The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-07-07

: From Packard's Monthly, for July.I -.
Mark TwaIn's Speech at the N. Y.
Press Club on the Late Reliable
Contraband. a..oJ
lLr. President and Gentlemen.
1t is my painful duty to mai these
festivities with tho announcement of
the death of one who was dear to us
all-our tried and noble friend, the
'.Reliablc Contraband." TO the world
at large this event will bring no sor-
row, for the world never comprehend
&C him, never knew him rs we did,
never had such cause to love him; but
unto as the calamity brings unuttora-
bic anguish-for it hcralds the loss of
one whose great heart beat for us
alone, whose t~irclcss tongue vibrated
in our interest only, whose fervcnt fan
cy wrought its miracles solely for u
enrichment and renown.
In his time what did he not do for
us? When marvels languished and
sensation dispatches grew tame, wlo
was it that laid down the shovel and
the hoe and came with healing on his
wings? The Reliable Contraband.-
When armies fled in panic and dismay,
and the great cause seemed lost be
You'd all hope of succor, who wa it
that turned the tide of war and gave
victory to the vanquished? The Re
liable Contraband When despair hung
its shadows about the heartsiof the
people, and sorrow sat on every face,
who was it that braved every danger
to bring cheering and incomprehensi-
bic news from the front? The Reli-
able Contraband. Who took Rich
mond the first time? The Reliable
Contraband. Who took it the second
time? The Reliable Contraband.-
Who took il curry time until the last,
and then felt the bitterness of hearing
a nation applaud the man more who
took it once than that greater nan who
had taken it six times before? The
Reliable Contraband. When we need
ed 4 bloodless victory to whom did we
look to win it? The Reliable Con-
traband. When we needed news to
make the peoples bowels yearn, and
their knotted and combined locks to
stand on end like quilts upon the fret
full porcupine, to whom did we look to
fitch it? The Reliable C~ontraband.
When we needed ony sort or description
of nows, upon any sort o. descriptl, n
of subject, who was it that stood al
ways ready to steal a horse and bring
that news along? The Reliable Con-
traband.
My friends, he was the ~faithfulest
vassal that eyer fought, bled and died
in the glorious ranks of journalism
Thunder and lightning eve stopped
him; annihilated railroads eve delay
ed him the telegraph overlook
him; military secresy never crippled
his knowledge; strategic feints never
confused his judgment cannon balls
couldn't kill him; clairvoyance couldn't
find him; Satan himself couldn't catch
him. His Information comprised all
knowledge, possible and impossible;
his imagination was utterly boundless
his capacity TO make mighty state
ments, and SO back them up as 10 make
an inch of truth cover an acre of
ground, without appearing to stretch
or tear, was a thing that appalled, even
the most unimprcssiblc with its awful
grandeur.
The Reliable C~ontraband is no
more! Born of the war, and Il neccs~
sity Of the war, and of the war only,
he watched its progress, took notes Of
its SUCCESSES and reverscs, manufacture
cd and recorded the most thrilling fca,
lures of its daily history, and then,
when it died, his great mission was
fulfilled, his occupation gone, and he
died likewise.
No journalist here present can lay
his hand upon his heart and say he
bad not cause to love this faithful
creature, over whose unsenticnt form
VIC crop these unwilling tcars-for no
journalist among us all can lay his
hand upon his heart and say he ever
lied with such pathos, such JUNCTION,
such exquisite symmetry, such sublim-
ity of conception and such felicity OF
execution, as when he did it through
and by the inspiration of this regally
gifted marvel of mendacity, the Ia
mcnted RELIABLE CoNTRABAYD.-
Peace TO his ashes!
Respectfully,
MARK TWAIN.