Arizona republican., 1898-03-02
AT THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.


 the most remarkable of the Lincoln birthday speeches has not been heard from although nearly three weeks have passed since that historic anniversary. The speech, strange to say, was made by a democrat, and by no other than the modest Representative Ball of Texas. Representative Ball was born just before the breaking out Of the war, but he has some sentiments on that great conflict that meet with the hearty approval of the citizens of E. ie, Pa. It will be remembered that the house river and harbor committee went on a junketing trip to Buffalo, and near by places, to inspect the needs of those localities for improve ments. The night of Lincoln's birth day they were in Erie, and the mem bers of the committee, republicans and democrats alike, were invited to the local banquet. When the board had been cleared away and the time for oratory had arrived. Representatives Hooker of New York, c. w. Stone and w. A. Stone of Pennsylvania were call- ed on in order, and paid eloquent trib- utes to the memory of the martyred president. Then the toastmaster re- quested the representative from Texas to speak.
 All those present agree that the re- suit of his speech was electrical. In a manly, straightforward way he re- counted with brevity the events of the war between the states, praising the armies of the north and the south for their valor, but acknowledging that the south was fairly whipped, and DIG l ceeded to a eulogy on the eminent character of Lincoln, to whom he ac- corded unstinted praise. Then he concluded with eloquent words, dis cussing the permanency of the Union and the great patriotism of all sec tions. As one man the audience of banqueters rose to their feet and gave the Texan three times three cheers and a tiger. The remainder of the evening witnessed the entire oblitera- tion of sectional feeling in that par ticular locality of Erie.
 There were many able and enthusi- astic speeches on the bankruptcy bill which passed the house last week. Probably no one drew more glorious picture of what would come after the enactment of bankruptcy law than was drawn by Representative Sam uel Lanham of the Lone Star State MT. Lanham spoke of thousands of ''care encumbered'' and 'sdebt en- burdened' men, whose cause he was glad to plead before the house of rep- resentatives of the American people. "I would have go forth from the con gress of the United States,' said he, ito all such, the royal proclamation that gladdened the hearts of ancient Israel:
 Proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof. And if thy brother be waxen poor and fallen in decay with thee, then shalt thou relieve him that he may live with thee. Thou shalt not compel him to serve as bond servant"
 Then MT. Lanham dropped into po- etry on the efficacy of a bankruptcy law by adding, '1 would have the com mand issue and send forth the greet ing and assurance:
 Blow ye the trumpet, blow
 The gladly solemn sound;
 Let all the people know,
 To all the country's bound,
 The year of jubilee has come
 
 Ye weary spirits, rest;
 1e mOurn1ul souls be glad
 Applause followed this poetic argu- E,ent of the Texas statesman.
 
 hpTopos to the late renewal of war talk, a number of congressman were discussing coast defenses in the cloak room the other day, when Represen- tative Hepburn of Iowa ceased hum ming the long meter Doxology long enough to say that he had no sym pathy with the policy now prevai ing 1n the management of the army in the matter of sea coast defenses.
 Tt is proposed,' said he, ito spend many millions of dollers to cast and mount powerful mortars. Theorists of the army expect to shoot great big shells up into the air and drop them on the decks of hostile vessels. With the best possible aim they cannot come within a half or quarter of a mile of the moving War vessels of any modern navy. As an example of mor- tar practice l can tell you a story of the civil war which is a matter of his toric fact.
 I was under the command of Gen. Pope in 1862 during the operations which resulted in the capture of Is- I. For three weeks sixty-nine mortars were working night and day sending explosive shells up into the air and over into the confederate works, where more than 1000 men were assembled behind masked batteries. During the three weeks, with sixty mortars con- stantly at work, hundreds of tons of shells were thrown upon Island No. 10. Finally, when the rebel batteries were silenced, was ordered out with the Second Iowa cavalry on a recon noissance. I found u at Island No. 10 was deserted, and immediately nov ed in and took possession. The enemy had evacuated, and very soon there after our entire army was in posses sion of their works. A few prisoners were captured at tie time, but later on we captured Lumber of officers and men who were il the confederate works, and from them we learned that 1,,, ,1r,,o l,x~ T