-
ian interest, would not say, that controls
New York city"
Why, Mr.. Speaker, if this be true, l
tremble for my country. What. if God, in
moment OF enthusiasm ut one Of the gen.
tlemans speeches, were TO pluck him to
his bosom and leave this wretched nation
staggering on in darkness to ruin! do not
wonder that the gentlman's family manifest
such an intense desire to get into Congress.
l fancy the gentleman--for what would b.
our loss would be heavens gain-I fancy
the gentleman haranguing the assembled
hosts Of heavens cherubims and tho sera-
phlms, the angels aud the archaugels! How
he would sail into them! How he would
rout them, horse, foot and dragons! How
he would attack their motives and fiog in
situations at their honestG! And how he
would declare for economy, and urge tina,
the wheels Of the universe must tie stopped
because they consumed too much grease
Laughter.
one word in conclusion. The gentleman
has assailed me, and it is but right that l
should put his own character in the balance.
What great measure in the sixteen years OF
legislation has the gentleman ever orr si-
mated? What liberal measure has ever MT
his support? What original sentiment has
he ever uttered? What thought Of Ills has
ever risen above the dead level Of the
dreariest platitudes! If he lay dead to
morrow in this Chamber. what heart in this
oody would experience one sincere pang of
sorrow? Who is there in this House he has
not assailed?
Why, he told the gentleman from Yer
mont Mr.. Woodbridge] the other day,
that every corrupt and profligate measure
| that was pressed in this body met his sup
port; and when the gentleman from Yer
| mont rose upon him he ciinged out of it like
| a whipped spaniel! Did be not say to my
friend from Philadelphia MIR. O'Neill] the
other day, that he would not say-for that
is the gentleman's way Of speaking-that
he would not say that the gentleman was
one of ring to swindle this country? Has
be not attacked my friend from Iowa, 1Mr.
Price, and aspersed his motives in his leg
islation in this body? He has sought to
build himself up upon our dishonor, to
glorify himself in our disgrace, to pollute
and befoul and traduce tho very body Of
which he is o member. Why, sir, his
harrangues are the staple Of the newspa-
pers Of the Opposition. We meet his
charges on the stump. By wholesale reck-
less assaults upon the honor and integrity
Of members he has lowered the standard Of
this body He has furnished argument for
the wit of Dan Rice. He has furnished
substance for The ISLANDERS Of the pot-house.
Mr. Speaker. need enter no defense of the For
teth Congress- In point of intellect, of devotion to
the public welfare Of integrity OF personal character
1t Will compare 1avorably with any Congress that
ever sat since the foundation Of our Government 1t
Is illustrated by names that would do honor to any
nation in any age OF the world.
And If there Le in our midst one low, sorGid vul-
gar soul; one barren, mediocre intelligence; one
heart callous to every kindly sentiment and every
one mouth which is like unto q den OF foul beasts
giving forth deadly odors; if there BIZ one character
which, while bloched and spotted all over yet
he here one bold, bad empty, believing demagogue,
it is the gentleman from illinois.
The Speaker. The Chair will state to the gentle
man from Minnesota that these remarks are not hon
orable to the House of Representatives, Of which he
is Member.
Mr.: Washburne of Illinois. hope the party will
The Speaker. Although the House may toler ate
such remarks the Chair cannot consent to permit
them to 60 upon the record without his protest.
M H. IT, nneily beg pardon Of the House; nave
no desire to trespass upon its rules no desire
offend its sense OF propriety. But members Of the
House will bear me out when say that no man WHO
have been the object. The newspapers of this
country from one end of it to the other are
the charges made by the gentleman; they are CLING
everywhere upon the wings OF the wind. And thinf
that the members Of this House who know th.t I
have never in ave years service here said dscour-
teous word to any gentleman upon this door that
have never before this time had occasion to riss here
TO personal explanation; that neither upon the