Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-03-03
Colonel Gordon's Valedictory
Pronounced by Depew Most
Remarkable Speech.
O-DAY TERM THUS ENDED
Homely Phrases and Quotations
from Mississippian s Book of
Verse Given Rapt
Attention.

eple lareWeii ever delivered in the Senate !
chamber was heard there to-day, when, at
the close OF the session, marking the end |
of his term Senator James Gordon of
mississippi said good bye to the sena- |
tors with whom he had served for the |
past 60 days.
Colonel Gordon spoke for perhaps hair !
an hour and when he had finished. Sena- /
tor Depew addressed the chair saying he !
never had heard or read any speech |
Of the kind which was az impressive as
the one which had Just been delivered
The New York senator said he was sure
he voiced the sentiment Of all the mem
bers Of the Senate when he expressed
| regret over the passing of the MISSISSIPPI
plan.
] "No matter" he said. "how wonderful
n colleague succeeds him. he cannot be
| james Gordon of Mississippi"
| Practically the entire Senate listened
| with rapt attention to the address of the
| venerab bic Mississippien He stood back Of
| his own desk on the extreme right of the
| vice president and in homey phrase and
| almost without gesture talked 10 his coli
| leagues as If they had been Old time
| friends. Twice he quoted from his own
book Of verse which he afterwards pres
ented to the vice-president His remarks
| were frequently punctuated with applause
and laughter. The galleries We're we'll
filled and the occupants of them Joined
freely in the manifestations of approval
on the floor.
beginning with the statement that the
deadlock In Mississippi had been broken
and that Mr.. Percy had been chosen 30
take his place. Colonel Gordon said that
he had felt desire to express his feelings
towards the Senate before returning to
his home in Mississippi.
KHEW HE WOULD BE SENATOR
He then told how, when five years old.
he had been presented with toy board
which was checked over with different
objects some of them good and some
of them bad. One Of these objects was
the capitol Of the United States and his
mother had told him, he said. that IL
he would be good and would live Il correct
life he might some day hope to sit in
the seat Of the big man who was pic
tured there
She never had told me lie and I
knew that what she said was true" said
Colonel Gordon. II knew that | would
some day occupy the seat of that big
man and God helping me. got there
yesterday referring to the fact that
for time yesterday he had occupied
the seat of the presiding officer.
II was born multimlionare," said
Colonel Gordon, but never was happy
until | got rid Of my surplus money.
spent much of it on my slaves and the
rest of my funds | spent like a gentle
man and got rid of the c>tire encum-
brance.
~ have listened with interest to the
speeches here and the more | hear OF
them, the sorricr am for the million
aires Why, II there Is n fellow in the
United States that | am sorry for 1t is
Rockefeller, because he has more money
than any one else That is his misfor-
tune. He can't go on the street with one
of his grandchildren unless he is afraid
that some one might XIII him. Why, I
know that he loves one of those children
much better than he loves all the money
he has got.
THINKS ROCKEFELLER GOOD MAN.
81 think Mr. Rockefeller is a good man
| see his employees speak we'll of him,
and am told that he never had n strike
am told also that he has given much
money TO churches and education Now
l don't suppose that everybody will like
that, but those who don't like 1t can put
it in their pipes and smoke it
Il would like for Mr.. Rockefeller to
come down to Mississippi and run his
q pipe lines through my land He could
have right of way for all the lines he
wanted. for know that in my time coal
, oil has been reduced from 40 cents 20 10
cents per gallon"
, Referring to the fact that he had been
a Confederate soldier, Mr. Gordon said:
, II fought and bled but didn't die
However. I skedaddled frequently" He
e then told of some OF his exploits In the
, war and how he had captured General
, Coburn of Indiana, and General Shafter.
o Shafter he said, had fired at him five
different times during the Confederate
charge without hitting him. He admitted
, that on more than one occasion he had
. been "skeered." Asserting that he loved
the negro. he declared that he wanted
, Mason and DiXon's line obliterated from
the map OF the United States because
he did not want any more strife.
WILLING TO DOFF HAT TO GRANT.
"A few bab mouthed people down our
( way talk differently" he said. but they
] are so insignificant that they are not
+ wort GUESSING; they are not worth wasting
invectves upon"
1--WE don't want to hurt the niger.
G why, love him, and to convince You
G that ! do ! Will quote from my own
y poetry concerning him" He then read
e two Of his poems in which strong personal
sentiment for the negroes of The South
: was expressed In rhymes
n Referring to Senator Heyburn's recent
r protest against General Lees statue he
Ing allowed to remain in Statuary hall,