Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-03-30

recently been rather secluded by reason Oh
thegreat pressure of his labors. Another
occasional member of the group is the VEN
cradle Senator Ransom of North Carolina,
who has been here now 90 years continu-
ously and had previously had long expe-
rience in the legislature of North Carolina
and an uncommonly lively one in the Con-
federate army.
Among all these statesmen the somewhat
eccentric Bill Sterrett, the Galveston jour-
nalist, is a privileged character and never
fails to have an anecdote with a very point
ed application to any Democratic member
who is not voting with his party-as, for
instance, this one in reply to Sam Robert
sons complaint: ''Sam, you remind me of a
little boy l used to know who was his
mothers pet. She always took his side in
quarrels with the other children and would
say: Now, children, Eddie is the best ma
tured child in the world if you just treat
him right. But you're always a-startin
him. Well, Eddie soon understood the sit
uation, so he'd go out and raise the very
mischief with the Qeher children, and when
any of them resented it he would whine
out, Ma, the children's a-startin me?
Now, Robertson, that's just the way with
you. The western Democrats are a-startin
you. but you're altogether too easily start
ed" The sarcasm was thrown away, for
the four sugar members of Louisiana voted
against the Wilson bill
Judge Harris Story.
/ have never heard more interesting rem
iniscences of the winter of 1861 than are
those of Judge Harris. who in that troubled
time and for some time before represented
the Harrisonburg district in the Shenan-
doah valley, substantially the same district
rs that recently represented by O'Ferrall.
Judge Harris was an ardent advocate of
the Union and fought secession till the war
began and his prediction of the results of
the war, published just before its begin
ming, has been pretty nearly fulfilled. He
says:
"A day or two after Lincoln got here a
member of tine Virginia convention came
to see me-the same convention which at
first refused to secede. but afterward did
and he and together called on Mr.. Lin
coin, who said: Judge. there will be no
war-at any rate, none of my making. But
must have the revenue. We will collect
it by vessels stationed on the coasts Said
/, Mr.. Lincoln, earnestly hope you will
not do SO, for it will be certain to bring on
a conflict Well he replied, with pc
culiar smile, if they cut off my supplies l
can't keep house There was no more
to be said That exhausted the sub
ject l left convinced that an armed
conflict was inevitable. went then
to meeting of the Virginia members
with some visiting statesmen from vcsious
parts of our state. AS entered the room
l heard a very prominent man say, 4 am
no secessionist per se.' already had all
could bear, and broke out in rage: oh,
damn your per sci When a man goes to
talking that way, know just where he
stands. He only wants an excuse for some
thing he intends to do anyhow He arose
and came toward me in a threatening man
ner, when friends interviewed, and then
discovered that the whisky had flowed pref
ty freely before my arrival. 1t was black
day with me. That night went to bed
convinced that the worst was at hand"
j. b. PARKE.