The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-03-06

Pact aeCoMD,

Pact SECOND.
The first charge o. which ] arraisA the last
two B,afds Of Edseasisa y ! gssssal enc, It l.
true, yet 70 ny mind. . vsry grave and solemn
one. 1t il this. They have uniformly. psrsis-
tently. and insxeusably failed 70 express, in any
fitting terms, their ssnss Of rssponsibility to the
sovereign people 1hs sleetsd tkem. They may
have felt this rsspalll ility. bat this dsss not
excuse them. WIN hass hey not givsa utter.
snce to II in suitabls laagsAgs, and done it Of.
ton ? We, the sovereign people. are . jealous
people, We care not 70 mush what our repre-
sentatives may do, but We are strenuous - to
what they shall sSv. We like to have them call
us the sovereign people and themselves our serv.
ants; to have them speak Of Is everything thsm-
selves nothing b have them frequently remind
us, in season and out Of season. here little and
there little, how large place We hold in their
thoughts and hearts, and how zealously they are
seeking to do our sovereign will. We like this,
having become accustomed to it, and will not
give it up without struggle.
Our last TIVE boards have been unpardenably
derelict in this representative duty 1 am in
formed that the exhortatiou, "Gentlemen, We
must mind that We are not doing for ourselves,
but are doing for the people whose servants We
ars,' has not been heard at 8 meeting of tho
board for the past two years. 1t is sad to be
obliged to chrsricls 70 melancholy evidence
of the degeneracy Of the times II was net al
ways thus am tsld by former member Of
the board who served one term during the Web
sterian period Of that body, that Appointment COL
league, in every financial contest in which he was
engaged-and they were many-trained the iden-
tlcal battery above quoted, in the centre snd on
both wings of nearly every speech he made, be.
sides making it do more or less proniscsous
battle. by sections, all along the line. When any
important subject came up for consideration, a.
the application Ct . janitor with large family
TO support, for two dollars month additional
compensation, or the bill OF some poor widow for
cleaning school room after election or, when
some minor matter was under discussion, as tho
election Of q principal or Of some half dozen as
sistants. the grand old Roman never failed to be
in readiness with his speech. True, in all essen.
tisl points, it was the same old speech, yet al
waye new, fresh, pathetic, AID marvellsusly inn
pressve. Economy was the key note, for finance
was tho orators strong hold, aad how to make
schools cheap, his constant study His keen sense
of responsibility to the people, whose servant he
was ever proud to acknowledge himself, made
him quite as watchful over small expenditures
as large ones. Indeed, if there was any differ.
ence, it in fsvsr of the smaller ones, as these
were the occasions Of his most frequent and elo-
quent exhortatioas to his colleagues. His elo-
quence was Of that rare native order that words
can give little conception Of, but which must be
listened to in order 70 be appreciated. and felt.
1t was characterized not so much BY grace
as by force and terrible earnestness With a
royal air he to his feet and stood firmly
upon them. Thanks to a generous Providence,
there was reason that he should not stand
firmly upon them. He was silent few moments,
his eyes cast heavenward, doubtless. seeking di.
vine aid in the giant effort so soon to be entered
On. tremor ran through his entire frame,
seemingly occssoned by general letting loose
Of his thoughts as be rose from his chair, and
their wild scramble as to which should mount
first to his lips. His face exhibited the most
fearful contortions, evidently caused by the firm
compression of the lips to keep all words but
those suited to the occasion from finding egress
therefrom. At length, the majestic lips parted.
and with an Undesirable pathss and sublinity
came forth the noble words "Gentlemen, we
must mind that We are net doing for ourselves
but are doing for the people vheee servants ve
arc"
Ny informant, in his time, had listened to
many eloquent men both in pulpit and forum; yet,
he assured me, that words never fell from speak.
ers lips whose wonderful earnestaess, and pa
thetio tenderness could 70 fill him with emotion
and keep him full all night afterwards, as those
of his grand cid colleague at evening meetings Of
the Board of Education, "Gentlemep, We must
mind that we arc not doing for ourselves but are
doing for The people whose servants We are"
If nobler words were ever addressed BY ser.
want Of the people to his colleagues, whore shall
we look for themp No apology is offered for
quoting them SO frequently. Words SO overflow.
ing with the true spirit Of our institutions,
stern, unyieldiny sense Of responsibility to the
sovereign power, the dear people, yet so entirely
free from the least shadow of suspicion OF dems.
yoguism, cannot be too often pressed on our
attention in these degenerate times They are
apples OF gold and deserve better setting than
language OF mine can give them. And their su.
thor, what shall the people do in his honor p.
Nothinp less than a statue should be Thought of