The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1874-03-17
DEADHEAD MAILS.
A NEW coxsREssIosAL uuMoRlsr

From speech of Walter Phelps. of New
Jersey, in the House ON Repeating the
Franking Privilege and Freedom of the
Mails for County Newspapcrs.l
When / remember that we are what
my friend from Massachusetts, MIR. q. +.
Hoar) 90 appropriately called US few
DAYS ago in q moment Of excitement,
when remember in his words, we arc
"body Of intelligent statesman" l submit
Mr.. speaker, our record 10 puzzllng and
unsatisfactory. Laughter.
What Is that record? We camo here
fresh from the people, eager to win repu,a-
tion for ourselves and to save the COM
monwealth. What did we do7 We be-
gan TO speAke; you spoke, Mr.. speaker;
1spoke; and every man who got the Hoor
spoke-for whst3 To demonstrate to tn,
people our willingness to sacrifice even
our own salaries. Laughter w,
waited ten days on talk, and when nm enc
came, when we were all tired
whom We were all hungry, whef
We were all sleepy, my indie
fatigable friend from Maine (Mr. Hale
insisted we should stay here late into Tn,
evening that be might read usa lectur,
on the selfish extravaganza which woull
cut down our salaries to only SC, 600, in
stead Of $500 laughter - q sum
which he had recommended, and more
than once urged us 10 adopt. And the
father Of the House Mr.. Dawes), rising
to the height of the great subject,
in voice whose sepulehral warn
ing yet fingers in my ear, as
sured us again and again that he
could bide his time--he could bide his
time. / went homo that night, distressed
that could not look upon this matter Of
$500 IS one of such stupendous import
Ance, But, sir, at the same time, il enter
cd my heart 70 think that under leaders SO
jealous the Republic could never take any
detriment. But, mark you, the very next
morning, or the next morning but one,
my friend upon my right, the gentleman
from Iowa Mr.. Donnsn), the chairman
OF the committee on printing, modestly
stepped to the front and, in this same
house and before the same earnest ccono-
mists, proposed bill for what To print
for gratuitous distribution 2t0,O 900 copies
OF the agricultural report; not $50 not
$500, nor $4,000, but 26o, 900 copies of the
agricultural report. How l admired the
audacity Of my friend from Iowa. How
l pitied his fate If there had been such
protests and speeches for poor $500 whs,
would be the fate Of man who dared TO
come before this house and propose tina.
We should throw 100000 into the rag
bags and barber-shops of tho nation ? Mr.
Speaker, my indefatigable friend from
Maine never once took the floor upon that
question; the father Of the house refused
utterly TO prophecy, and the bill of nv
friend from Iowa went through without
bjeotion-oertainly without discussion.
After full csnsiderstion, the House, by
ons Of the most unanimous votes l have
witnessed this session, declared that as for
!hsm they would provide frst for the dis
ribution Of garden-seeds, and after that
or the distribution of the currency.
Laughter When / sought the explain
'tion Of this seemingly mex plioable de-
'ision--what was it, The reply which |
aever hear upon this floor, but which l
lear in my seat or whispered in the lobby,
IL was the Changers" that the Grangers
lad called the attention Of their Represen- |
atves that Spring had come, and the
arth was waiting for its sseds, and there |
olld DO no further delay. Laughter,1 |
am perfectly convinced that neither
this House nor in the ether IL there TO
70 found men who would dishonesty use
privilege like this. Tho statement is
alse on the face Of t. Am to believe
nth my friend from Missouri Mr.. Buck.
err, that any Of these members now
Athered round me-mem bers who repre-
snt intelligent constituencies - any in
aus collection OF intelligent statesmen 1"
mo would use his frank to send his dirty
nen home TO the wash? Laughter
II, the idea IL preposterous A member
mo would use his frank to send his soiled
men TO his washerwomsn would neyer
ave any. Renewed laughter Wns
is'e man OF us who got the floor who
not cry ior economy? Was there q
Am OF US able to find that particular
ienure on which he was willing to prac.
&c III Laughter
saia opposed this measure in the in
ne,' OF economy. oppose it now in
ie interest Of that universal Justice which
sall praise as We do economy, but which
efefuss to practice, jus. as we do econ
my Laughter. But my borrowed
me siiews only question on this point.
iair 10 the people OF these Tnited
sAses to tax them all, A, b, & and ID. all
'wn to 2, in order that we NAV give a
ook TO AT claim this lie not in pepub-
can doctrine. 1t is wrong, and we have
business 70 tax fifty people to give lux
But, Mr.. Speaker, l have concealed
wv Of the truth For every
tier which j received asking
the siiurian period, or the
ustaceous formation, or the isothermal |
cory, l received two letters which pre-
~ different request. For eyery letter
king for public document patent.
ice report, ] get letter politely and
ndly asking the loan OF S5. Laugh.
~ Now ask if we are
furnish all our constituents
it'll all they want-with their heat,
ith their information, with their virtue
ust We not also furnish them with
oneyi Yet l do not hear one single
smber, even If he represents n grange,
40 stands upon this floor TO ask that in
dition to the agricultural report and
mothemal theory, We shall also by free
tributiou send SIS 10 each Of our con.
tuents. And yet would not the So help
pre- that the agricultural report in our
sction next fallf
SusS mere again ! strike fairly against
d take issue with the gentleman from
inois. am not Granger, and 7 40
8 want TO give them what thew want
Say IL very boldly. Laughter / DO
like Granger principles. Tho Gran.
did not nominate me; the Granger
] not vote for me. Tho Republican
rty nominated me and the Republican
> rty voted for me. and can know no
Ter. ! shall be loyal to the sentiments
the Republican party over shall
nd by the principles which the Repub.
Tln party has declared ever; and / sh all
Id my loyalty TO the Republican party
give In my isalty 10 this ney party Of