The Portland daily press., 1869-04-20
'ernss $500 per aassuns, In adrance.

Halsted, gentleman with an iron gray mous-
tache as large as cataract, was diligently en-
gagged in copying.
"Does that complete the series of YOUR
speeches, Governor?' we asked, using his Ii
ties alternately for the sake of variety.
eyes, sir; that's the first series complete. l
have got the Senate now, sure. have got 'em;
yes sir, have got 'em right So" Saying
which the Senator laughed grimly, held up his
hand and gave an illustration by doubling up
his fingers of the hold he had on the entire
body of the United States Senate.
SCOT Anthony, too, / supposeY'
"Ycs. Anthony and the whole caboodle Got
'em in a tight place, too. They have no mer-
cy to expect from me-.
-"Pray, Senator, what has been the demeanor
of the members towards you recently?
"Well, before this recent occasion Of my
speaking in the Senate these fellows treated
me as it was puppy dog to De klcked
around and paid no attention 70. II they
wanted any tavors from me they came and
patted me on the back, said 'Sprague Is q nice
fellow, incest fellow in the world, but too mod
est and too generous to get along in politics =
The moment, however, i showed them what
was and what thought of them was puppy
dog no longer No, sir; growled too loud for
puppy dog. m mastitf now, and they are the
Why don't they put you on the Committee
Of Finance, GOVERNOR"
That's it, replied the Senator, 81 trod on
Sherman's corns, and there's the trouble. The
last time when these committees of tha Sem
ate Were being made up, l wanted to 90 on
the Finance Committee, but Sherman worked
against me, and got such pukes put on as Cat
tell and Warner. And now what have these
fellows done with that long telegraph pole
Sherman at their head? Not man Of them
knows the true science of finance. Think of
Cattell delivering an idea out of that mutton
head Of his ssupon the proper means Of check
ing our financial decay The greatest bless
ing that has befallen the country Is that the
committees of both Houses which have any
thing 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.
people say, Governor, that they do not
comprehend exactly what you are driving 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 down
right terms that you are crazy"
Hold 0nP exclaimed the Governor; "let
crazy as every reformer has been since the
beginning of the world. Because / refuse to
follow in the ruts of that set calling itself the
Senate of the United States the cry Ia raised
at once, 'Ohl Sprague is crazy" / win let
them know before long exactly how crazy I,
am. 1 am not bidding for the Presidency
either If iit were offered to me tomorrow
should only take it ON conditions of being at
liberty to kick out of the White Hsuse every
Office seeker that dare come into it. Not .
man should be appointed under me to Office
because he was this mans friend or that man 3
Who are these people in Rhode Island you
alluded to recently in your onslaught on An.
thony?" we inquired. fue
Brown and Ives" replied the Senator.
''They belong to that class of capitalists that
are the bane and the burden Of the country.
They have Anthony for champion. They
hold him, body and breeehes, and make him
perform all their jobs" ,r
"That's pretty hard on Anthony"
"No; net half hard enough. That whole
State is in the hands of these men. Now, out
of that big bundle of applications tor my
speeches, only two come from my State. The
truth is unpafatable and they don't want to
hear it," t
swell, Governor, when do you intend to re-
new your attack on legislative incompetency
and coIrupnon?'
"In due time shall have my heavy artillery
in position, and shall blaze away at every
mafk worth shot. I'm not going to waste
any ammunition. If / am attacked of course
1 shall reply: but in few days i must go
home and recruit, and by the middle of SUM
mef my health will be fully recuperated, and
by the time Congress assemblies again my
voice will be heard about the ears Of those fell
lows up there at the Capitol."