The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-06-28
GIVING LIBERTY 4 BOOST.
THE MAsTERLy PLEA OF SMITH, OF PIKE, IN
FAVOR or his VETOED FOX soALP bill

THE MAsrERLy PLEA OF SMITH, OF PIKE, IN
FAVOR or HIS VETOED FOX soALp RttL-
One Of the most amusing incidents of the
last night of the recent session Of the Legis-
lature was the speech of Mr.. Smith, Repre-
sentative from Pike eonnty, IN favor Of his
skunk and fox scalp bill, which was ruthlessS
ly slaughtered by a Gubernotoriol veto after
Smith had worked day and night all winter
to get it on the statute book. At o'clock
on Friday the Pike county statesman cleared
his voice and said
Mn. SPEAKER Brutus slew Cesar Govern
or Hoyt has slewn my fox-scalp bill, and
in the sadness Of my heart feel that there
is danger of getting Slowed myself If Gov
ernor IToyt could have iorescen the effects of
his vetong this bill upon the people of Pike
county he would have risen to the occasion
aud cast aside the petty trammels OF the
Constitution and affixed his signatureto this
bill in letters of living light. Mr.. speaker
and fellow members, if this bill is not passed
blow will be struck at liberty, the effect of
which will not pass away in our or our child
ren's time. Away up on the shores of the
Delaware and in the Businesses of Pike coun-
ty, where the mountain tops kiss the clouds
and the wild deer leaps from crag to crag,
and the thieving fox on mischief intent
takes straight race of ten miles if he hears
a rooster crow or hen cackle-up there to-
day, say, are many, many happy homes.
And why are they happy? Because they
are living to-day in the happy belief that
Smiths fox-scalp bill will be passed, and |
also have writ to them words to that effect.
If this bill is not passed am afraid the peo-
ple of Pike county will arise in their might
and cut up worse than the people up in the
oil country did when they got the word that
one Of their Representatives was lying muir
dered in the halls of this House. am also
afraid that Pike county will not send any
member to represent her in the next Legis-
lature, and that if she does send one, and !
don't get this bill passed, it won't be me.
This to happen at this time, when liberty,
civilization and intelligence are making the
grandest strides ever known in the pages OF
the worlds history, would be, l think you
will all say that know me, nearly national
calamity. My natural modesty forbids me
saying anything more on this point
Mr.. Speaker, Governor Hoyt will, next
fall, issue proclamation, calling upon all
the people of the good old state of Pennsyl-
van.a to lay aside all business and care and
set apart day of thanksgiving to the great
Greater for the many blessings we have en-
ioyed the past year. l ask you if this bill
is not passed, to imagine me, in my state of
health, taking my Thanksgiving dinner
with a copy OF the Governors proclamation
| in one hand and a chunk of seven by-nine
salt pork and string beans in the other, and
| not chicken or turkey within twenty miles
aud the country full offoxes and nary a cent
| obounty on one of them It's too thin, and
we won't keep the day at all, but will have
| it abolished in Pike county and hold gener-
al training again, where less victuas is re-
quircd and more beverages. think, MIR,
Speaker, that there is a spirit of justice and
equity in this bill that will appeal to the
heart of every man that knows what justice
Isl and if the provisions of the Constitution
are against it the Constitution must fall.
This bill has IN it all the elements Of justice
and liberty contained in the Magma Charta
which the bold Barons at Runnymede wrung
from the English King hundreds Of years
ago, and is of a type with the sentiments
that actuated our lorefathers in l776, and
aso, the present Legislature of 1879. Mr.
Speaker and fellow members, | will here
say a few words in relation tomy own course
this winter Ihave.voted for every bill that
has come up, and lent some money, all tc
get this bill passed, aud thought had il
passed. But Governor Hoyt has vetoed it
On account of his doing this 1 make these
remarks, sad, bowed down man, whose
mission is ended. You might, to gaze upon
me and hear me talk, form the idea that
, am happy. But am not; l am in tha
, condition of mind the girl so beautifully des
crbed "Im saddest when sing" Thanking
you, Mr. Speaker, and also my fellow mem
bers, for the many kindnesses l have Ie
, ceived at your hands during the session
t which is fast drawing to a close, and by ask
' ing you to give liberty one more boost b.
? passing this my fox-scalp bill, l will her
r say fnis.