The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-04-29
Sprague's Speech at the Serenade Given
Him by the WOrkingmeD.

WHAT this Senator means in his fierce
philippe against the Senate, and against
Congress, and corruption generally, he
promises in recent speech before the
workiDgmen in Washington, who serenad-
ed him, to define in bill the next session
of Congress. The Senator said:
your House of Representatives, your
Executive and your Judiciary are to-day
influenced and in effect controlled by the
Senate, and the Senate itself is under the
control of one idea-power, and every
agency to advance that idea Thus it is
that the machinery of the Government is
so contracted, so narrow, that the interests
and the aspirations of the people find no
proper vent, but are stifled, corrupted, and
destroyed. The great trouble Is, the would
be leaders of the people are dwarfed into
mere partisan adventures.
&C come to preserve, not destroy. There
are admitted good reasons at times for
compromises of opinion, mainly in arrang-
ing and carrying out the details of affairs !;
but when, as has characterized our whole
history, compromise of principle come
forced in by mere party discipline, caucus
drill, then the whole people suffer, and
float and drift to their ruin. We cannot
Il
cate in the interest of the people is higher
than mere form of government, or society,
or business. Halfway measures will avail
nothing now, either in the advancement
OF the one or the security of the other.
We want settled principles, not wavering
compromises. All classes and conditions
of the people are anxious for something
fixed and determined; not lasting only,
but for the future, for all time
Few understand the cause of their
anxieties. Something burdens and
casts its shadow over all. Is it in the cor
ruptlOns and shortcomings of officials +?
Is 1t the arrogance and power of money
and consolidated capital? Is it the debts
and burdens Of the nation and people !?
1t is the scandals, shortcomings and cor
ruptions in high places, the upheavels and
uncertainties of society generally, result
ing in all manner of immoralities and
crimes. These are seen to the common
eye and to the common understanding.
These are obvious indications OF a wrong
state of things below the surface. If the
people were gathered cOmpactly in State,
instead of being scattered over a Cont
nent, there would be more light than even
now thrown under the surface, and by
that light remedy would be provided far
easier than now. AS it is, the people are
in the condition of country whose popu-
lation are unarmed and dispersed over
wide extent of country, with an invading
and destroying army quartercd in every
household, whose exactions increase every
day. All this is intensified and exagger-
ated by exOrbitant rates of interest and
the constant daily want of compensated en-
ployment and distributed capital. Moth
ing but an organization of great strength,
and similar character, operated directly in
the interest of the people themselves, can
certainly relieve the Individual and his
household from the enemy (want and the
wolO."
The serenade was in front of the house
oil the Senator, where Chief Justice Chase
resides, with his daughter, Mrs. Sprague
throughout the delivery of the Senator'S
speech, Chief Justice Chase stood near
tne door, pleased and attentive listener
to the remarks of his son-in- law.