Year: 1877

Mr.. Mighsls, Speaker of the House of
Representatives. at Carson, was pre-
sented on the 25th inst. by that body
with handsome ivory gavel. The Clerk
of the House, Mr.. J6seph Woodruff, read
the presentation speech. The presenta-
ton was made Immediately after the
reading of the Journal. The Senate
took recess in order to be present.
The presentation address:


Mr.. SPEAKER M1aHELs: Your friends,
who have with anxiety watched your
downward career, and still remember you
in the days when you were an honest
man Git is not necessary to state how
many years ago that was), an honest
man and miner on the Middle Fork of
Feather river; when the roses of youth
were upon your cheeks and -four sack
patches were on your pants; when your
guieless feet, not yet having been led
into the paths of temptation or of evil,
were hid in stogies, which were the ad-
miratiou and envy of every Chinaman on
Bidwsll's Bar; remembering those haley
on days before your lips had learned pro-
family, and before you forgot to blush at
the rehearsal of smutty story; these
friends of that far-off time when men
called your life exemplary and sometimes
expressed the rash belief that you might
eventually become a..useful and respected
member of society; these friends, still
keeping in mind the hopes which at that
early period your life awakened, would
k11r &c ha niatt inh
they at that time entertained for you.
It would be a sorrowful task TO recall
your career since. How You first gave
up the ways o! an honest man and be-
came an editor of a newspaper; how.
later, you Joined the army, and, on
doubtful battle-felds, studied the rascal
ity of camp life; how, since the war
closed, you have, with belligerent spirit,
kept up war OF words and ruined the
disposition of innumerable compositors
by your sxecrsble copy how, at last, you
fell down so lost to shame as to become
candidate for the Nevada Legislature,
and how, as An especial alcert6cats of your
total depravity, you were by acclamation
elected Speaker Of this House, would be
too painful to even mention. They
might remind US Of the old couplet:


when maidens stand in dancing row,


The fairest leads the floor.


When goslings to the mill-pond go,


The biggest goes before"


We, your friends-the self.sacrifcing
the disinterested few, who, having no
personal ambition to serve, no fortunes
to make. no characters to guard, and who
by the irreverent and ungodly are called
The Third House"-vish to present
you this gavel, that whatever you may
lack in personal dignity may be supplied
you with this instrument. If you car
beat order and respect for authOrit,
into this assemblage with this weapon
it will in great measure redeem you ant
speak wonders for the gavel. We wish
further, to impress upon you the fact tha
this is your private property, and com
mend you to take it to your home night,
to use upon your children, without stint
in case their heads show any disposition
to grow like yours instead of their moth
ers. But, dropping this banter, Mr.
Speaker, and speaking in all seriousness
as tribute to your ability as man
your worth as citizen and patriot
your character as companion an
friend, and your fairness and CORRECTNESS
as a presiding officer, We tender you thi
gavel as souvenir, given in spiri
which we are sure you will prize beyon
the value of ingots or Of pearls"


At tho conclusion of the reading of th
above Speaker Mighels responded in


very appropriate manner.