The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-08-24
a Missouri statesman.


How little knows the world ui the WAYS
and means whereby men ride into p0uu-
larity and power Poor Bill Sloan OF Mis-
souri,, when write the above sentence
think oi YOU. Bright genius impractca-
bic elf. where art thou lloating on the
great sea Of human!ty? Methinks twas
near twenty years ago, when knew Bill.
He was then tWelve-hundred-dolar clerk
III the treasury at Washington. We board
ed Mt the same house, ;nd We're in con
stant communion. "Biil.' said one day,
81 have just read the speech made in Tie
house yesterday on 'the public cNpendi-
lures by your congressman, Judge Allen,
from Missouri Ii is y very able produc-
ton. DO YOU know the ludge?'
''Um! laas. | may truly say | do, and
Ohis in contldence) to my SORROW
''lloW so-eXplain, Will yoH -
"Well, Allen was IL little probate fellow
in one of the back counties Years ago,
while | ran II log-ctbn school-housc in
the same locality. The fellow thought
himself smart enough for a congressman
and as there were no other asprantS he
managed to Slide in. just after he WAS
elected, he came to me and said: 'BlI,
how would You like II twelve hundred Idol
lar cicrkship at the ctpt;.l?' ~ decided
improvements said |. One hundred per
month as clerk is more congcnial than
twenty-five per month Us Il pcdagogue'
SO to Washington went with Allen The
Judge had II soft place, tell YOU lie WAS
assigned Il place on one on two commit
tees, but never attended, his time being
chiefly spent ut Il second-rate tavern, en-
gagged in cuchre, at whica game he is an
l,l .,tl. | Ill.
however; but one day he called at my
boarding house and wished to see Inc pri-
vately, in my room, ON special business.
70 my room we proceeded, and here he
said: Bill, I'm getting letters from my
constituents all the time, demanding 1
shall speak on the great question of the
acquisition Of California. Good joke, that
my oratory on California; Now, Bill.
you must get me out o. the scrape. You
must write me out Il speech DO it in
splendid style, and III give You three hun
dred dollars 'Will you, and let me have
it in week, Judge?' said |, ING his
hand. You shall have the speech went
to work on that speech. | traced the his
tory OF California from the time of its dis
cOvery, referred to its mountains and riv-
ers, mines, woods, fisheries, and iurs
how indispensable it was to the prosperity
of the whole nation, etc. and embodied
all the thoughts these subjects would
elicit into that speech. 1t cost me Il world
Of labor. At the end Of the week | handed
it to the judge. lie was delighted. Did he
deliver it III the house ? Not u bit of it.
He couldn't have accomplished the task.
During the rush Of business one day he
asked consent to have his speech printed,
and consent having been given, away that
speech flew over the judges district. tell
you it raised him up to the summit of hap
piness, for every mail brought him CON
gratulatory letters. Did | receive the
three hundred dollars? YOU will ask This
is my reply: One day Allen came into my
room, and seemed unusually sociable We
talked over old times, and finally, he said
Bill, do you play euchre :? Occasionally
| replied. We'll, | owe you three hundred
dollars, and will play you three straight
games, whether it shall be doubled or
wiped out Six hundred dollars, thought
|, here's a chance for a good strike | &c
cepted the Judges proposition, and away
went my three hundred dollars. Now.
you were just talking about that National
Expenditure speech. That speech, my
boy, is NY production, and the Judge
agreed to pay me 5000 for it. He wants
to euchre me out OF that amount too, but
| have told him Judge, pay up. or I'll
give the history Of these speeches to all
your constituents fancy he'll pay. All
this in strict confidence, my boy"
~. 1