Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-05-15

REMARKS OF MR-'PHELPS OF NEW JERSEY
In the debate preceding the slaughtering
of the Centennial appropriation bill in the
House, Mr.. Walter Phelps, of New Jersey.
the new wit of the House. said
Unfortunately this bill calls upon Us to
shed-not tears (alluding to a few sen
fences il Mr.. Fry's speech). but money
not money which we can take from the sur
plus of an Overlooking treasury, not money
which We can gather with easy hands by q
loan which our children must pay. but
money which we must tax on the business
and property of people which is not at
this time rich or prosperous And for what
Not 10 feed our poor, of whom we have
many ; not to strengthen our deieneeS, No.
10 unlock our harbors, not to straighten
our water but to initiate here, on the
soil of the New World fashionable, gauiy.
Old World pageant. like to that into which
all the principal sOvereignties of Europe.
one after the other, have poured their fl.
Golfers, and out of which they have taken
nothing but disappointment and failure
The people whom | represent have burdens
enough. and | am not the man to add u
them; and vet I admit with the gentle
man from Kansas (Mr. Cobb that it Is no;
4 pleasant task TO oppose measure which
is urged on the plea of patriotism. If there
is sentiment in the American heart that
can always be touched to the finest tissue,
1t is patriotism and next to that Is tina;
love of eloquence which makes almost every
citizen Cicero. And yet, here comes this
centennial business, which offers a field o.,
surprising richness, both of patriotism and
eloquence. 1t Is not simply unpleasant 10
oppose 1t; 1t Is dangerous for the member
hs,a +ara ~ kar..
bill. He will beaecused ola lack of patriot
ism, of lack Of sentiments, Of a lack OF
eloquence and which of us would like 70
be represented to his constituents a being
neither patriotic nor eloquent or. to use
the words which heard here the other day
(Butler to Cox, of being neither smart
nor good. The man whom our cOnstitu-
ents want Is man who can shed tears on
every proper occasion, and who can givea
piece of his mind to the effete monarehies Of
the Old World. They would be ashamed to
have member who cannot speak Of sara
t0ga and Yorktown, of Chapultepec and
New Orleans and DonelsOn and Vicksburg.
They would be ashamed Of any dumb dog
who would not talk of the battle-burned AMI
blood-stained greenbacks (another expires
sion used by Mr.. Frye), and pronounce
them the best currency at ten per cent
ul>COuHt tnat tue world ever saw.
They would be ashamed of a dumb
dog who does not dare in the face
OF the House and in the presence ofall
his constituents, from Maine or elsewhere.
to take that flag and carry it adown all the
countries with the same courage and the
same nerve as Sergt. Bates Laughter. ! | am
confident that man who dares on this floor
to oppose this appropriation will have the
pleasure OF reading the proceedings Of the
forty-fourth Congress in the quiet Of his
own home laughter, and yet am forced
10 oppose 1t. And still it is only to vote
So ,OOO, OO0-only paltry 50 900, 900, which
those fishermen on the coast of Maine would
owe to give Us. Does nv other Young
friend from Maine (Mr. Hale) forget that
his Is great nation? Ii owes two thousand
million dollars. Why not throw in a paltry
hree millions more in order to celebrate
'ur indel -udenee? l oppose this bill
the ACE OF my constituents
md IN the face of my own
legislature. The Legislature of New
Jersey has requested me to vote for this
MI. That Legislature made a terrible
mistake Hit had the good fortune to send
ne to the Senate and make me its represen-
ative, | would have obeyed its request.
sat stand here as the representative ofmy
eopie. and while accept with all respect
ne requests of the Legislature of New
ersey, accept them only as arguments
OF as conclusions, | respect them as.argu-
tents OF the highest authority, but obey
hem only when they indicate and represent
ne Will OF the people, to whom am re-
ponsIble. and in this case the request Of
lie New Jersey Legislature does not repre-
mt the will of my people For me to vote
give S3,O00,000 IT, this great festival
onld be to taunt the unemployed of Pater-
IN; and should never dare to walk again
those streets.