Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-04-23
Mr.. TOWnsend's Remarks on the
Bill to reimburse William and
Mary College in Virginia.

MIR. Townsend Of New York, took the floor and
spoke with emphasis. | came to this House, he
sand, with the desire, before taking my oath, to do
equal and exact justice to all parts OF this Union.
We had been divded we nad come together
again We had a common county, aud Virginia,
the Carolinas and Georgia are part f my coun-
try, and no man can take away my interest Ia
them. God has given it, and my brethren have
shed their blood for my right. When am called
upon TO act in refe ence to the interests OF Vir.
ginia, am acting for my country, and will do
for Virginia all | would do for New York, or all |
would do for my earlier home, Massachusetts
Now let us look this matter IN the face. My
friends who know me know that shall call thing,
by THEN right names | am not told by Virginia
gentleman that l must not talk about matters il
Lne past How comes William and Mary College
mere True, she graduated Washington. | had
the benefits of u collegiate educaton, but my col
ege has not taken inventory. | came from
Massachusetts originally. That Is proud State
but she has not the government of an inventory.
she does not come here to tue National Congress
and before the world leaning upon her inventory.
We do not talk so much about our great men ~
Virginia does but | shall not stand in The pres
ence OF the National Congress and admit that Vr-
gina has anything to boast IN her great men over
the land that produced the Adamses aud the Win
throps, or over the land which produced William
H. Seward, Silas Wright and Martin Van Buren,
A member And Webster.
Mr.. Townsend-l am going to talk about Web
ster III another part of what | have to say
Laughter The college Of William and Mary
nas produced great men, She has great and hon.
orable traditions, but why did she not follow the
traditions OF her great men Did William and Mary
College, when she sent 81 of her IS teachers
INTO the rebel army, follow the doctrines of Wash
ington IN his farewell address 7 Did she do so in
teaching secession and rebellion for thirty years
before the war, by which the "Hotspurs' of the
South were stirred up to drag the common people
into bloOd,hed, war, destruction, and four years
OF misery Did Mason when he went out to
carry the message of the Confederate States to
Great Britain, think that he was following in the
footsteps OF that other Mason, his klnsman, who
talked Of the abolition Of slavery on his way to
the National Convention to look after the earlier
interests OF the colonies ? No, it is because this
college forgot her great men that she comes here
to-day, suppllant, crnging, begging for money, at
The hands OF those whose sons she has caused to
lie down in bloody graves by the side of her own
sons whom she bounded on to death aud destruc-
ton. All. but Virginia is proud Of that ipstitu-
ton, and well she might be. | will say nothing
against 1t, but William and Mary College counted
the cost. She taught rebellion; she went into the
rebellion; she sent her sons into the rebellion.
Why should she not take the consequences Nv
Northern friends turning his back upon the chair
and facing his own side of the House why
should she not take the consequences
1t has been said there is prece-
dent for it quoted by Benjamin Franklin,
"uo says that que uhy man was ptaceaDly walk
ing tue streets of London, and Frenchman ran
out with bot poker in his hand and wanted to
apply 1t to the mans body. The man kicked him
out OF the way. Then" says the Freedman,
Monsieur, you will not let me do that thing, but
you will not be SO unjust as to refuse to pay me
for heating that poker" Shouts of laughter
She did not destroy the Union sOh, no; she and
her admlras, and her judges, and her presidents
did not destroy the Union. Mo- those admirals
and those other great men of hers were in their
graves; they were under ground. They were
where last years potatoes are. the best of the
potato Is under ground. j will not be unkind
enough to say that Virginia keeps the tops to-day
above ground But these excellent potatoes were
all under ground when the rebe ilion broke out,
and now we must pass this bill because Virginia
loves Massachusetts. Laughter
How warm is this affection for Massachusetts
| massachusetts, every once in q while, sends out
q man who has spasm for being caressed. They
Ioos her Webster, and they told him they would
maze him President They told him be wa.
oound to glory. sm not sure but that he had
Tue smiles ef beauty bealning upon him las they
are Deaming upon some other occa ,ionsl to coax
nm IRON the pathway of his education and from
'he pain where his conscience and hi. great heart
WISHED him to g, but when the spider had got
'he Aassschnsetts y Into its net, into Its kitcbeu