The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-03-08
DAVY CROCKETTS TOUR.
kNchanpe.

Exchange.
 There was q time when there were few names more familiarity known To the peo- pie of this country than tha, of Davy Crockett. Many stories were told char aCteiistic ot his courage, his wit, his humor, his honesty and his bencvolence. am about to relate one of a somewhat different character, but not less honor able 10 hum than any that have ap- peared.
 While he was in congress had busi- ness which required me to spend several weeks Tn Washington City. Waiting upon one of the departments, or rather one of the chief clerks, for my turn. 1 had much leisure upon my hands: for, though my business might have Teen dispatched as well in two hours as Tn two months, yet had to wait. had made up my mind that would not leave until my business was settled. My only reeu- lar employment was to 20 every day to the otiice 70 learn that II could not be attended ,o tha, day.
 Crockett was the hon of Washington was great admirer of his character. and having several friends who were in- innate with hlm. found no difficulty in making his acquaintance. was fasci. hated with him, and he seemed to take ! fancy to me.
 Was one day in the lobby of the house ot representatives when d bill was taken up appfopHaiing money for the beneht ot the widow oi distinguished naval officer. Several beautiful speeches had been made ii Is support. rather. as l thought, because t afforded the speak CTS hne opportunity for display than it5m the necessity uf convincing any body, for II seemed to me tht. everybody favored Il. The speaker was ius, about 10 pa, the question, when Croe ke,t arose Everybody expected. of coarse, that he was gong to aaae one of his character lssc speeches Tn support of the bill. He commenced
 MT. Spe eaker-l have IS much respect for the deceased and as much sympathy for the suiierinss of the living. if suffer. ing there be, as any man in this house but we must no; permit our respect for Inc dead or our sympathy for part of he lvipg to lead Us into an act of iu jasnee 10 the balance of the living. | Will not go into an argument to prove that congress has no power to appropri- ate th.s money as an act of charity Every member upon this floor knows ii, We have the night, as individuals, to give away IS much of our own money as we please Tn charity; but IS members of con- gross we have no right so ,o appropriate a dollar of the pubic money. some eloquent appeals have been made ,o us upon the ground that Il is a deb, due ,be deceased. Mir. Speaker, the deceased lived iong after the close of the war he was Tn office ,o the day of his death. and have never heard that the government, was in arrears to him. This government can owe no debts but for service rendered and at stipulated price. If II Is | deb, how much Is II: Has II been audited and the amount due asCertaned. Ii Il IS a debt this Is not the place to present il for payment or to have its merits ex- amlned. II Il Is a deb, we owe more than we can ever hope to pay. for we owe the widow of every soldier who fought in the war ot lSi, precisely the same amount. There is woman in my nei.h. borhood, the widow of as gallan, 4 man as ever shouldered musket He fell in battle. She Is as good ID every respec, as this lady, and Is as poor. She IS earn ing her daily bread by her daily labor. and II were 'o introduce bill to appropriate hve or ten thousand dollars for her benefit l should be laughed a, and my bill would not get five votes in this house. There are thousands of widows Tn the country just such as the one have spoken of but we never hear of any of these large debts to them. Sir. this IS no debt The government, d,d not owe 1t 10 the deceased when he was alive II could not contract it after he died. do not wish to be rude. bu, must be plain. Every man in this house knows II IS not a debt. We cannot. with. out the grossesi corruption. appropriate ;his money as the payment of a debt. We have not the semblance of authority 10 appropriate Il as charity. Mir Speaker, have sad VIC have the right ,o give as much money of our own as we please. am the poores, man on this floor. oanno; vote for this bill. bu, will give one weeks pay 10 the obiec, anu II every member of congress will do the same Il will amount to more than the bill asks"
 He took his seat. Nobody replied. The bill was pu, upon its passage, and instead of passing unanimously, IS was generally supposed, and as. no doubt. i, would but for that speech, il received but few votes, and of course, was lost.
 Like many other young men, and old ones, too, for that matter, who had not thought upon the subject, desired the passage of the bill, and felt outraged a, its defeat. determined that l would persuade my friend Crockett to move a reconsideration the next day.
 Previous engagements preventing me | from seeing Crockett that night went | early to his room the next morning, and | foand him engaged in addressing and franking letters, large pile of which lay upon his table.
 broke in upon him rather abruptly by asking him what the devil had LOS sesssd him to make that speech and 6e-