The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-04-15
Mr.. Sprague and His Speech

Tur recent sneech of Senator Sprague, |
of Rhode Islard. has, it would seem, been
the cause Of more and greater variety
of sensations. and those Of more endur- |
ing character, than any oratorical event
that has happened within long period.
Mr.. Sprague may not be, from strictly
intellectual or a strictly pclitico- philoso-
phical point of view, man of very por-
tentous dimensions, but, if any excuse is
needed for him in this respect, it may, per-
haps, be found in the fact that Washing
ton is not the place Of official resort Tor
any considerable number OF persons re,
markahle for their endowmenfs, natural
or acquired. The speech of MIR. Sprague,
not only in respect to its contents, but IN
respect to its motive. and the time OF its
delivery. is accounted for in various ways,
none of which include the idea that he is
a man having thoughts and opinions of
his own. well affected towards his coun-
try, and inspired by a sense of public re-
sponsibilities corresponding to the place
which he holds in the Senate Of the
United States He is the sOn-in-law OF
Mr. Chase who aspires to the Presidency.
He is the husband of the daughter of Mr..
Chase, who has a woman's ambition to
preside at the White House; and he is
simple automaton moved by the fingers OF
these ambitious individuals.
When man tells the truth-when he
enunciates an important and unwelcome
truth-it is not fair, in the absence of dis
tinct proof, to charge him with improper
or unworthy motives To such as do not
want to face the aspect of things which
Mr. Sprague has presented, it may be con-
venient to allude to the personal character
or relations of the party by whom they
are presented But if the facts are facts,
and they who seek in this manner TO turn
aside their face are conscious of their verl-
ty, nothing in the end is gained by the
practice, in general; nor does anything
appear 10 have been gained in this par
ticular However great or small a man
Mr.. Sprague, measured by abstract STAN
dards of magnitude, may be there are Ger
tain phases in the practical workings of
our economical condition which he has
doubtless the means of understanding bet
ter than any other member of the body to
which he belongs He is large manu-
heturer, one of the largest in New Eng
land, and has had occasion to become In
timately cOnversant with the events, poll
cy and legislation of the country, in their
bearing upon his own and upon manu-
featuring interests in general; nor could
he become acquainted with these without
also learning how the operative as well as
the capitalist class were affected.
Mr.. Sprague stepped out of the ranks
of the party of which he had been for
several years devoted and docile mem
Der, and uttered truths which were un-
welcome to the ears of those with whom
he mad been so long associated. 1t was
his first act of INSTRUMENTATION, of indie
pendence, of individuality. 1t was unex-
pected, undesired, unwelcome. How
came he to be inspired with this new &C
cession of moral courage? What right
had he to take on virtue at once so in
tense and so untimely? The Senate and
the party were as much astonished as was
the false prophet, when the docile little
animal upon which he rode broke his
life long silence and informed him of a
fact that was as unwelcOme as it was
astounding. The other party might say
the same things as often as they pleased /;
but they ere traitors, disloyal, Infamous
not to be believed even when they speak
the truth; but here was bomb burst in
the midst of their own camp, and no mea-
sures can be too energetic to stay its raw
ages and subdue the confagration it might
kindle
MIR. Sprague told the Senate that the
course which the party was pursuing led
&c selfdestruction, the ruin of the coun-
try, and the subversion of the Govern
ment. He told it, that in the place of
that prosperity which Senators imagined
to exist, there was state of general de-
preston with an alarming downward
tendency; that capital did not realize a
fair return upon its investments; that Ia
Dor was poorly rewarded; that the Ia
boring population of the manufacturing
States were upon the verge of helpless
and hopeless poverty; and that those of
the agricultural States were in no better
condition. He told the Senators that they
were ignorant of the state of the cOun-
try and of its interests, and were incapa-
BILE of learning; that our legislative bodies
were made of lawyers who began their po-
litical life at the wrong end, and forever
travelled in the wrong direction; who, so
far from comprehending the really great
questions of the times, and understanding
their Importance, scarcely knew of their
existence. He told them that all their
schemes for strengthening the public cred
it and for the distribution of Government
paper were absolutely futile; and that
the natural laws of human economy
vances. He denied that the public debt
is trifling affair, and that the country
can pay it without feeling it; and, on the
contrary, maintained that it is heavy
burden and he affirmed that, under the
influence eff the unwholesome elements OF
the times, and the bad example of the
rulers, the people are becoming fatally
demoralized. In spite of the unjust i'm
putations that have been cast upon the
motives of the speech, and the ridicule
that has been expended upon the person
of its author in spite of its defects and
incongruities, the speech has created a
profound mpression.-Mss0uri Repu9i
can, 9Th.
Congressional DespOtism :" Whither