The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-05-16

now see--to reform that "pecular institu-
ton" of ours, better known as the "deyil''
of this office but, after most lavish ex-
penditure of precept and example, we have
given the task up as hopeless one. Our
"devil" will be "out o. nights" in spite of
all we can do, and his propensity to
"mouse around" will bring him into con-
tact with "strange bedfellows'' in spite Of
all he can do. Besides, he sets his face in
fcxibly against our teachings, and tho
roughly derides our example; so much so
in fact, that, as an institution" of this Of
fee, we are no longer responsible for what
he may say or do. In publishing this re-
port of Mr.. Squibob's speech, therefore,
we assume no responsibility beyond what
is patent on the face Of the facts as given
by our ubiquitous reporter, who declares
that he took the same down, uerbaim, ct
Gteratim, a .jesticulatim, as pronounced by
Mr.. Squibob in a late primary" where
tho ans were resolutely contesting the
ground, inch by inch, with the outs, in or
der to get the organization of the dominant
party into more healthiul hands than now
control it. The speech, with it's interrupt
tons, is such decided curiosity, that we
give it in full, with only slight improve
ment on the devils" photography. Mr..
Squibob, it will be understood, is an out
and out "o,,ter.n -"
.o-, ~ ~n 49,, sor,,on,e s,,,,e,r
hhpohf 'of MIS- 'Soin'D . 'r h'A' H.
Mr.. Sauibob {rising with an aspect OF
vinegar, a voice like saw-tiling, and the ges-
ture of pump-handle) said that he (Mr.
Souibob) was no political croaker. He
tapped no wings of ill-omen on the left !;
he played upon no sharp of thousand
strings'' as his friend Catgut, on the right,
did. TSensation on the right.l He was
nobody but plain Mr.. Squibob, and when
he said this, he meant what he said. Jap
plause.l But there might be such thing
as the throbbing of laudable ambition
even in his breast. He didn't deny it. 1t
was natural. Everybody must feel at
times as he did-laudably ambitious. But
he had never sought office for Offices sake,
and he should never refuse to accept it
for anybody's sake. Marked sensation
among the friends OF Catgut.1 Some men
were born TO greatness, some achieved it,
and some had greatness, or (what he con-
sdered the same thing office, thrust upon
them. "a significant glance at the Catgut
side of the house.l
But he (Mr. Squibob) didn't know that
there would be any effort to thrust Office
upon him. He hoped not. [Incredulity
expressed by the Catgut faction.l He
didn't train in the right crowd. [Symp-
toms of hissipg.l He had smashed no
ballot-boxes, nor had he been paid for
smashing any. [Storms of hisses. He
was Virginia anti-Grant Democratic
Conservative of the Old Dominion school,
and might be set down as harmonizing
with almost any set of political principles
opposed to the present Administration.
He was death ON that. In associating with
the Catgut faction, as he had done in the
administration of the city government, he
had simply designed to show his opposition
to the Grant administration, and not to af-
tiliate with the social and political ele-
ments of the Catgut faction any more than
was necessary to effect the grand object
they all had in opposition to the
Grant administration. He deprecated the
effort of the Catgut ring [hissesl to compel
the responsibility of Richmond to succomb
to its disorderly elements. Violent hisses.]
Mr.. Squibob was totally Indifferent to
these demonstrations of the Catgut faction.
He was satisfied to let the CALLED jade
vince. He had not made use of the term
'Rotgut faction" which had been attribu.
ted to him, but if worse came to worst
he should call things by their right names
If they were to be ruled by factious mi
nority, he, for one, wanted to know it. HI
was in favor of universal equality
among the white race, with such exceptions
as to carpet-baggers, scalawags and loca
'street rnffians' as he might name. :
Here Catgut attempted to get the floor, bn
was ''scraped" down.l He was also in ia
yor of uniting with the Catgut faction a
far as possible (and he thought with men Q
their political virtue it was possible to d.
almost anythlng) on the 'local nomina
TONS" lie was in favor of giving them
reasonable share of the offices, but the,
were not to have everything their own way
lie had gone into the Greeley movement
not because he disliked Greeley less, bu
because he hated Grant more; and thi
was substantially his attitude towards tn
Catgut ring. Here the speaker was inter
rupted by Mr.. Skinpn, ex-member
the last ward committee, who exhlblte
such alarming symptoms Of vitality that h
had to be choked down.
IL.