Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1890-02-11
Hon. Vim. L. Wilson'S Great
Speech.

Hon. VIM. L. Wilson's Great
Speech.
Hon. W. L. Wilson closed the de-
bate in the House last Monday eve
ming on the Smith-Jackson case, de-
voting his remarks chiefly to the con-
duct of Speaker Reed, in bringing on
the case by his unjust rulings. Mr.
Wilson'S speech was made to full
House, every member being in his
seat, but at time when the press
gallery was nearly empty. 1t was
most enthusiastically received by the
Democratic members, who at times not
only greeted it with applause but with
cheers, and Immediately subscribed
for $4,000 copies. The st. Louis
Republic, the largest Democratic pa
per in the country, sent the entire
speech by telegraph so that it APP
peared in the next mornings issue.
1t has been republished in full in the
Wheeling Register, New York Eve-
ming Post, National Democrat and
other papers, besides editorial no.
tices in the New York Nation, World,
etc. We give below the notice in
the st. Louis Republic:
THE DAYS SENSATION.
Then came the sensation of the
day. Wm. L. Wilson of West Vir-
ginia was given the floor. Mr.. Will
son is the scholar of the House. He
is a little man, about five feet six
inches high and Weighing not more
than 40 pounds. Mr.. Wilson was
college president in West Virginia,
but, having a taste for politics, he
was elected TO the Forty-eighth. Con-
gress and reelected to every Con-
gress since then. His tariff speech,
delivered in the last Congress, won
him a national reputation. He does
not speak often, but wien he does
speak he is always listened to with
profound attention. When he took
the floor this evening everybody ex-
pected something good and nobody
was disappointed. His speech was
not overwhelmingly expected it.
The press gallery was almost de-
serted, when he arose, and there
were many empty seats on the floor
OF the House. He had not been
talking more than a minute or two,
however, when every available space
for either standing or sitting room,
both on floor and in the galleries,
was occupied.
The members crowded around him,
and at the beginning the Republicans
were inclined to be amused at his
humor and fine sarcasm. AS he con-
tinued to talk, however, and the Re
publicans took in the full purport of
his remarks, their faces grew long,
and his keen thrusts no longer created
laughter on that side of the chamber.
But the Democrats were delighted
The Car in the chair, sat uneasily.
As Wilson got in his work, the sau-
rian hide of the man from Maine be-
gan to culver. The keen darts of the
West Virginian were penetrating
Reed scowled. He grasped the gave
as if he would like to fling it at the
orator, but changed his mind. The
Gar picked up newspaper and pre-
tended to read, but soon let il drou
from his hand and began to mop the
cold perspiration from his ample
brow. As Wilson proceeded, Reed s
face became purple, and he acted as
ii he were seated on porcupine' IS
hide. 1t took Wilson about 35 min
ates to make his speech. He was en-
tirely unimpassioHed, but every word
he uttered went to the marrow of the
chair.
From the New York Times. we
quote, emitting the extracts of the
speech which it cites:
PINS IN MIR. REEDS cHA1R.--oNE DEM
ocRAT WHO MADE HIM VERY UN-
EAsY.-MR. WILSON'S QUIET
SARCASM WHICH MADE
THE DICTATOR
VINCE.
Even the hide of the rhinoceros is at
times pierced, and political pachy-
derms are not now invulnerable. The
speaker on the Democratic side who
has come nearest to making the Die
tator angry is said to be Mr.. Wilson,
of West Virginia, who spoke yester-
day at the close of the contested cleo
ton case. Mr.. Wilson is scholar, a
gentleman and wit. He had con-
cluded that the only way to attack
Reed was in his own way-by sarcasm
and irony. In that way he attacked
him.
His speech did not contain any cpl.
thets. 1t was playful, strictly Par
iamentary, but it was as full of darts
as porcupine is of quilts. While it
was being delivered the Speaker was
nervous, particularly when Mr. Will
son referred to the objects for which
all rufesiwere not TO be denied, or old
rules swept aside. The Dictator
shifted in his seat, tore up paper and
scattered the fragments on the floor.
and looked as if he would like to in
terrupt. Some specimens of the
speech are enough to show its char
acter,