The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-04-19
Especial to the Press. ]

few of them who gave amusing answers. Fol
instance, here is Billy Patterson, of Marion
county, and his dialogue with the lawyer
who cross-examined him:
Q.-Wbat doyou mean by Congre IS?
Al don't know what that mean.
OILS it a man or woman?
Alt Is woman; don't know what color.
Henry White of Ocala, distinguished him
self thus:
Q.-Who was the Republican nominee for thu
Second Congressional District of Florida at tn,
election held Nov. G, 1888, and who was the Dem
ocratic nominee?
A.-Bob Ingersoll, Republican, and John Sher
man was the Democratic candidate.
Cyrus Martin of Ocala, gave forth politi
cal wisdom as follows:
Q.-What do you mean by Congress?
A.-Men go to Congress to have State Rights
and make such laws as we can live under.
Q.-JS Congress man or woman?
A.-You get me there.
Newman Ellison of Fantville, seemed tC
have an idea that this Congress was to dc
some work, for he answered thus:
Q-What do you mean by Congress?
A.-A body OF men to legislate business.
Dave Brown of Ocala, was not quite SC
clear about the duties of Congress:
Q.-What do you mean by Congress?
Alt means to goto Washington.
Q.-Is Congress man or woman?
Al think it is a woman, a black woman.
Henry Scott, of Millwood, Marion county,
had pretty good idea of what Congress-
man ought to be:
nominee for Congress, what do you mean?
Al thought Congressman was representer.
Isaac Bradley, of the same place, had an
idea of Congress that is not quite correct but
for which a man living in Florida may be
pardoned:
Q.-what do you mean by Congress?
state.
Q.-Is Congress man or a woman?
Al think the business is carried through by
men.
Ed Smith. Jr., also of Wildwood, was hope
lessly befogged:
OILS Congress man or woman?
Al did not think 1t was either one; / thought
1t was city.
Wash. Williams, of Arredonda. seems to
have been marked man:
Q.-How did you loose your ear?
Atom James bit it off in fight
Ephraim Montgomery, Sr., also of Arre-
donda, aged rs, an old slave seems to have
known Congress almost from its beginning.
Q.-What is Congress?
Q.-Is it a man a woman9
Al heard about it when was shirttail boy.
Frank Richardson, Pennington, Marion
county, was no woman sufraglst
Q.-Is Congress a man or a woman?
A.-Ought TO be man.
Q.-IS he white OF black man?
A.. Reckon he is white man.
Wash. Harris, of Citra. Marion county,
does not believe in white mans rule:
Q.-What do you mean by Congress?
Al don't know.
Q-Is it man or woman?
Alt Is man.
Q-Is it white man or colored man?
Al suppose colored man.
These ridiculous dialogues must not be
taken as making fair showing of the intel
ligence of the witnesses. They are taken
from large volume of testimony, most of
which is intelligent enough.
Some people have curious ideas of the
functions of the government A large class
think it is an institution out of which it is
allowable to get all that can be obtained
without regard to fitness or propriety. A
bill now pending before Congress illustrates
this There is in this country one Sam G.
Reid, who is fortunate to be able to tell peo-
pie that he is the son of Capt Samuel Ches-
ter Reid, gallant old sailor who command
ed an United States private armed brig of
war in the battle of Fayal in 1872. He bore
in that battle most gallant part, but he is
dead now and beyond the rewards of Con-
gress. But his son is yet with us, and so is
the old sea hero's sword. The son has kept
the sword for many years; but Uncle Sam
has an idea in his head that the scheme on
foot now is to have the sword keep the son
awhile. Mr.. Sam G. Reid proposes to do.
nate the sword to the government, but he
asks that Congress will show its apprecia.
tion of the gift by donating gold medal to
the giver. The simplicity of this request can
only be understood by considering what sort
of gold medal Congress usually gives,
when it embarks in the business of donating
medals, which is very rarely. Genera
Grant received gold medal for certain very
conspicuous services which he rendered to
his country with his own sword. A few 9th
er great men have received madals fol-
One of these gold medals is a magnificent af
| fair, and cost thousand dollars or two. II
is one of these medals that Mr.. Sam G. Reid
wants for the arduous and patriotic work Of
presenting the sword of his father to the
country. Some times swords of gallant Off
GERS have been bought from impecunious re
| latives, as was the sword of Gen. Shields
| but this is the first time any one has wanted
| a costly medal of honor for surrendering al
| ancestral sword. The Senate are proposing
| to discourage those who have in mind the dc
ing of it in future.
Something awful happened at Senate
Morrill's birthday party on last Monda
| evening. President Harrison was among tn
| guests, and along the latter part of the eve
ming, when conversation had Jagged little
| His Excellency, finding himself disengaged
moment, turned to lady standing ner an
said "Good evening"" with his most corGii
smile. The lady returned the salutaton an
| then said, in tone loud enough to be hear
| by several horror-stricken bystanders
"Your face looks familiar, and | think
| have seen you before, but l cannot call y0
| by name" Whether the President of th
| limited States disclosed his identity or lei
| the lady In ignorance no one knows, as
| one had the hardihood to remain with
hearing Of his reply.
Congressman S. l.. Milk en- of the ThiI
Maine District, is chairman Of the commi
tee which one not wise in the affairs of Coz
gress might call the most desirable commi
tee of the House, the committee on publ
buildings and grounds. This committee ha
beautifully frescoed room in the southea
corner of the Representatives wing Of Il
Capitol; and the only duties of its membe
are to decide in what fortunate cities al
towns of this land those beautiful specimen
of modern architure, called public building
are to be erected. But in the present state
the public mind this is no easy decisio
There can be only so many public buildil
allowed If this Congress is to get away Wi
any reputation at all for prudence, and 1t
an agonizing duty to decide between Il
claims of the spruce young cities of tn
land that think they ought to have new po
offices. The committee on public buildin
is in about the position of the old New En-
land pioneer. who upon being suddenly b
set by the Indians, gathered his 10 childr.
about him intending to fly with the one
loved pest But when thst ba he gSa6 fsa the
about him he em%tiee d0uha tdi Ind d that eu nearly
a5ls9, she places that want public buildings ha
good claims and 1t is a tedious and distra!
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