Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-04-22

plete.. l have got the Senate now, sure.
/ have got EN- yes, sir, / have got EN-
right so" saying which the Senator
laughed grimly, held up his hand and
gave an illustration by doubling up his
fingers of the firm hold he had on the en-
tire body Of the United States Senate.
"Got Anthony too, suppose 2
Yes, Anthony and the whole caboo-
die. Got EN- in tight place, too. They
have no mercy to expect from me"
pray, Senator, what has been the de-
meanor of the members towards you re-
Gently ?"
"Well, before this recent occasion of
my speaking in the Senate these fellows
treated me as if was puppy dog to be
kicked around and paid no attention to.
If they wanted any favors from me they
came and patted me on the back, said
'Sprague is nice fellow, incest fellow
in the world, but too modest and too gen
erous to get along in politics. The mo-
ment, however, l showed them what !
was and what l thought of them was
puppy dog no longer. No. sir; growled
too loud for puppy dog. I'm mastif
now, and they are the puppy dogs"
why dsn't they put you on the Com
mittee of Finance, Governor Z"
That's il" replied the Senator, l
trod on Sherman's corns, and there's the
trouble. The last time when these COM
mittees of the Senate were being made
up wanted to go on the Finance Com.
mittee, but Sherman worked against me,
and got such pukes put on as Cattell and
Warner. And now what have these fel-
lows done with that long telegraph pole
Sherman at their head2 Not a man of
them knows the sure science of finance.
Think of Cattell delivering an idea out
of that mutton-head of his upon the
proper means of checking our financial
decay The greatest blessing that has
befallen the country is that the commit
tees of both houses which have anything
to do with our finances and taxation have
had so few of their bills passed. They
know just enough to be dangerous, but
they will never know enough to do the
country any good. Well, was put, at
my own request, on the Committee OF
Claims and the Committee of Public
Lands. On both committees | put the
brakes down very soon. You have no
idea what a rotten institution our public
land system is, and it's very few people
know anything of how things are man
aged in these committees that have charge
Of the public domain. | found claim
before us one day protesting to date back
twenty years for tract Of land out West
on which improvements had been made
and settlers were living. This was only
one case out of many. Suppose this
claim was passed, these settlers would
have been made the victims Of some un-
rascal, with friends in Con-
gress to share his plumber"
Had you any brakes to put down in
The Committee on Claims, We inquired.
YES" he replied; there's another
committee that people know nothing
about. Claims Of the vilest character
come in there and need careful watching
10 prevent them going cut with an in.
iorsement. But / can't give my atten.
lion to everything. The subject on which
am now engaged is enough for any one
man"
people say, Governor, that they do
not comprehend exactly what you are
irving at Some insinuate that you are
bidding for the Presidency; others, that
you want to cut loose from your party,
and still more state in downright terms
hat you are crazy"
"Hold on II exclaimed the Governor I;
. let me answer the last charge. Yes-I
.m cracy-crazy, as every reformer has
been since the beginning of the world.
Because refuse to follow in the ruts OF
hat set calling itself the Senate of the
United States the cry is raised at once,
OH Sprsgue is crazy. / will let them
know before long exactly how crazy l
I'm. am not bidding for the Presidency
either. If it were offered to me to-mor-
.ow should only take it on conditions
,f being at liberty to kick out OF the
White House every office-seeker that dare
come into it. Not man should be ap.
pointed under me to Office because he
vas this mans friend or that mans sup
porter. would have an iucorrupible
BOARD Of examiners for every office under
he Government, and no man should be
appointed unless he showed the proper |
,apaclty 10 Hi III. Il WOuiu uioicSdtu
party altogether, and put only the best
men in the nation in places OF trust, but
IS know such a condition of things can |
never be attained, the Presidency is not |
nv ambition. Neither am about to cut |
oose from my party and attach myselfto !
he Democratic. Both parties are rotten,
,ut intend to build up new party, in |
which politics will have little to do. My |
party will have for its one grand princi'
lie the reform OF our finances, the rem.
iering Of money cheap, the reduction Of |
axation, the elevation of the working |
,lasses, the protection of labor, the i'm
,rovement of our cotton, agricultural, !
and manufacturing interests,
n shert, the making of this country |
.eally great, strong and prosperous. All |
-FOUR talk about the niger, Niger suffrage, |
state rights, women's rights, rebels,
md so forth, is only 6t for these |
I'D grannies in Congress. Where is
,ur shipping at this moment2 Who Of
hose men pestering eur ears all the time
.bout reconstruction, rebels, niEgers, and |
10 forth, has evss lifted his voice in favor
II the broken down commerce that was
,nce our pride and gloryi / tell yon,
,ir, these men would drive this country |
headlong to the devil in their greed for