Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1895-11-05

Many Of the host known and most
quoted phrases with which tho Amor
loan people are familiar originate IN
congress.
There IL no reason why, II a good
thing Is ssaid upon the floor Of the senate
or house. tho country shOuld not know
Il in "a hours. with . press gallery
thronged with correspondents who are
always ready and eager 70 pick up the
novel phrase on the apt description, with
tho great press associations distributing
the debates from one end Of the country
70 the other, and with newspapers only
too anxious q give currency 70 the lat
est expression, man who says a good
thing in congress one afternoon may
wake up the noxt morning and find his
saying in Overybody's mouth. There is
something in tho atmosphere Of con-
gress, too, that develops the latent wit
and inspires to repartee II a senator or
q representative has anything In him at
all, 10 a bound 70 come out IN q rough
and tumble debate with political op-
ponent Many Of the congressman have
already had their genius in this diToo-
tion tested upon tho stump and know
how 20 hold their own IN tho face Of all
comers. It does not always follow, how
ever, that q statesman who is good in
debate will achieve fame by tutoring q
phrase that becomes popular. 81
To go back to the beginning Of con-
gressional history is to discover many
phrases uttered in congress which are
still current Il was as far back ~ 1870,
for instance, that Felix Walker, q mem-
Der Of the North Carolina district which
included Buncombe county, apologized
for the emptiness Of his remarks by
stating that he had TO make q speech
"just for Buncombe" 1" This is a saying
which has come down through the years
a. q byword. Liberty and union, one
and inseparable, now and forever, " was
uttered by Webster in his famous reply
to Hayne. Lincoln's with malice to-
ward none and charity toward All' was
first heard in the halls Of congress when
his second inaugural address was read
to the assembled representatives. In
later years Senator ingalls, contributed a
number Of epigrnmmatio sentences. the
best known Of which perhaps was utter
cd in his wordy duel with Senator
brown Of Georgia. The latter had .
habit Of rubbing his hands together ~
no talked, and ingalls,. with bitter em-
phasis, described him Rs washing his
hands with invisible soap in impercept-
iblo water" Another remark by In
gals was much quoted ut tho time He
was discussing the oleomargnrine bill
and said regarding certain dairy prod
uctB that he stood 'in awe at their
strength and reverence for their antiq-
uity." In Proctor Knott's widely copied
Duluth speech occurs that phrase, ''the
zenith city Of tho unsalted seas, title
which Duluth has always proudly kept
Blaine and COnkiing, with all their
greatness, left no single phrase as a leg
acy Of their participation In congress
sional debates. Burn these letters"
was often quoted after the Mulligan af-
fair, but this sentence was not first ut
tered in congress- The famous debate
between the two men. which estranged
their whole lives, occurred IN April,
1866, over a very trivial mattsr-the
continuance Of the bureau Of the provost
marshal general II gave Blaine, how
ever, chance 70 satirize Conkling in q
single sentence. An article written by
Theodore Tilton had appeared in which
Conkling had been likened to Winter
Davis. "The resemblance Is great, " OK
claimed Blaine, with pungent satire.
1T is strikingl Hyperion to n satyr,
Thersites to Hercules, mud TO marble, g
dunghill to a diamond. singod cat tc
q Bengal tiger, whining puppy to q
roaring lion. F"
Another debate IN which Conkiing,
then IN the senate, wns n conspicuoul
figure, resulted in a sentence which hai
not been forgotten. Senator Lamar oi
Mississippi had resented as q falsehood
q charge Of brOkon faith made by Mr.
Conkling, and the latter retorted thai
Lamar was q coward, blackguard and
q liar. Tho Mississippi senator, who haf
never been accused Of cowardice, looked
over 70 his opponent and GRrcastically
apoloRized FOR his first remark. "It wal
one, - ho said, ''such az no good mar
would deserve aud no brave man woulC
wear. " Then be waited for Conkling h
reply, bat tho New York senator was 81
lent
Many Of the sharp things said In con
greas arc left out Of The Record. Cobb
"Whero was / atY'' does not appear Il
ohicial print, and Senator Woloott'
quotation Of the Spanish provorb h
Senator Carey, ''It is q waste Of lathe
10 shave an ass, i" has also been cut out
A few famous sentences came very nea
having their origin in congress- Dav.
Crockett. tho author Of Be SURE you'r
right, then 60 AhoaE, " was q member o
the house q representatives for tw
years, but it does not appear that thi
Oft quoted advice was originated wit
him there. Henry Clay'a II would rath
er bo right than president" was said
some friends at the capitol, but not 4
public debate. senator Sherman, too,
the authOr. Of tho 'mending fences
phrase, although he waited until be wa
81 his home Ia Mansfield before be al
tered t. While Hayes was still presl
dent and Mr.. Sherman was secretary &
! the treasury ho entertained hopes Of
I presidential nomination. just before th
. Republican national convention met
went 20 Mansfield, and while there va
called upon for a speech. In tho couri
Of hi1 remarks Mr., sherman denied ha'
Y ing travelled TO Ohio 60 promote bis pre-
4 idontal aspirations II have simpi
! come, BE said. ''to mend my fences
e Whioh are greatly In need Of repair. -
3 WaIhingiOn Post