The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-05-04
Small Vegetables,

DoxS PlATT disposcs of two Congress-
ional lunkheads who attempted to have
him removed from the clerkship of a
committee, because of his exposures of
Radical sconndrelism, in this wise:
II have, you know, from time to time,
let loose my opinion concerning the
Hon. Pisias Pigiron Of Pennsylvania,
and Senator Puttyface. | need not re-
peat that opinion here. During the last
few days of the session these two wait
ed on the Hon. Mr.. Dixon, chairman of
my committee, to know whether such a
clerk was to be tolerated.
II felt highly complimented I real
lied at once that my pen had penetrated
the thick hides of these demagogues.-
But, heaven hel p them, what way to
get even. How mean ard pitiable to
sneak into committee room to ask the
chairman if he had dog for clerk
and if he had no dog, to see to it that
he procured one at an early day, and
dismissed the man who dared to think
and write from the Conscientious dicta-
tes of his conscience. l do not know
what answer Mr. Dixon, who is q gen
tleman, made to this delegation, but
have no question but that it was in ac-
cordance with fact, that if the commit
tee did not feel honored by my presence,
/ would incontincntly dismiss the COM
mietee"
This was of piece of the same per
secution attempted by these men toward
David A. Wells, whose brain, industry
and patriotism had returned them to the
power they dlsgrace-more's the pity
They voted for the amendment that
would have taken from him q pitiful sal.
ary"
"If l could believe for a moment that
the Hon. Pigiron was sincere in anything
beyond an admiration for himself, /
would hold my hand and permit him to
pass, as one steps aside with a regard,
if not respect, for an honest hard
working iackass. But he is pure, un-
adulterated demagogue. His mouthing
sentences about the rights of the color
ell race make the drearicst cant that ever
sickened humanity, while his talk about
protection to American industry, while
the operatives. mechanics and lat torers
of his own district are suffering from
unjust legislation, only sickens one-for,
fool as he is, of this he knows better" !"
"As for ole Puttyface, he has nothing
in the world to run on but his money
l am the last man to drag any ones
private hfe into public, but he forgets
that in accepting a. high position he
gives bond and security that this private
life will not be disgraceful. When a
Senator gets drunk, the State he repre-
sents is disgraced. 1t is the State that
is intoxicated Nor can he, like a pri-
vate scalawag, run two families, for in
his person the State becomes polygam-
Gus, and a whole community is shamed.
l can Lot pollute my page with the do
ings of this man. who answers in a grave
body of legislators for Christian, civ
lized State"
hou tNo ouSu ldSCdio Ustlt lstih
about dismissing any one, only shows
the power of money and the stultifying
effects of an insane sickening egotism."
Il get indignant when l remember
that these two creatures hold response
BILE positions in the Government of my
country but when / heard of their in
reference with me, l laughed heartily.
There was such grotesque, absurd, ri
diculous conception of the relations of
things, that it grew ludicrous. l had
felt that 1 was honoring the committee
that it was something to boast of, for
the members to say that they had the
pleasure of my society, and the benefit
of my advice. An9 here were these leg
islative John Donkeys, going in for
something tremendous, and, having &C
complished it, marching of, with intense
satisfaction"
"The fact is, these people live on the
reporters gallery. They breath through
the quilts Of reporters and correspon-
dents, and if that source of vitality
were cut off, they would die in great
pain, without resignation"