Milford chronicle., 1895-08-30
MADE IN CONGRESS.
CATCHY PHRASES THAT HAVE CONE
INTO COMMON USE.

In lScO-Btalne ana toAlhAHh N A't'"--NN'
Famous Sentences Pronounced by States
men When Not In Congress.
Many Of the best known and most
quoted phrases with which the Amer
ican people are familiar originate in
congress.
There is no reason why, if a good
thing is said upon the floor Of the senate
or house, the country should not know
1t il "a hours. With press gallery
thronged with correspondents who are
always ready and eager to pick up the
novel phrase or the apt description, with
the great press associations distributing
the debates from one end Of the country
to the other, and with newspapers only
too anxious to give currency to the lat
est expression. man who says a good
thing in congress one afternoon may
wake up the next morning and find his
saying in everybody's mouth There is
something in the atmosphere Of con-
qress. too, that develops the latent wit
and inspires to repartee. If a senator or
a representative has anything in him at
all, it is bound to come out in a rough
and tumble debate with a political OPP
ponent. Many Of the congressman have
already had their genius in this direc-
tion tested upon the stump and know
how to hold their own in the face of all
oomers. 1t does not always follow, how
ever, that a statesman who is good in
debate will achieve fame by uttering
phrase that becomes popular.
To 20 back to the beginning Of con-
oressional history is to discover many
phrases uttered in congress which are
still current. It was as far back as 1890,
for instance, that Felix Walker, a 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 a speech
''just for Buncombe. This is a saying
which has come down through the years
as a 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
number of epigrammatio sentences, the
best known of which perhaps was utter
ed in his wOrdy duel with Senator
Brown of Georgia. The latter had
habit Of rubbing his hands together as
he talked, and ingalls,, with bitter en-
phasis, described him as washing his
hands with invisible soap in impercept
ible water. Another remark by In
gals was much quoted at the time. He
was discussing the oleomargarine bill
and said regarding certain dairy prod
nets that he stood Sin awe at their !
strength and reverence for their antiq-
nifty. " In Proctor Knott S widely copied
Duluth speech occurs that phrase, "the
zenith city Of the unsalted seas, " title
which Duluth has always proudly kept.
Blaine and Conkling, with all their
greatness, left no single phrase as 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 matter-the
continuance Of the bureau of the provost
marshal general 1t gave Blaine, how
ever, a chance to satirize Conkling in
single sentence An article written by |
Theodore Tilton had appeared in which |
Conkling had been hkened to Winter |
Davis. "The resemblance is great, ex- |
claimed Blaine, with pungent satire.
''It is striking Hyperion to a satyr, |
Thersites to Hercules, mud to marble, a |
dunghill to diamond, a singed cat to |
a BeDgal tiger, whining puppy to a
roaring lion. "
Another debate in which Conkling, |
then in the senate, was a conspicuous |
figure, resulted in a sentence which has
not been forgotten. Senator Lamar Of /
Mississippi had resented as a falsehood
a charge Of broken faith made by Mr..
Conkling, and the latter retorted that
Lamar was a coward, blackguard and
a liar. The Mississippi senator, who had
never been accused Of cowardice, looked
over to his opponent and sarcastically
apologized for his first remark. 1T was
one, he said, "such as no good man
would deserve and no brave man would
wear Then he waited'for Conkling to
reply, but the New York senator was 81
lent
Many Of the sharp things said in con-
Rress are left out Of The Record. Cobb's
"Where was I att" does not appear in
official print, and Senator Wolcott's
quotation Of the Spanish proverb to
Senator Carey, 1T is waste Of lather
TO shave an ass, has also been cut out.
A few famous sentences came very near
having their origin in congress. Davy
Crockett, the author Of ''Be sure you re
right, then go ahead, was a member Of
the house Of representatives for two
years, but it does not appear thar this
oft quoted advice was originated with
him there. Henry Clay's 81 would rath-
er be right. than president" was said to
some friends at the capitol, but not in
public debate Senator Sherman, too, is
the author of the 'mending fences"
phrase, although he waited until he was
st his home in Mansfield before he ut
tered it. While Hayes was still presi-
dent and Mr.. Sherman was secretary Of
The treasury he entertained hopes of a
presidential nomination. Just before the
national convention met he
went to Mansfield, and while there was
called upon for a speech. In the course
IF his remarks MI. Sherman denied hay
Ing travelled to Ohio to promote his pres
dental aspirations. II have simply
,ome he said, to mend my fences,
which are greatly in need Of repair. -
Washington Post
e