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my duties as a member of this House to attend to my own private business.
I meet this charge with a positive and circumstantial denial.
Except a brief sitting one Private Bill day, I have not been absent one hour in all, nor the half of it, from the deliberations of this House.
I have never voted for an early adjournment, nor to adjourn over.
My name will be found recorded on every call of the yeas and nays.
And, as the gentleman insinuated a neglect of my duties as a member of a Committee (Public Lands,) I appeal to its Chairman for proof to any that need it, that I have never been absent from a meeting of that Committee, nor any part of one; and that I have rather sought than shunned labor upon it. And I am confident that, alike in my seat, and out of it, I shall do as large a share of the work devolving upon this House as the gentleman from Mississippi will deem desirable.
And now, Mr. Chairman, a word on the main question before us. I know very well—I knew from the first—what a low, contemptible, demagoguing business this of attempting to save public money always is. It is not a task for gentlemen—it is esteemed rather disreputable even for editors.
Your gentlamenly work is spending—lavishing—distributing—taking.
Savings are always such vulgar, beggarly, two—penny affairs—there is a sorry and stingy look about them most repugnant to all gentlemanly instincts.
And beside, they never happen to hit the right place—it is always “ Strike higher!”
“Strike lower!”
To be generous with other people's money—generous to self and friends especially that is the way to be popular and commended.
Go ahead, and never care for expense!—if your debts become inconvenient, you can repudiate, and blackguard your creditors as descended from Judas Iscariot!— Ah!
Mr. Chairman, I was not rocked in the cradle of gentility!
. 14th.
He wrote out another speech on a noted slave case, which at that time was attracting much attention.
This effort was entitled, ‘My Speech on
Pacheco and his Negro.’
It was humorous, but it was a “settler” ; and it is a pity there is not room for it here.
Jan. 16th.
The Mileage Committee made their report, exonerating members, condemning the Expose, and asking to be excused from further consideration of the subject.
Jan. 17th.
A running debate on Mileage—many suggestions made for the alteration of the law-nothing done—the proposed reform substantially defeated.
The following conversation occurred upon the subject of
Mr. Greeley's own mileage.
Mr. Greeley tells the story himself, heading his letter “A dry
Haw].”
The House having resolved itself again into a Committee of the Whole,
