New-York tribune., 1876-01-05

were mostly made up before l took my seat
"-and therefore | stole nothing whatever"
Gen. Sbey, responding to the toast to the ex-
Governors, rejoiced "that no man called to fill
.'the high position of Chief Magistrate of the
Estate has trailed his official robes in the dust
"by prostituting the authority conferred on
"hm 10 purposes of private gain," and
added that "some of our sister States were
mot so fortunate in their selections" Mr. o.
C. Mcrriman said: Unfortunately, / am an
" Office -holder-I am the Mayor of Minneap-
/" oils but | never stole anything. 1t is sad
thought that when a man Acknowledges
that he was Mayor of Minneapolis he must
accompany the statement with the assertion
" that he did not steal.n Ex-Gov. and Senator
Alex. Ramsey said "The eX-GOyernors OF
minnesota are certainly credit to the State.
"The liveliest men in this assembly are the
"ex-Govenors they will put all the rest OF
"you under the table if you do not look out"
Mayor Maxlield of st. Paul said: Mayors
"secmed to be looked upon as thieves, and
"any man who would serve az Mayor OF ST.
"Paul for the salary he received must neces-
"sarily be a thief" This was all in spirit of
playfulness, OF course. And yet there are people
so unreasonable as to maintain that this sort OF
badinage this making free with such epithets
as "thicf," and this familiar discourse about
stealing as though it was good thing to joke
about, does not betOken a proper sensitive
ness upon questions of public and private
honor, nor Indicate a healthy moral tone.
One of the regular toasts was:
on. Delegahon IN Congress-ln order That the great
wall which is being constructed to fence back the waters
of the Mississippi at Minneapolis may be Dig dan the
appropriation must he dam big.
To this Col. VIM. ). King, member of Con-
crcss. late Postmaster of the House of Repre-
sentatives, and not long ago temporary resi-
dent of Canada while the Scrgeant-at- Arms of
tho House was engaged searching for him,
responded. He is reported as follows:
He said that II there was a struggling missionary OF
clergyman IN St. Paul. he would commend b him the
sentiment Of that toast. Notwithstanding the want OF
religious training OF Minneapolis and ST. Pau, nothing
can induce to refuse an appropriation We nero IN 81
Paul and Minneapolis, and throughout the state are IN
debted in great to Congressional appropria-
IONS Tor nl we our agrieutlre, our schools, The
navigation Of our ryels greatly owing to the gen
erous appropriations from Congress- and TO the efforts OF
our Congressional delegations
OF this speech and of the sentiment TO which
it was in response, much might be said. 1t
seems hardly necessary. though. All these
PROCEEDINGS carry their own comment. But
suppose any person to read the account Of
them who believes that "A mans integrity and
honor should no more be made a jest of than
wOman'5 virtue; or suppose some stranger
studying orr institutions should read the Hon.
Mr.. Kings toast and speech and be told that
this was part of the regular programme of an
entertainment in honor of the Governor OF
great State, and that the festivities were par
ticipatcd in and apparently enjoyed by the
representative men of the State, who had held
its highest oilices-what would be his impress
sion concerning the tone and character of our
public men, and the influence of our instltu-
tionsl We offer 10 criticism--only ask the
ouestlOu.