The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-18
"PRIY1TE, JOHN ALLEM

tIlut IL ms.
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"PRIVATE' JOHN ALIEN
Wit and humor are great weapons OF
oifensc and defense in the hands Of men
gifted and endowed with capacity for them.
There Is keennessin the one and apower
for genial rebuke in the other that few
even Of the best equipped debaters can
parry or avoid. This was admirably illus
trated in the speech Of Private John
Allen, for which we made room in
Tue APPEAL yesterday, and which was
delivered In the House of Representa-
tiyes last Saturday, and no doubt TO
full house. This speech was well timed.
II fits into the debate on the Mills bill in
the proper place. II breaks into the uni
form seriousness that has all along charac-
terized members in their discussion Of the
tariff and II lights up very grave subject
with sallies Of wit and flashes Of humor
that spontaneously conceived were all the
more reished by those who heard the
genial speaker, and no doubt bythose also
who have and will be by those who may
hereafter read his speech. His application
Of quotations from Dickens and from the
comic opera Of Mascot were TO the
point, the latter especially, in which he
makes New England sing ''Gobble, Cob
BILE, Gobblc," and Ohio respond bah,
Bah, BAH" No happier stroke than this
has been heard throughout the debate.
II is worth thousands Of the lines OF other
speakers, and will meet the popular apprc-
hcnsion Of the relative benefits those sec
tions Of the country derive from the rob
Der war tariff, by which the poor working
men Of the country have been neeccd for
years. Mr.. Allen was also very happy in
his take or OF the CLONE Market Club,
Of Boston," and his castigation OF Mr.
Form, nm Ohio Democrat, who joined the
"Bah, Bah" chorus, and finds moro princi-
pie in taxing the poor man TO make the
rich one richer than he does In the con-
temptation Of the legacy Of logic Thomas
Jefferson left the Democracy Of the
country, and being guided by which
Il has hitherto won great victories
and achieved the prosperity OF the
nation. But II Is not only TO the
wit and humor Of Private John Aliens
speech that we would redirect the atten.
ton Of our readers. These qualities he
exercised 10 emphasize the points he made
against the tariff defenders and which they
found II a vain thing to attempt TO answer.
His serious outbuSts Of indignation, cs-
pecially when defending the South and
hor people, were a. periodically conceived
aud earnestly expressed ms anything the
House has listened TO in years. His de.
nunciation Of the petition with 800 names,
representing s350,OOO,0OO, was received
| ny Ult iouht WIN uhNohbbhNN NNhkh'
and pleasure. Even the Republicans
could not resist burst Of elo
quencc that harmonizes with the con
yictions Of ninc-,cnths Of the people
Of the United States. Tho people Of thu
fint District Of Mississippi have reason Il
be very proud Of Mr.. Allen. lie has grow
10 his duties in the House, and perform
them conscientiouslyi he has been cqua
TO every emergency that has come TO hin
or 10 his party, and has never shruuk from
participating in debate whom his yoio
could be effective, as Il was last saturda.
to very happy degree, in the tariff dis
cussion. The logic Of that speech Is ire
sistiblc, and its homely illustrations vii
: make !, exceedingly effective with thos
= classes who have not the time TO labo
through the in,ricacics with which tn
J tariff question is belonged by the defender
: Of the most nciarious method Of robbln
the working people Of the country thath
ever been devised.