Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1874-01-03
STEPHENS on THE PRESS AID
DEMlG O6ISu.

Alexander H stephens, o. Georgia,
who, before the ordinance OF secession
vas passed by his STATE, was thorough
going Union man, aud electrified the
country by speech delivered before the
Georgia Legislature in favor OF maintain
ing the Federal Union. Being States
rights man, be followed the fortunes Of
his State and became Vice President OF
the Southern Coniederscy. After the re-
Inoval Of his political disabilities he was
elected to Congress. Though in feeble
health, and scarcely able to rise from his
seat, he made speech in the House re-
Gently which is attracting attention
throughout the country. We alluie to
his remarks on the repeal Of the salary
bill, brief notes Of which was made in
our Eastern dispatches some time since.
From the report OF Mr.. Stephens spesch
we make the following extracts:
He commenced by saying he would
examine the question before the House
l4Iel al 40 4lOAul GLAi lbtl III lk5 lJOtlkiGll
aspect. He spoke OF the comments Of the
public press on tue subject. He would
say nothing in deterioration Of the
power or usefulness Of the press. The
position OF journalist in this country was
one Of the highest, The fourth estate
did in this age control public sentiment,
bat he would in all earnestness say to the
press aud its conductors that nothing
was more important than that in treating
Of subjects with the massesot the people,
they should look well to the truth and
correctness in the principal of what they
addressed to the people. The press had
denounced as thieves and robbers the
members of the last Congress, and he
had seen one paper which represented
the raid on the treasury very much like
the Charge of the SIX hundred at Bala-
klava. He had thought the wit OF the rep
rssentation more appropriate than the
wisdom.
The gentleman from New York Or.
Tremain) had spoken yesterday of dem
nsogism. He (Stephens) maintained
that there could be no statesmanship
without it, There never had been a
statesman who was not demagogue
The word originally meant "a leader OF
the people" Pericles was a demagogue.
There were two kinds of demagogues-
the sham and tho genuine. The genu.
inc demagogue was the man who led the
people, who guided the people, The
sham demagogue plnGered to the errors
and prejudces OF the people. The rea
statesman was the physician OF humani
ty the sham demagogue simply courte(
favors i'll order to get Office and tn,
spolls OF office. He considered Chatham
AS the true genuine demagogue, ant
related an anecdote, 10 the effect tina
when the Commons were proposing tc
the English Cabinet a new measure o
taxation, including the taxing Of win
dows, he missed one member of the Cab
met, and asked for him by name. The
answer was that it made no diferenc,
whether that member was present or not
because he was fool. That is tn,
very reason" said Chatham, 'that
want him here, because the way h,
thinks about the thing is the way tina
the majority of the people Of England
may think about it, and l want to know
tae sentiment of the public He want
ed to know it-not to pander to it, bu
that he might 90 before the people ant
raise them to a sentiment Of the necessi
ty and propriety of the measure,
Recurring to the consideration OF tn
increased salary bill, Mr. Stephens sal,
that he was very glad to say that it was
measure for which neither political part
was responsible. His opinion was, tina
the Democrats, in the proportion of thei
votes in Congress, were quite as respon
sible as the Republican party. The gen
tleman from New York tTremain) ha
admitted yesterday that, under the Con
stitution, every Congress had right t.
fix its own compensation. 1t had don
so from the beginning OF the Govern
ment. 1t had frequently increased tn
compensation and the increase was a
ways and necessarily retroactive. Worth
and in the early part of this century
The brightest ornaments in America
history had subjected themselves to b
denounced as salary grabbers and thieves
The first great thing to be learned i
this life--that which mad been taught
the schools of ancient Greece-was
discriminate between that which Ii
multitude thought was right and tht
which was right in itself. If there wa
anything wrong, anything immoral, an.
thing dishonest, anything which woul
reflect disgrace on mans memory fe
taking that legal appropriation, he wan
cd to know where it was. II it was wron
for members to take what the law a
lowed, where were men to find rule {
right and wrong? His remarks on th
subject did not, he said, apply to hin
self, but he was o citizen OF the countr,
and he felt o deep interest in the dignit
and character Of Congress. He elaine