The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1872-06-22
An Early Illinois Legislator.

An Early Illinois Legislator.
Among the early settlers of southern niinoi,
was Gen. Peter Warren, Of Shelby Co, warm.
hearted. generous man-quite an original char.
aeter OF considerable natural ability and force Of
will, but destitute of education and even Of gen.
srai knowledge. He served in the Legislature q
number of terms. and was in the state senate a
an early day. He was naturally impulslve, and
when excited BY passion, or stimulated BY in.
toxicsting drinks, he looked and talked like =
Wild man.
Previous to the construction Of any railway in
Illinois, discussion arose in the Senate ON an
application for charter Incorporating railroad
company This va. u new thing in state now
excelling every other in the Union for the lenpth
OF its railroads by hundreds Of miles. Few at
that time here, it must be remembered, had ever
seen railroad, or even had y correct idea of the
structure. Even as Late a. July 1847, the Hon.
Edward Bates, of Missouri, then president of the
Harbor and River Convention at Chicago, stated
from the stand, in his eloquent speech before tho
convention, that he had never seen railroad. II
Is not wonderful, then, that Peter Warren sup
posed, with his uniAformed neighbors, that rail.
road was constructed of rails and small logs laid
cross.wise on a path to secure safe passage over
swampy ground.
In the course of the discussion before the sen.
ate, Gen. Warren became much excited, and
availing himself Of the first opportunity, sprang
to the floor and got off the following harangue
Mr.. President-I rise, sir, to give you INV
opinion of this railroad business am opposed
to railroads as any man on the yearth, and have
good reason to be; for if you had been jolted and
jounced to death on railroad as have been on
that one from New Haven to Carmi, you would
hate um too. You know Hoey, don't You, Mr..
President? only wish you had hearn Hoey cuss
and swear when be broke his wagon all to smash
on that tarnal railroad! Why, sir, my constitu.
ents have lost little fortune in having their
eggs smashed on that railroad You know Scott,
don't you, Mr.. President THAT Scott that keeps
tavern in Carmi, and q raal fust rate tavern it
tbs tool Yes, sir, raal chicken fxen of tav-
ern to DO sure; none of your Springfeld
greaseys. But still, srtsr all, spose in tho ma
ter OF things, must mind my constituents, who
are all for railroads. and 80 must 90 for um.
While I'm up, Mr.. President, III give yox my
views on the Wolf Bill. Uacle Peter what's the
name of your Wolf Bill? (Here the President
called the Senator to order, and reminded him
that the Wolf Bill vas rot before the Senate, and
that its merits could not be discussed) Yours
mistaken in your nan, Mr.. President, I'm no
cussin' character; and it I war, I'd be right
down mighty sorry TO ouss that Wolf Bill. what
go for teeth and toe-nails! Mr.. President
there the President again celled the Senator TO
for if you be, you're into me about feet. He=s
the President said, 1.-THE Senator will take his
seat.D Mr.. Presiden.-as that two-headed gen.
tleman from Shamrock county said t'other day
I've got rights what shan't be trodden on, nor
treated with disconcern. These are my feelius,
SIR"
The same senator, OF another occasion, and n
like excited condition, rose in his place in tbs
senate, and spoke On the proprie.y of declaring;
the river Big Muddy navgiyabls stream:
Mr.. President-Ths members here may de-
clare long and loud that the Big Muddy is q
navlgable stream-yes, en- awful Yiver-but this
wont make it 80 in fact. What they are trying
to do here is all false and wrong True, M
President, in time Of aood, you may possibly
float broad horn boat of corn the river, but
that don't make it a navigaUle stream. The AL
mighty didn't see fit to make it sich, and think
this Ssnate cant override Him nor change His
work. Why. Mr.. President did you ever ses
that river after the spring rains war little owe,
and the ground water bad run Of? Look ut
that river in the summer Mr.. President, aaa
neither you nor any other ian of sense and truth
can call it anything but n mud hole. Why, NJ.
President, I've saw it in the summer, when war
getting over bust, and felt then that could
drink it all dry myself alone; and with all 70
spect for your worship, Mr. President, I'll say I
feel just about 80 now. But, Mr.. President. this
therefore let those what wish to declare tina, old
puddle, which scarcely runs halt the year, a nav
ig.ble stream, do so. We all know the whole
thing is cussed humbug -Ch'mso Record
*Peter Butler, Of Ware, County.
Hancock County. "Two-headed,' etc, vas
q cut AT the member from that cnuntv