The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-03-08

the bill to throw his shining lance among
the Confederate BrIgadiers' and try to
carry off the Republican nomination for
the Presidency. A recent dispatch from
Paris had caused political candidates to
become as thick as leavesin Vallambro
sia.' Before that dispatch had come
under the veasty waves of the ocean, the
Republican party had been in the condi-
ton of the man who, having gone home
some hours before his usual time in the
morning and having been asked why he
had gone home so soon, replied that
every other place in town was shut up.
The doors of the Republican party were
now open and Presidential candidates
were coming to the front without limit
as to quantity or locality.
The Senate had been engaged for some
days past in political auction for the
soldiers vote. First had come his friend
from Nebraska (Manderson), backed by
the G. A. r., and he Vest had listened
with real qualification to his dulcet and
modulated voice from the beginning to
the end of his speech. Even that Sen
tors filings at the President of the United
States had not detracted from the gen
eral merit of his bid for the soldier vote;
and when he received floral tribute as
token of regard from his admiring con
stituents behind him, he (VesD had but
one single suggestion to make; and that
was that the lilies should have been
embroidered over the portal of the
White House. That was the object OF
all the debate, of all the bidding for the
soldier vote of the country in the com
ing contest. When the Senator from
Nebraska took his seat he (VesO had
thought that the bid was in his favor
But then the present occupant OF the
chair, the Senator from Name (Frye)
had caught the eye of the auctioneer,
the Grand Army of the Republic, and had
gone one better That Senator was
prepared to vote pension to every man
who had served a day in the Federal
army. He (Vest) was about to knock
down the prize to the Senator from
Maine when his friend from Kansas
Plumb came to the front and outbid
the Senator from Maine by an amend
ment to the bill which would increase
the expenditure under it $50, 100000 or
$75, 900 900. He (VesD had then been
strongly of opinion that the auction
should close and the prize be given to-
the Senator from Kansas, but the Sena-
tor from Illinois (Cullom) had come to-
the front and made a bid from that
great prairie State which had staggered
his st's)conviction as to the propriety
of closing the sale. Since that time he
had been in a condition of anxiety
awaiting to hear from other bidders in
the great national auction.
The Senate had not yet heard from
his dulcet-toned friend from Iowa (Alli
sony, who had kept his seat and merely
nodded acquiescence to the most extreme
propositions for the benefit of the ex-
soldiers. Nor had the Senate yet heard
from the distinguished Senator from
Ohio (Sherman), who, in such a contest,
ought certainly to come to the front and
bid something for the vote, which, can
didates thoughD was to determine tie
contest Neither had the Senate yet
heard from presiding officer 1ngalls),
who had been nominated by the District
of Columbia-and every one knew that
the District of Columbia only acted from
the most disinterested and unselish mo
tves, He (Vest) would rather have the
nomination from the District of Column
bia than from.any State in the Union.
because las every one knew)it came from
the heart and never from the pocket
No man, woman or child in the District
had any other object than the promotion
of the national honor and prosperity
And so when he read in a Democratic
paper of Washington last Sunday (be-
fore attending church, that the presid-
ing officer of the Senate was the nomi-
nee of the District of Columbia, he said :;
Eureka; we have found the man at last
and the question is finally settled
The whole of Mr. Vests speech was
listened to with the closest attention by
Senators and by the audience in the gal
leries, and his felicitous sketch of the
Republican candidates and their sup
posed respective bids for the soldier vote
seemed to be enjoyed with equal 7est on
both sides of the Chamber.
In conclusion, Mr.. Vest said: PARTS.
an or non partisan, my convictions re-
quire me to vote against this bill. And
l say here and now that hope it may
die the death in the other branch of the
National Congress; and, if not there, at
the hands of the Executive. If that be
supplementary, make the II ost of it.