0
MINI
Raiittr:(Cittitattitelivrtiat
-i)
SPEECH OE. HON: lIMUEL TODD.
'' • OP PEDiNSIMVANJA, •
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESFSTATI.VSS,
111;;rch
Qii the Resolution reported by Ah*.:Caninittee
. .T of Elections in . thp,Ocirites_tedcElection case
. - . Territory
Mr, TODD .
Mr. Sro,tktt.; I feel Some
,reWetance in
prolo_ngfietbis - diticussioniarising -- out - ot — the
iyonimy vo:n state
have 'alrOtidi participated in.it; but the sub
ject ° is .one of so much importune:o, and ocou•
pies - and absorbs so much-of the . attention of
our People, thal I feel justified in making a
feorlobservations on it. ". •
The, point mWt strongly- t insisted—on,--and
most carefully elaborated by those who resist
the adoption - of the resolution submitted by th&
• evf EleoluLt. • • y • ; )95r ,
er Of this hliMseto i inquire into and 'pass Upon
''the the Kansas Legislature, and
the'statute'under. Which the sitting Delegate
from that. Territory claims'to hare been ,elec-
Aa.Lunderstand: it.
,the broad ' pyppeet'
-7=tiolOszta rmed bat—th is-Tipuee is hound -to.
• recognize the validity of an act of a Territori
• Legislature passed under the.to'rms of law,
irrespetttive. and in defiance -of the fact, that
legislative functioJl9 were usurped-ill/enacting
; such law, on the stile, ground that every-legi
. lative body pessesses an absoltiteandi,nherent.
right to tiettle no determine the question of
its own legality'; in pater words, adMitting
that. the legislature of KanSaa.was ... imposed on .
the people of that Territory by non-residents
,—yet, because the legislature - so inipose(i; in
perfecting the original wrong, decided that
ite.me - mbere were legally elected, aud itself is
Constituted body, that KWh decision estopsi
this_ House, and the people who. have bee&
- - wronged and outragod,from denying its pretend
eions. 'The mere enunciation of'auch a prop
- asition, it seems to me ie, and ought to be
. is enough -to -shoWitaweatßeswandltniefenai ble
pees. It is one' whfch the mind Intuitiifely re
reete as inconsistent tvith-ear cunitati
.nrents of justice, and. right, — TliViirctnises
upon which. the
. reasetti*ein- support - of it
'is based, presuppose'andiake it:, bettue the
:very subject-matter in.disPute. •The' answer'
to - the wEole argument • lies ,outside .tand be
,
yond it,- and coneists in the fact 'that there
never .was a Legislature in Kansas capable of'
• .
doing, any act-'having obligatory force: In
, t
ordero entitle the judgment of a court to' re
spect and authority,. it must first be 0 made to
appear that it is a legal court, 'and justly - ern
-powered to sit in judgment on the question
- adjudicated. Those are • preliminary facts ;
--and-they - must - tre - a - stiertaiifeil and. hated before
anything can be predicated of the ford') and eS ,
,
feet of its judgment—otherwise, we would
be constantly cheated by the shadows of
things, and never be . „able to grasp Omir
very essence and Substance. The rule of law in
relation - to so_ jucgcata is founded Upon 'the
•. principle, that,the couit rendering the judg-,1
meat wash competent court, and- bud right-
f ulijurisdiction_overtbi_subject-tuntteacterl.
oh. I submit, therefore, that it is begging
the question to Argue and . maintain . that the
Kansas legislature was a legal legislature, be
, 'cause. it declared itself to be -so. Untie; our
- system . Ilinow ,of no_tribiumis, either_ legisla-•
Aire or judicial, resting.simply on ' de facto or-!
ganizationa... Our Alavernment. is a vain--
ment of laws—of mutual' and reeipt al übli
. gations, an/ recognizes . 'no act or decision
which does net proCeed from a tribinaul or
body existing de jam The rules of inter--
national law, which regulate the 'intercourse
of separate,divinot, and -independent', licter 1
eiguties, control their rights, and fix their-du .
. ties, have no place in the relation which Sub._ .
