The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-27
CHANDELIERS COURAGE.

We clip the following paragraph from the
account given by the Washington correspond
emit of the New York Sun of the proceedings
OF the third instant:
There were one or two other unimportant
speeches. and then Zach Chandler. VINO ,L naa
and mads what both eides concsde was the
speech Of the night II happened this way. w.
In he ss Il aR
he thought was the puHllanlmity Of Republican
Senators. He sent down word to Zach Chend-
Ter that he WAS amazed that no Republican Sen
ator had the courage to call JEFF Davis . traitor,
and he wanted to know whether he had become
80 much OF a Hayes man that he had forgotten to
Zach 10 w. t.: walt and see" The speech
was. as the Democratic s,nators said to-day, a
rasper. His words we're not measured.
In what respect this was conceded to be The
speech Of tho night does not appear, though
from other sources Of Information we may
we'll conclude that It surpassed all others In
ignorance and vuIgarity. In Its first two sem
fences, as reported Ia the Congressional Rec
ord. IL achieves this distinction. He (Chandlerl
and Jefferson Davis, he says, entered the Sen
ate together twenty-five years ago. and to-
ton of the United States. Davis, he then
adds took this oath with treason and perjury
In his heart; for he followed 1t UP by trying
to destroy the very government 'phich ne had
suorn 10 support This pretentious and gas
eonading Senator, after twenty-five years,
experience In public life, OF bis own asser-
tion-how much more besides, we are unable
to state-now writes himself an ignoramus
by confoundlng an oath to support the constt-
tuition. with m oath to support the govern
ment. of the United States-two things about
IA much alike as the office of Senator In Con-
press ID TO that Of sergeant OF dragons, and
which 1t would be disereditable to any intel
Iigent boy In o grammar school not to be able
to distinguish from each other.
But 1t was not our purpose to mako any
special comment upon Mr.. Chandler's intelli-
gence and political information. Our object
Is simply to express our admiration OF the
brilliant Courage" communicated by the
Sun. correspondent, which inspired the chiv-
alrous Senator, at q o'clock In the morning
and ON that parlous field, or floor, to rush
gearlessly to the frost and with his owl
tongue fire whole volley OF vituperation al
an adversary not quite 1000 miles away. A
little "reminiscences may illustrate this heroic
achievement.
! During that period OF Joint service in thu
Senate by the Mississippian and the Mich
| igander, which was referred to by the latter
1t happened on ono occasion that Mr.. Davis
while speaking, was subjected to q series o
maudin and meaningless Interruptions from
Mr.. Chandler After patiently enduring
them for some time the Senator from Mis-
sissippi finally put peremptory stop t.
them by plainly telling the Senator from
Michigan that he was "impertinent' and for
bidding further interruption. This affron
was not noticed at tho time, but how gal
lantly and faithfully its memory has beel
treasured for favorable opportunity t.
avenge 1t, is shown by the late exhibition o
long range firing In the Senate.
This, however, Is not the first time that tn
| tenacity Of MIR. Chambers memory and tn
transcendent herolsm of his resentment hav
been illustrated. When jefferson Davis wa
| q prisoner In Fortress Monroe after the war
confined In casemate the plucky man from
Michigan made journey from Washington
to Old Point Comfort, presumably for tn
purpose OF meeting his former foeman Mol
meeting" is not exactly the word; but h
came as near 1t as that discretion which is tn
better part of even Chambers valor woul'
permit. AS stated by an officer who was Of
duty at the time, he went into the guard
room adjoining the captive's dungeon ant
unseen himself) gazed unflinchingly at tn
prisoner through the barred and grated win
dow. How striking-may we not say hov
sublime-a pictured Zachary Chandler peep
ing at Jefferson Davis through grating /
needed only the late exhibition In the Senat
to complete the record OF brilliant courage
and moral herOiSm.