Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-04-20
Senator Anthony's Reply to Sprague

The sudden outburst of Senator
Sprague, which some paper likens to
the revolt of Oliver Twist against !
Noah Claypole and Mr.. Bundle, SEEM
ed so to paralyze his honorable asso-
ciates that they were unable to reply, |
unless indeed they thought it unnec-
essary to respond to such vague gen.
eralities. At length a personal attack
brough Mr.. Anthony to his feet, and
resulted in complete annibilation of
the capitalist, if he only was able to
comprehend it: Among other good
things, Mr.. Anthony said:
shall not attempt the defense of
the Senate. If his peers who listened
with amazement at my colleagues as
sault upon the reputation of this body
intellectually and morally, think it
needs defense others may undertake
it. The other day the Senate was en-
gagged in financial debate, and among
those who participated in it were the
senator from Maine, (Mr. Fessenden, J
chairman of the committee on &ppro-
priations, and formerly Secretary of
the Treasury; the senator from Ohio,
(Mr. Sherman chairman of the CON-
mittee on finance; the senator from
Vermont, (Mr. Morrill,) who long
held practically the leading place on
finance in the House; the senator
from Indiana, (Mr. Norton who car
ried his state through one year of the
war without an appropriation; the SEN
ators from Massachusetts, and others
whom | do not recall. And after
they had spoken my colleague rose
and modestly said quote from the
Globe:
II have never heard, I think, in my
life,so much ignorance displayed in any
matter, as | have in the discussion of
the banking question, today"
You and |, Mr.. President, have
been accustomed to think that these
men knew something about finance ;
they could throw light on any subject
to which they gave their attention, and
upon which they expressed their
views. But my colleague informs US
that their light is all darkness. Yet,
Mr.. President, he should deal more
tenderly with the ignorance of his as
sOciates. They are not to blame for
it. Men of small mental caliber and
of limited information cannot be eX-
pected to stand by the side of the
great intellects that rule the world.
My colleague should remember that
if we are ignorant, it is but lately that
he has spoken. Until then how should
We know anything? Till Harvey the
world did not know the circulation of
the blood; till Watt. it did not know
the power of steam; till Morse, it did
not know that lightning could talk.
And shall we be reproached, that be-
fore a greater than all Of them burst
upon the Senate, we did not under
stand the mysteries of finance? Least
of all should the reproach come from
the man who knowing all about it, yet
has sat here so long in silence, and on
ly latterly condescended to enlighten
US, has but just held out his hand to
save a perishing country. l do not de-
spair with my colleague in finance
with Colorado Jewett in diplomacy,
and with George Francis Train on
general statesmanship-and ! learn
with much pleasure that both of these
eminent men have given in their ad
hesion to my colleagues views-the
country, or some portion of it, will be
saved. Nay, more, | think that by a
careful study of my colleagues recent
speeches, by profound attention to the
propositions which he lays down, to
the logical deductions which he draws
from them, and to the clear and com
pact reasoning with which he enforces
them, it is not altogether impossible
that the feeble intellect of the senator
from Vermont Mr.. Edmunds) and the
small information of the senator from
Indiana Mr.. Morton) may rise to &
r comprehension of the elemental prin
, ciples of that science of which my col
E league is the only masterl
We are suffering no evils at homo
I such as my colleague holds up to 6
. Mortified country. The manufacture
+ of textile fabrics has somewhat ex
= ceeded the demand, and, by the plain
b est law of political economy, the over
supply presses on the price. But it il
not on account of any crushing out tC
which others have been subjected by
the operation of the same law which
has conducted another man to greater
prosperity. In the present stagnatioI
Of business, and in the present strin
gency of money-a little relieved,
9 am happy to note by the last accounts
d some of the mills may be compelled
to stop, some of the weaker ones Ma.
+ 60 to the wall. These are the ordi
t nary changes and chances of trade
J. They occur periodically, but the re
turning wave of prosperity washe
away the wrecks that were stranded
in the last years disaster, and advanc
: eS still further the high water mark OF
u national wealth. When | last heart
. from the valley Of my native river, thu
busy hum of industry resoundeC
through all its meandering course
5 High above the roaring of the fallin.
e waters, every drop taxed to the full
g extent of its motive power, rose tn
sound of the whirling spindle and tn
Ill Il q Al