Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-08-01
PROCTOR KNOTT.
One Of His Characteristic Speeches
When In Congress.

Proctor Knott, of Kentucky, made
very humorous speech in May 1870,
on proposition to pave Pennsylva
mia avenue at the public expense. He
gave as one reason why this should
be done that the avenue is so much
used by the horde Of Office holders
that throng the thoroughfarcs Of
Washington. "For, sir" said Mr.
Knott, "If there is being OH earth
for whose comfort and convenience ]
entertain the profoundest solicitude, il
there is one whose smallest want stirs
my sympathetic soul to its serencst
depths, 1t is your Office holder, your
public functionary. When | see one
of that noble army of martyrs bid
ding adicu to his home and all the
sweets of private life, for which he is
so eminently fitted by nature, to i'm
molatc himself upon the altar Of his
country's service for four long years,
llomer's touching picture of the last
sad scene between the noble Hector
and his weeping family rises before
my sympathetic imagination. When
see him plunging recklcssly into an
Office of the duties of which he Is pro-
fOundly and defantlY ignorant, am
reminded Of the self sacrificing hero
ism of Curtius when he leapcd into
the yawning gulf which opened in
the Roman forum. When | behold
him sadly contemplating his majestic
features in Que of those gorgeous and
costly mirrors which is furnished
him at the public expense, my heart
goes out to him in sympathy. When
| see him seated sorrowfully at a mis-
cradle ropast Of sea terrapin and
champagne, my very bowels year,
for him. And when | see him per
forming, perhaps, the only duty fol
which he is fully competent, signing
the receipt for his monthly pay, an
so overwhelmed with pity for hi
miserable condition that wish
were in his place. When such con.
sidrrations as these, sir, have com'
crowding upon my mind, APP o,ling t'
every generous sentiment OF my bet
ter nature when / have thought how
the official nerves of our poor, neg
lccted public servants arc racked b!
the car rafting DER the stony street.
! have felt under the sudden impulse
of the moment, that we ought to tea
up the old cobblc stone pavement ol
the avenue and supply its place will
one of the new fashioned patent wood
en- ones, over which the splended car
riagcs of our government officials
with their coats of arms and livcric,
outriders, might glide as smoothl.
aud noiselessly as the aerial car o
the fairy queen through the rose tint
cd clouds of the upper ether" MI
Knott disclaimcd anything but tn
kindcst feelings toward the people o
Washington. 81 rejoice said he
"to know that they are so fortunat
as to have the privilege of enjoyini
the fruits Of the governments munit
iccnce in improving the nations cal
ital.' But | do hope that after W
shall have paved and lighted all thci
streets for them, after we shall hav
supplied all their houses with water
after we shall have contributed in cy
cry possible way to their comfort, cor
venience, and tastes, they will not IN
sist on our making an appropriate
to pay salaries to the little cast iro
niggcrs which | see some gentleme
: have put up in front of their house
to hitch their horses to."-Ben Pei
lox, Dnnrn