The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-03-10
TIME FOR REPENTANCE.


A constant reader of the Journal con-
tributes the following Renaissance of
aete-bellum days in Congress:
Before the Committee on Contested
Elections of the National House of Rep
resentatiVes at Washington in 1850 or 81
two gentlemen from Nebraska appeared,
each claiming to be duly elected and le-
gally entitled to represent that Territory
in the lower branch of Congress. The
Republican claimant was Samuel G. Da-
ley, brusque, good natured, humorous
specimen from the frontier, who gained
sympathy and made friends by the blunt
manner in which he presented his case
to the committee and the House. His
Democratic opponent was then a young
man with many of the graces of scholar
ship and college refinement, the very an
tipodes of the other in appearance and
manner.
The rough frontiersman is long since
dead, but his opponent still lives, and
when the Cabinet of President Cleveland
assemblies he will occupy the seat of Sec
rotary of Agriculture-Julius Sterling
Morton.
When this case was presented to the
committee our senior Senator, Henry L.
Dawes, was its chairman. Many ludri-
crous scenes took place in the commit
tee room. Mr.. Morton in the course of
his remarks used the phrase "functus
officio," whereupon Mr.. Daley replied:
"My opponent uses a Latin phrase,
what in time it means don't know and
don't care, but don't intend to be
ruled out by aGy Latin phrase"
At this sally the committee and spec
tators burst into rear of laughter, in
which both Morton and Daley joined.
On another occasion Mr.. Morton claimed
he had received fifty or sixty votes in
some remote mountain town.
To this Daley answered: There are
not more than three votes in the whole
town, and know it. Why, Mr.. Chair
mad, l have stood on the head of flour
barrel for five hours and addressed FIVE
voters, and do you think 1 would pass
by such an important stronghold as this
if there had been fifty or sixty votes in
it?"
When the case was reported to the
House, Mr.. Daley was given an oppor-
tunity to speak. After indulging in
some rather severe remarks upon his OPP
ponent, Morton, he wound up by saying
there is still time for him to repent, for
the Bible says:
"While the lamp holds out TO burn,
The vilest sinner may return"
AT this point Mr.. Lovejoy, an ex-min-
ister,a member from Illinois and brother
of the celebrated Abolitionist, arese and
said:
''Mr. Speaker, must interpose a word
in behalf of the Bible, there is no such
language to be found therein as the gem
tleman has quoted"
A member who was seated by Daley,
hearing LoVejoy's remark, instantly
twitched Daley by the coat and whisper
| gu, III NALlS, III NdJtSs OdltJi
catching the suggestion of his neighbor,
turned to the Speaker with smile and
said:
II thank the gentleman for his correc-
ton; the truth is, Mr. Speaker, have
been reading the Bible and DR.. Watts so
much of late that l have got them some
what mixed"
Old Thad Stevens was bent over at his
desk, but the Interruption of Lovejoy
and the prompt reply of Daley had at
tracted the old gentleman's attention.
Turning TO member seated next to him,
he said loud enough to be heard by those
around, "WhO the is he; let's vote
him in; he's one of our Kind"
And vote him in they did. Mr.. Daley
warmed an NJ. CTS chair the remainder
of that Congress, while Mr.. Julius Ster-
ling Morton returned private citizen to
the hills of Nebraska. G.