The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-04-10
From the ST. Louis Republican.
Richard and His Speech.

The above headline is somewhat pc
cpl;ar hut over in Illinois it will readily
he understood to refer to Brig. Gen. Rich
ard i Oglesby, at present United States
senator. We refer to him at this time for
several reasons, but mainly because, in
running our eve over list of the loyal and
patriotic orators who deluged Connecticut
with Great Columbian eloquence in behalf
of the Republican party in the recent cam
paign, we discovered in place Of some
prominence the name of Richard, Il oc-
Cured to Us that there was something par
ticularly and even touchingly appropriate
in this thing. The gubernatorial candi-
date in whose behalf Richard poured forth
his oratorical periods was the man who
fred hundred guns in honor Of Sheri-
dams victory over the legislature of Louis
lana. Richard stands peerless among
those orators who, if they ever did know
anything except the fact that we once had
q war in this country, long ago forgot it,
and concentrated their mighty mental en-
ergies upon the single point OF keeping the
loyal heart of the north properly fired. 1t
is true we never heard much of Richard
as warrior until after the war. But
herein was another point of keen sympa-
thy between him and Hundred Guns
Greene" as they call the Connecticut
hero; for we are assured that the only
loyal powder ever smelled by the latter
was that burned in the congratulatory
hundred guns from which he takes his so
briquet.
While we were in this contemplative and
analytical frame of mind, stray copy Of
q Connecticut paper happened to fall under
our observation, and it contained report
of Richards speech. We say Richard
speech instead of the formula lone OF
Richards speeches" advisedly for Rich
ard has but one. 1t is familiar old thing
in these parts. It has been heard upon a
thousand stumps in the northwest during
the last twelve years. Latterly Richard
has spoken it two or three times in the
United States senate, besides delivering il
as a memorial Grafton at the unwilling OF
the Lincoln statue It long ago ceased
to be thrilling, and now the only value il
possesses is as means OF affording tC
Richards larynx proper exercise. Perhaps
the most startling use to which Richard
was ever induced to apply this standard
speech of his was when he undertook t
make it fit the subject of finance in the
senate debates of one year ago last winter
On that memorable occasion Richard de-
clared that our present system of rag pa
per money was a legacy Of the "wah'
which saved the country, and as such i
should be cherished. He said it was
currency founded on the best blood of tn,
country, and as such it should be inflated
Then, when Richard was selected to pro
.nounee the final eulogy over the tomb o
Lincoln, he quietly drew forth from ar
ample pocket the time and toil-worn manu-
script of that old "wah" speech and fun!
it again at his bleeding country. Subse
quently, we believe, he succeeded in ring
ing it in again last winter, the occesslol
being the Louisiana debate in the senate
But the old speech was, somehow O
other, failure in the senate. The acous
tic properties of the senate chamber wer
not favorable to its greatest effect. There
fore it was with sigh of relief that Rich
ard mounted the stump in Connecticut an
began to vociterate his old ''wah' speec
again to a loyal multitude He told tn
Nutmegers that the Democracy were tn
same old traitors to the Union they Away
were, He declared that if any preser
imagined the "wah" to be over, that ma
must either be Democratic sympathize
or an idiot. AS for him, Richard J.Ogles
by, he knew the ''wah" was not over
There" said Richard, ARE the colore
people. Look at theml Daily and night
ly they are murdered by the hundreds an
by the thousands Their murderers al
the men who, ten or twelve years age
were in arms against you and I'LL" W
have no means of knowing who were Rich
ards auditors, and it is quite possible tina
when he used the expression, In arm
against you" he was uttering fact, BIZ
when he speaks of people who, ten
twelve years ago were in arms against l.
we think his imagination was too busil
engaged in supplying him with ready mad
facts to give his knowledge of Englis
grammar any show whatever. This wi
do, There was an infnitude OF the SAN
sort, but 1t is too monstrous for reprodu,
ton.
Of course we have no fault to find wit
Richards repetitions, be they never
frequent, of his ''wah' speech. But W
object to his trespassing upon groun
which was long ago, by common consen
patented to his colleague, John Logan
Illinois is very great state, and while sh
may afford to sacrifice one of her senator
in desperate onslaught upon the king
English, we thing she ought not to b
asked to cast both of them into the imm
nent deadly breach. The Republican ha
taken sort of personal pride in Logan
successful warfare upon the ghost {
Lindley Murray, and we never lose an OF
portunity to encourage John and "ag
him on, as it we're. But we believe
fair play. 1t is pretty even tussle b.
tween John and Lindley's ghost, and "
are standing by to prevent interference,
We, therefore, warn Oglesby to attend {
his 'wah, and in the future refrain fro,
interference in the fight which belongs
his colleague.