The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-11-03

northwest, and the blue grass ends,
coming from the north and east. In
Marion county, too, the "Pennyrlle
starts on its journey TO the south and
southwest, and only a step over the
Casey county line, 20 the southeast, M
mountains kiss the niue grass. In the
heart of Marion county. situate on
beautiful plateau, is Lebanon,
Whom ne'er a town surDasses
For honest men and bonny lasses.
At Lebanon resides in serene retire
ment in the enjoyment of ell the te-
licity that comes 20 the man of Splen-
did intellect and brilliant imagination.
J. Proctor Knott. the scholar, the ora
tor. the poet. the jurist, the statesman
/ am induced TO write something or
this man because of some slOvenly stuff
a Mr.. William E. Curtis has given the
public concerning him in recent syndl-
cate writings. A MIR. Dexter Marshall
also dropped into more or less fiction
on the same subject some weeks ago,
dignifying the Pat Donan claim 10
Knott's humor and declaring that the
Duluth speech finished KnOtt's hopes
as a lawyer. Here is what CUTS
says;
"A bill granting a tract of land TO
the Bayfield, and St CroiX railroad ee-.
ing under consideration. Mr.. Knott, in
spired by its opponents made Willy
and satirical speech, which is unsur-
passed in congressional literature. LII
is a singular fact that the Kentucky
representatives reputation FOR Wit anu
satire rests upon no other foundation.
He never made a funny speech before
or since, although he was known Tor
his good stories and his ability as
mimic. An eccentric and brilliant irish
adventurer named Pat DOMAIN, VINO
was connected with the newspapers IN
the northwest at different times, al
ways claimed to be the author OF the
speech and Mr.. Knott never TOOK the
trouble TO make formal denial, 1t IS
entirely probable that DOMAIN VINO was
employed IN washington al that time
in the interests of a rival project,
gave Mr. Knott the suggestion and Inc
information upon which the speech
was based. but Donan claims that he
wrote it, and that Proctor Knott COM
mitted il to memory from his manu-
script.
However that may be, the speech
stands as a model of wit and satire,
and what was Intended to be ridicule-
has since become prophecy. Mr.. Knott
christened Duluth as The Zenith city
of the Unsalted Seas" he described
its unlimited resources in ironlcal
terms; but, strange 10 say, the sdeNel-
Onm6nI
wealth has become an actual, tangible
fact. Mr.. Knott's speech reads very
strangely in the light of the present
prosperity and commercial activity or
the city"
]. Proctor Knott was born in Marion
county Kentucky. in 1880. He Is self
educated man. and the scope OF his
learning embraces most of the htera-
ture that has value in the marts or IN
tellectuai exchanges. AT the age OF
twenty he became a citizen OF missouri,
and the following year he was admitted
10 the bar of-that state. In later years
his powerful arguments in congress
against the fourteenth amendment 10
the federal constitution extorted from
Jeremiah s Black, the extravaganza
compliment that a profounder exposi-
ton of the American pOlity OF govern
ment had never been made in either
branch of the American congress.
Al the a. of tWenty-Seven Knott
was return.I 20 the house of repre- .
sentatives of the Missouri legislature
Impeachment proceeding was mslltul-
ed against an official OF the state gov
eminent and Knott was appointed
leader of the board of managers Sc
1ected by the house to conduct the
trial In the FOrty-fOurth congress,
he was leader OF the board OF mana
gers, who accused Secretary of War
BeIKnap al the bar of the senate. 80
greatly did Knott, then twenty-seNen
wears OLD, distinguish himself in the
Missouri Impeachment case he was ap-
pointed 10 supply the vacancy in The
office of attorney general of Missouri,
a position TO which he was chosen by
the people at the succeeding election.
The war overturned the real state
turned TO his old kentucky home in
1S6s and opened a law Office in LvDa-
non. In 1S67-until 1870 Kentucky
chose congressman in the month Of
August after the term began on the
Dreceding March Knott was elected
a member of the Fortieth congress.
All of the Kentucky delegation were
Democrats. and all but Matt Adams,
who had been a major in the union
army, were denied their seats. 1t was
IN times when thrift and loyalty We're
twin-when nothing was odiOus hui
treason. Finally, in sheer shame, all
the Kentucky delegation, but SONY
Young Brown, were seated, though
thew stole John d. Youngs seat ana
gave ii to Sam Mckee. Brown was
not allowed 10 take the oath, for a
speech he had made In 1861 against Sc
cession Fact Among the Kentucky
members were James b. Beck. who
subsequently, became so distinguished
I'm both houses, and Elijah Hise, next
10 Humphrey Marshall. the most pow
erful intellect the Mississippi valley
ever produced, If l may venture dog
matism that is a fixed belief in my
mind.
Mr.. Curtis says that knotts reputa-
tion for wit and satire rests on no 9TH
or foundation than the Duluth speech,
that che meyer made a funny speech
before or since" Before the Duluth
speech. the session before, Knott made
the speech against the appropriation
for paving Pennsylvania avenue that
SURPRISES in humor and fancy the Du
luth speech as far as the Duluth speech
surpasses s. :. CoX's reply to Gurley.
Here are passages. After citing what
the government had done to beautify
the national capital. Knott continued:
IF any gentleman entertains doubt
on this point. let him walk through
LAFAYETTE square. Let him swing
around the circle Of the presidential
palace. or stand on the splendid es
pIanade in front of the agricultural
department Let him sniff the fra
grant air that hangs over the public
gardens. Let him look at the broad
40