Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-02-23

We give below the now some
what famous, funny speech, made
by our member on the floor of the
House on Tuesday. The matter
under consideration was the bill of
Mr.. Irish to make it unlawful for
the members of this and future
General Assemblies to receive mile
age, postage stamps, and other per-
quisitcs at the expense of the State.
Mr.. Hovcy moved to amend to re-
duce the per diem to one dollar,
and that to be drawn only for actual
attendance. This was met by
motions to refer, to postpone indie
finatcly, and other attempts to cut
it off. TO those motions, Mr.. How
cy responded as follows:
1t is useless to thus attempt to
dispose of this question. BY it's
frequent occurrence here we are
admonished that it is solemn sub.
ject, and one that requires our scri.
GUS attention. It's with regret that
I am compelled to offer an amend
ment to bill containing so many
excellcnces as the bill before the
house, but when anything is SO very
near perfect it seems pity that it
should not be made entirely perfect,
and flattcr myself that with my
amendment this bill will be as near
perfect as the imperfcction ofhuman
nature will admit of. And then
there is another reason why l offer
this amendment. There seems to
be brisk competition among a
portion Of the members of this
house, to see who shall be most
radical in the measures Of economy
which they shall introduce.
Now l confess to some ambition
in this direction myself, but l am
constitutionally disinclined to hard
labor and l AM better pleased to
shine by light borrowed from the
author of this bill than by a taper
Of my own lighting, and from my
experience in this house l am firmly
convicted that the economy hobby
horse is a patient animal and will
carry double without baking, and
it suits my inclination and purpose
better to jump on behind and take a
ride with the gentlemen from John
son than to be at the expense and
trouble Of getting out a livery ofmy
own.
/ can conceive of no argument
which can be advanced in favor OF
the original bill but will apply with
equal force to this amendment.
The gentleman from Franklin, the
gentleman from Webster, and the
conscientious gentleman, from
Jefferson (Hopkirk,) have all in
troduced bills looking in the same
general direction, but they all tail
Of immediate application. They all
put far away the evil day. They
propose to lay the axe to the roo,
of the tree in the days that arc to
come. This bill proposes to take
effect now and upon the members Of
this present Legislature. They pro
pose to devote to martyrdom the
innocent, unknown and unborn
members of this fifteenth general
assembly.
This bill proposes to make mar
tyrs of ourselves, and in looking
over the members Of this house
am deeply penetrated with the idea
that there never was an equal mum
Der of men assembled together who
would more respectfully fill the mar
tyr's niche in the temple of fame
than the members of this presen,
house.
The song should no longer be
with us 81 want to be an angel
but 81 want to be a martyr" and
when we have all learned the song
so that we can sing it in unison,
think can safely assure this house
that our constituents will place nc
impediment in the way Of our car
rying out this plous wish of not
only becoming martyrs but saints
Also"