Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-08-09
gelluws falls Times,
FALLS, AUG. 9, 1872.
MIR. Conkling's Great Speech.
FURTHER EXTRACTS.

FURTHER EXTRACTS.
We continue this week further ex.
tracts from the great speech of Senator
Conkling in which he made such mas
terly defence of the president from the
most unscrupulous and vindictive attacks.
We select those portions touching the
charge of gift-taking and of "nepot-
ism," as it is on these points that the OPP
position have fixed SO great part of
their harping and fault-fnding:
GIFT TAKING.
But let us 60 back moment to Grant
before he seriously thought of being
President and when he was only the idol
of the nation. Returning from the field
covered with glory, but poor in money,
the aff1uent, whose fortunes he had saved,
met him with munificent offerings. In
this they followed the customs of ancient
and modern times. The austere repub-
lies of antiquity enriched and ennobled
their heroes returning from victory.
England, with an unwritten constitution
and an omnipotent Parliament, which a
lawyer once said "could do anything
but to make man woman" has en-
rIched her Generals both by acts of Par
Lament and by voluntary subscriptions.
In the United States the constitution does
not permit Congress to act in such mat
ters. Here they rest wholly in the vol
untary action of individuals, and that
public presentations to heroes involved
turpitude in givers or recipients has been
first found out by spurious reformers and
libellers now clamoring for notice. We'll
lington received from his governmentand
his neighbors more than three million
dollars. British citizens of Calcutta made
him presents, the officers of the army
gave him $4,000, the House of Com
mons voted 100000, and mansion
and estate we're purchased for him by
subscription at cost of 81 100000. Be
sides this he was three times enobled,
twice by England and once by Spain.
Oliver Cromwell for deeds done in civil
war received s32,500 year in gifts.
Marlborough was given stately palace
and splendid fortune. Nelson and his
family were enobled and received S70,-
900. Jewels and money were given to
| Fairfax for services in civil war. The
generals and admirals of England and
France have generally been recipients of
great pecuniary benefits. In England
and elsewhere the custom of presents to
public men has gone beyond the army
and navy. Richard Golden, a civilian,
in token of political service only, was
given s350,000. John Bright has just
received costly gifts.
America, younger and poorer, with few
wars to breed heroes, has been less lavish
than older nations; but Americans have
not been stingy. Gen. Mcclellan, per-
haps, begins the list of largely rewarded
Generals. His active service ended be.
fore the war was over, and his democrat
ic admirers, prior to nominating him for
the presidency, presented him costly
house and large purse, amounting in
all to hundred thousand dollars.
To Sherman, Sheridan, Farragut and
Grant, large sums were given. To Stan
toms family, and Rawlin's, were given
more than hundred thousand each.
Were these things dishonorable? Was
it wrong for Gen. Grant to receive such
gifts? The charge is an insult to the
nation who witnessed and applauded the
proceeding; it is an imputation upon
those who gave, as much as upon him
who received 1t cannot have been dis
honorable or improper for him to accept
gift, without being dishonorable and
improper to offer it.
How must the cant and snivel we hear,
seem to the people of Germany just now.
Bismark, though Chancellor and Prime
Minister, has just received as a gift, in
token of his services in the recent war, a
magnificent landed estate, worth more
than was given to all our Generals and
Bismark, in like token, has been made
Prince. Gen. Won Moltke, for his servi-
ces in the German-Eranco war, has been
given $500, 900; and Germany has set
apart, from the French indemnity fund,
four million dollars, to be distributed 10
gifts to her heroes. Do YOU believe any
German, or any man with German
heart in his bosom, will ever be mean
enough to throw these gifts in the face
of those who earned and accepted them
If there is a man mean enough to do it,
he will be safer in the Greeley menager-
ie, than he would in any hiding-place in
Germany.
Yet gift-taking, forsooth, is paraded by
political Pharisees. One thing is notice
able; the men who screech about gift
taking, are those who never gave cent,
and who we're never openly offered cent
certainly not for any honorable service
rendered to their country. The charge