Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-04-22

and here we suppose is where the econ
omy comes in.
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
WASHINGTON. April is, 1873.
To the Editor Of KeHneJ,e Journal:
Perhaps the two weeks last past OF Congress
have been in many respects the two lvellest OF
tins session. The dOoIkeepcr question, the sol
dieis' roll, the annual Cox and Butler spsrring
the Railroad funding bill lin the Senste) and the
bill TO extend aid to the William and Mary Col
lege Of Nrgina-esch have brought out the ora
tory the SATIRE the logic and the wit of very many
of our lawmakers in Congress. in which figured
very prominently Messis. Blaine, Frye, and Hale
OF our State. Indeed, Mr.. Frye, although known
to be clesr-headed, keen, ncisive and, oft-times
humorous, n. yer showed TO better "A vantage in
all these qualities than he did last week show
ing up the action of the democrats relative to the
soldiers Roll The wit of 5. ). Cox is proverblal
| and he was considered 'kng OF the roosl' until
| Frye's Soldier Roll speech was made, now it is
acknowledged that no sharper aud more sarcastic
wit ever escaped Sa nmys lips than that which
| Frye aimed with such telling and sure effect INTO
the ranks of the democracy. Such squirting and
writing, ON their part, has not been witnessed
| for many years and when democracy wrlthes and
squirms, we must believe that the torture inflicted
is unusual No adequate reply could be made to
the speech because Frye had the facts boiled down
and there denying them Frye has earned
halt dozen re -eectons to Congress (f he live.
that long by this one speech. He has, besides
earned the good will OF the whole soldier element
of the country, and made a strong poiut-a very
strong point for the republican party
| Hale, also put in some telling blows, during the
| doorkeeper controversy. ! mast not forget Reed
either, who, during the debate on granting aid to
the William and Mary College of Virginia, ma lie
some telling hits and introduced some sound log
| in opposing the bill. This college, your readers
may remember, Is OF the old, st colleges in the
land, has graduated many eminent men, not few
OF whom have become presidents and vice presi
DENTS was the pet OF Virginia old time statesmen.
including Jefferson, and, IN some respects seem,
to have peculiar hold upon the sympathi,s aud
| patriotism of our statesmen and scholars; yet,
| Mr.. Reed says "rhis bill is against precedents
| which the United States itself has established.
| la proof Of this ailude to tle claims Of the East
tennessee University, in which the property OF
loyal people taken OF destroyed in furlherance
of military operations. These bills passed
| but the President, with far seeing statesman
ship, vetoed them, and they have not been heard
of since. But there is another precedent, and
that IS that for seventy years, this college clam
| ored for compensation Tor property destroyed dur
ing the Revolution, and the statemen Of other
days refused to grant It," Mr. Reed also read
the titles of large number Of bills presented for
payment TO churches and eeemosynary insttu-
| tons for property injured or destroyed in the late
Confederacy, which he said were more deserving,
IN their nature than the claims OF this college,
but that granting such aid would be the wedge to
open the way Tor all sorts OF rebel claims. which,
if paid would nearly depete the treasury. In
concluding he SAID at seems to me that there
is but duty for this House to do, and that is,
to protect the treasury and the people of the
United States. Gentlemen ON the other side say
it is unkind TO alude to the late war. But they
are constantly revving the subject by bringing up
these claims, which naturally provocative OF
discussion. Gentlemen say that they must be
Judged by their convictions Of right That may
do for the day of judy ment, but no country could
safely act upon that theory. Having gone into
the rebellion, is it fair for them ask this country
to pay these claims ] appeal to the gentlemen oil
that section to let the country rest 10 peace on this
subject"
Townsend Of New York followed with most
folcible, sarcastic and witty speech ON the same
subject Townsend does not mince things. While
perfectly polite and cautious he never yields his
convictions for any reason, and, with the true
Ben Wade style OF loyalty, pitches into the
rebels right and left He said that these Vrg inia
statesmen were continually bosstng of their great
men, including presidents, generals, judges and
statesmen. For his part he was willing to put
those Of New York side by side with those OF
Virginia, and he instanced Clinton, Van Buren,,
oilas Wright, Seward and many Others lie said
ii was true that William and Mary College gladu-
ated Washington and other great men, but why
did she not follow out the traditions of her great
men, the teachings of Washington Jefferson, and
others Z lie said she sent hrty-two out of her
lhiry-tv professors into the late rebel army, ana
taught secession for over thirty years, and now
comes begging; that she had counted the cost and
now must suffer the consequences. His most sar.
castle and pungent ut terances in these words
"H'NHt NS 'HNy "iS NciNaihil "OltbNB VIII ihotc
There is but one precedent for this bill and tina.
is when Franklin recorded it in a story he told OF
a Frenchmsn who ran into a street and tried to
apply red hot poker to the person of passer by
He was knocked down by the stranger when he said
| Monsieur would not let me touch him with the po-
ker, but be will surely pay me for heating it, So
with thi, college bill. But an appeal is made be-
| cause Nmgnialove Massachusetts so much laugh-
teri, Mas.ach usttls has before now sent out men
| to be used by the South (auding to Lori ng's
| speech) Webster was promised the Presidency
but when the Southern spider got that fly into hi,
parl0r, how did he treat him Qaughter). He
would say TO the people Of Massachusetts, thai
| they might send their Webster's and Lorings and
| Hoars to the South, and when the South has made
use Of them it will cast them off. daughter
The whole country had Centennial in 1876, and
yet'when the question of an appropriation for ii
came up he found but one man from the State of
Virginia voting in the affirmative and he a carpet
| beggar, (aughter) 81 would say to my friends
do not be fooled by this bill If you pass it, you
[ do 1t with your eyes open. If Virgil will build
a cotton factory, will vote for tariff to protect
| IL flauUhterl If God "a nut IL III a.