Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-04-05
Another Wonderful Speech Of Senator
sprague.


In the course of debate in the United
States Senate on the oath ult, Mr..
Sprague administered rebuke to the
galleries for laughing at him, the other
day, for saying that they reminded him
of the idiotic inmates of burning
dwelling, who laughed at ell warning and
persisted in the flames. He said he would,
nevertheless, repeat the warning. The
affairs of Congress we're being misman-
aged by lawyers. He felt interested in
the success of the Republican party in
the past, and had contributed to it, he
thought, as much in character, and q
good deal more in money, than other
Senators. Indeed, he believed his con-
tribution of the latter had been greater
than that Of all the other Senators COM
bined.
He deemed that Congress had restored
harmony or prosperity to the country,
and asserted that the people in the South
are robbers in state Of chronic reyolu-
ton, and that there was no justice for
the poor man, or protection for the rights
and liberties of the citizens in this
boosted land of freedom. Immigration
had fallen off. The industry aud agri-
culture of the country we're so Frustrated
at the West that immigrants can not
End remunerstive employment, for they
can not sell the products for enough to
supply themselves with the necesssries
of life. The reason is, that legislation
aud administration were so shaped as
to encourage capital to speculate upon
every industrial occupation in the coun-
try. If this course was to be continued,
in less than FIVE years there would be
clamor Tor a tariff to keep out foreign
cotton. Bat great as was the msman-
agement of our affairs in every depart
ment, the greatest abuses were 10 cur
financial policy.
That policy was directed and controlled
by the bankers They, no doubt, gave
as good advice as they could, but expe-
rience had always shown that dealers in
money knew little or nothing about the
relation of money to other occupations
and interests. The bearing Of all this
was, if the legislators Of the country had
done their own work SO badly, how could
they dare 10 assume the powers and d.
ties of the Executive also2 The social
condition of the country was quite as bad
as the financial condition. There were
less virtue and morality in American go
ciety than any other civilized society on
the face of the earth. The prevailing de-
moralizstion was frigbtfnl. What mother
could send her son outinto the world with
any confidence that be would be able to
resist the temptations that would sur.
round him2 What husband could close
bis door 2 Laughter
The country was on the brink Of a
precipice, and unless the people could be
reused from their apathy all was lost.
He had wished for and aided in the
election Of General Grant to the Presi-
dency, because be believed Grant had
not been contaminated by the politicians
and had the capacity required to see
through aud defeat their Vaccinations.
he had listened to ths inaugural address
with interest, and been pleased BY the
Presidents expression of his purpose TO
be independent in the discharge of bis
official duties: but when he heard the
passage asserting the sacredness Of
the public debt, he had gone
away disheariened and sorrowful,
because it had shown him the oanker
that possessed the American body-politic
had got possession of the President also
Still be Wss not without hope. Hehoped
the President would yet discover the
great error into which bad advisers had
led him, and would turn away from this
policy as from q eharnelhonse. With an
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