Year: 1863

anu smlrK, ana grin at True Union
man. But defy them l stand here
ready for them, and dare them to come
on. Great cheering. What man with
the heart of patriot could stand this
treason any longer? l have stood it
long enough. | will stand it no more
Cheers. l denounce these men and
their aiders and abettors as rank traitors
and Secessionists. He'll itself could not
spew out more traitorous crew than
some of the men who disgrace this Leg
islature, this State, and this country.
For myself, l protest against and de-
nounce their reasonable acts. l have
voted against their measures. / will do
so to the end. | will denounce them as
long as God gives me breath. And | am
ready to meet the traitors themselves,
here or anywhere, and light them to the
death. prolonged cheers and shouts.
81 Il said i paid three thousand dollars
a year taxes. do not say it to brag Of
it. 1t is my duty, yes, Mr.. Speaker. my
privilege to doit. But some of the trait
ors here, who are working night and day
to get their miserable little bills and
claims through the Legislature, to take
money out of the pockets Of the people,
are talking about high taxes They are
hypocrites, as we'll as traitors | heard
some of them talking about high taxesi in
this way, who do not pay five dollars to
support the Government | denounce
them as hypocrites as well as traitors.
Cheers.


"The reason that they pretend to be
afraid of high taxes is that they do not
want to vote money for the relief of the
soldiers. They want also to embarrass
the Government and stop the war. They
want to aid the secessionists to con-
quer our boys in the field. They
care about taxes? They are picayune
men anyhow. They pay no taxes at all,
and never did, and never hope to, unless
they can manage to plunder the Govern
ment Cheers This is an excuse of
traitors.


Here the Speaker called for order in
the galleries.


Mr.. Speaker: Excuse me. l feel
for my country in this her hour of dan
ger; l feel for her from the tips of my
toes to the ends of my hair That is the
reason that l speak as L do cannot
help it. am bound to tell these men
to their teeth what they are, and what
the people, the true loyal people, think
of them. Tremendous cheering. The
Speaker raped upon the desk in unison
with the applause, apparently to stop it,
but really to add to its volume, for l
could see by his flushed cheek and fash
ing eye that his heart was with the brave
and loyal old gentleman.


"Mr. Speaker: have said my say. I
am no speaker. This is the only speech
l have made And 1 do not know that
it deserves to be called a speech. I
could not sit still any longer and see
these scoundrels and traitors work out
their selfish schemes to destroy the
Union. They have my sentiments. Let
them, one and all, make the most of
them. l am ready to back up all l say,
and repeat it, to meet those traitors in
any manner they may choose, from
pins point to the mouth of a cannon "
[Tumultuous applause, during which the
old gentleman sat DOM, after he had
given the desk parting whack, which
sounded loud above the din of cheers and
clapping of hands.


l never witnessed so much excitement
in my life in an assembly. Mr.. Funk
spoke with force of natural eloquence,
with conviction and truthfulness, with
fervor and passion that wrought up
the galleries, and even members on the
floor, to the highest pitch of excitement.
His voice was heard in the stores that
surround the square, and the people
came focking in from all quarters. In
five minutes he had an audience that
packed the hall to its utmost capacity.
After he had concluded, the Republican
members and spectators rushed up and
took him by the hand to congratulate
him. The Democrats said nothing, but
evidently felt the castigation they were
receiving most keenly, as might be seen
from their blanched cheeks and restless
and uneasy glances.