Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1884-03-12

christ'an of me, as you know; but be
has wrought up my mind conviction
: of he truth Christianity and upon ny
feelings q reverence for its purify
and -levating power such a. never
felt before
/ have known ID seen much of bin
since, for l respect him-no, that is
not the world reverence aud love
him more than any living man, and {
go to see him two or three times every
year; and | tell you. sir. if every one
who processes to be Christian lived
and acted and enjoyed it as he does the
religion of Christ would take the
world by storm.
But to return to my story. The
next morning we went to the barbecue
and, to my surprise, found about
thousand men there. | met good
many whom l had not known before.
and they and ny friend introduced me
around until / had got pretty well &C.
quainted, at least they all knew me-
In due time notice was given that
would speak to them. They gathered
up arouDd stand that had been erec-
ted. opened my speech by saying:
| "Fellow-citizens, | present my self be.
fore you to-day feeling like new man.
my eyes have lately been opened to
truths which ignorance or prejudice, or
both, had heretofore hidden from my
view. / feel that can to-day offer you
the ability to render you more valuable
services than have been able to render
before. am here to-day more for the
purpose of acknowledging my error
than to seek your votes. That
| should make this acknowledgment il
due to myself as well as to you.
Whether you will vote for me is a
matter for your consideration only"
/ went on to tell about the FIRE and
my vote for the appropriation as have
told it to you, and then told them why
was satisfied it was wrong closed
by saying:
"And now, fellow-citizens, it re-
mains only for me to tell you that the
most of the speech you have listened
to with so much interest was simply
repetition Of the arguments by which
your neighbor, Mr.. Bunce, convinced
me of my error.
at is the best speech l ever made
in my life, but he is entitled to the
credit of it. And now l hope he is sat
is6ed with his convert and that he will
get up here and tell you So"
He came upon the stand and said:
"Fellow-citizens, it affords me great
pleasure to comply with the request of
Colonel Crockett. | have always con-
sidered him thoroughly honest man,
and | am satisfied that he will faithful
ly perform all that he has promised
you to-day" He went down, and
there went up from that crowd such
snout for Dsvy Crockett as his name
| never called forth before
] am not much given to tears, but
was taken with choking thea and felt
some big drops rolling down my cheeks
And tell you now that the remembrance
OF those few words spoken by such
man and the honest hearty shouts they
produced is worth more to me- than all
the hOnors have received and all the
reputation l ever made, or ever shall
make, as a member of Congress.
Now, sir, concluded Crockett, you
know why l made that speech yester-
day. | have had several thousand
copies OF it printed, and was directing
them to my constituents when you
| came in
There is one thing now to which
will call your attention. You remem-
bsr that | proposed to give weeks
pay. There are in that HoHse many
very wealthy men-men who think
nothing Of spending q weeks pay or a
dozen of them, for dinner or wine
party when they have something to
accomplish by it. Some OF these same
men made beautiful speeches upon the
great debt of gratitude which the coun-
try owed the deceased debt which
could not be paid by money-and the
insigniicance and worthleasness Of
money. particularly 80 insignificant q
sum a. $40 900, when weighed against
the honor OF Il 9 nation Yet not one
of them responded to my proposition.
Money with them is nothing but trash
when it comes out of the people. But
it is the one great thing for which most
of them are striving, and mary of them
sacrifice honor. integrity and justice to
obtain it,
The hour for the meeting of the
House had by this time arrived. We
walked up to the Capitol together, but
| said not word to him about moving
q reconsideration Iwould as soon have
asked sincere Chrisbion to abjure his
religion.
/ bad listened to his story with an
intere~t which was greatly increased
by his maner of telling IT, for, no mat
ter what we may say of the merits ola
story, a speech or sermon, it is very
rare production which does not derive
its interests more from the manner
then the matter, as some of my readers
have doubtless, like the writer, proved
to their cost
BY Crockett's aid succeeded in
having my business settled in three or
four days afterward and left for Wash
ington. never saw him again.