The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-02-03
Senator Mccreary,s Speech,

Washington has suddenly awakened to
an appreciation of the talented Kentucky
Senator who, on Monday of last week,
made himself famous and Morton misera-
BILE, on the Observation-Disclosures. Gideon"
the racy Washington correspondent of the
Chicago Times, writes an interesting letter
about this speech, from which we clip the
following
McCreary turns half tumbler of water
into his slit OF mouth, settles his hands
III his pockets, and In five minutes has the
wondering attention ofevery member pres
ent. Talking straight ON, with never a
line OF manuscript, he assumes the phe-
nominal phase at the start A member of
the Senate who does not read his speech,
after having patiently written it out, is
nondescrlpt, and the sagacious ones eye
him curlously to see him shortly break
down. lie has learned the opening por-
ton. they think, but will go to pieces by
and by. when interrupted by Morton. Yet
he sticks together remarkably, and Morton
seems to have no desire to break in with
hectoring questions. Soon it commences
to dawn upon his listeners that if Morton
or any one else attempts to poster him they
will catch the ear-ache There is the drol-
lery of Proctor Knott and the venom of
Calhoun in his sentences, and all are be-
ginning to see that he is an excellent man
to be let alone.
His text is the Kellogg election and his
bible the mammoth report OF the Congress
sional investigating committee. The testl-
mony therein presented is authority enough
for him and he does not pull in any outside
statements, although there would be rea-
son and justice in doing so if he wish
ed. One of the merriest fragments of
Senatorial satire which will ever be en-
balmed in the capitol library is his
sketch of Packard's oratorical raid
up the Mississippi The picture
of the deserted craft drifting down the
stream alone, while the band of devoted
statesmen suddenly radiate throughout
Louisiana to counterfeit the frauds of Nc
Enery's myrmidous, sends a smoker of sat
isfaction through the entire Senate With
rich humOr he paints the poor down-trod
) den negro following a 40-mile bend in the
Red river to vote, while the .lawless white
man cuts across lots in time to deposit his
ballot and get back to dinner. He rips
the fiimsy evidence upon which Morton
committee based its sycophantic report tt
flinders, and the Hoosier snatches lii
crutches in silent agony There can be nj
retort, for Grant has determined to back
water, public opinion has dashed radicalisn
into acknowledging the Kellogg -Durel
usurpations as hideous outrages, and all il
nuts and raisins for MeCreery.
With never flaw in the logical order O
his statements, and stopping only to tos;
; down frequent gulps of water, he plies thu
scourge Of ridicule and cogent argumen
until the apartment is in an uproar of JOLT
ty, and Carpenter savagely warns The
crowd that order is the Senate's first law
8 The admonition is but partially needed ,lfo
sides will shake and faces twist into ap
5 proving grins as the speaker holds vlciousl
to his course.
q A grotesque description of Durelfs fa
nous attempt to make midnight Crom
= we'll of himself in writing, and vivid pei
Grafton delineating the atrocious despotisr
regnant in Louisiana ends his address, an
McCreery rolls into his seat, the hero c
by far the best effort of his season.
Morton face creeps from the greenisl
gray tinge back to its accustomed tint
Sherman prepares to bestride the fnancis
hobby; the galleries unpack4 themselves
and the talk of the town, late into the nigh
is larded with compliments for Thomas NJ
Creery.