- blots between thishouse-and a - territory-wl ich
can do no not except in ther.v \
ery -mode p e
,_ scribed by the law creating ; it, - rind upon-stri, ,-
-Soonfermity to which depends its right tel'hav
a representative on this floor, A Territ . y
acts within presekibed limits; it has no ele
. meat of sovereignty; it exercises Only' a del
egated authority ; aid all its acts must con
form to the'requiremente of this organic law;
for the moment its authorities atop beyond the
''• boundary line, , their acts become usurpations,
' \ anti and null and. void._ 'Fur -A take it,- she
mule is well are firmly established, that all
- .limited tribunali,_ created by statute, 'must
keep. strictly-Within the limits' ,f the powers
. conferred upon them. The limitations on a
Territory are as funclatteiital and important
parts of its charter as the rights and privileg '
es granted ; and as by the organic law, of Kan
Iles, its Jegislature could be legally chosen
Witi'37
such.o of the inhabitantslif the Terri
tory as posseiised the qualifications demanded
'by the territorial law, does it not necessarily ,
folleiv, as an iiTefragable . conclusion, 'flint a
„Legislature elebtedby those who Were not hi
,habitants of the -Territory, and who did not
possess any i "ef the requisite. ~qualifications of .
' .eleetors,swas not a legal Legialatare, 'or one
• authorized to exercise - legislative •functions;'
and that all' its acts woad; 'partake. of the
fradulent character of the source Wheikie4hey
, emanated, and+er olittely,Wl and void 2- T -
If the LeguOytila WO fraudulent
and' 1(O0U101,, nat";;•11:
any Sub'shq -t u tteViif Owbriofaoortglit ' it n a
n :ttritti'co:rr j upt and ;:fpr,
:'there is, no to xim~et eetab~iehed,
of Wider acaeptatiOn,'both
(than that - theTzwrotig- - docr -- shall - riot - be - per;. 4
;mitted to take advtfutuge of his own •wr0ng..,:,..:'
• But,, sir,. I affirm that this poWer .
zllouse is direbtly deducible--from-thi,provis ! -
ions of the' COnstitution •By, that
eft:mum:it thellousc is ortitlied With:the right,
-to - determitre - whoare - itsTinembertr.':Tbe
croisS of that power is exclitaive, — lt is only
limited by the terms of.thb Constitution itself,'
and obviously extends - to every • subjedt of in
quiry ,connected with , a claimto rnentbership.l
It is provided that "e(ich Houseehull be jtidge
"of the elOctioUs, returns and qutiliticStions of
• s own members." These -.words •tire broad'
and comprehensive, but nt . the 1 4, i1110 time they
artrancpurate „meld - precise, and distinguish
1 4 9•77`"'77.77^ - •
imposed on the. House. It is also manifest,
," 5 , sit'', that this geni3ral ant "o( power was`made
toetable . . the House . .pesorvo its,. integrity,
_ .7 ;
andthut it, embraces witpip its. scope •Avery
iliingniecessary to abcomplish that purpose.--
, It ;Mikes tholiouse_thy.absolute anti sppreme
judge of , the, el:Options. of its ' members, and
recognizes its "judgment as final - ktid 'conch'.
- sive . , without ii i pe3l. and 'without ferned .—.
Neither,thles it prt'isorilie the mode in which
the Hous• Must render itsjudgment,
_but ,an
unlimited diseretion is given. And as..euolt
House. is to.judge who are its members, it is
not hopial to confortn to any rules or, formula',
• laid (limn by apreceding House, but may .irt
its discrutiuu resort to whatever form of pro
eeediug is hest sulted,to tneet the.emergencies
of each particular case. Therefore. the argu-
meut deduced friu.. the Arecuises,: 'flat his
House acts judicially in deterMinitig the right
of a member to hie seat; .auit is:bountl to con;
form-to the ordinary rules of practice; which
— prevail in common-law courts, . has ,no. tittb
stance in it, because . ,the • jurisdiction of thii.
-Ilonse'evdr, the subject- . matter is not deriva
. tive-:-Lit r s investigations are net directed and,
controlled—by—rules , -esiablished_by _al_p_ara
,' ynotiut authority, but are wholly governed by
self imposed regulations, adopted pro hue vice,
: -- and. alterable at its will. This absolute i3Ur
premacy. brigipal—a par of the fundamen
tallow of the land—and cannot be restricted
so•long as the Constitution remains , . uncliOn 7
.ged: neither can it be abrogated, impaired, or
trammellbd . by one House for a succeeding one,-
for the siinple renson, 'that elicit House . is the
judge of his own case, and may therefore ea
tablish its own rules. In making niihryfirg:
'me.nt, the House consults its own discretion,
nail in its omnipotence-overrides all barriers
— 'which stands in the way of its exercise.
It would soda, therefore, to follow, that
analogies drawn from the practice of limited
tribunals exercising wdelegated autboxity, anal
amenable to sfiperior jurisdictions, are''not
- -applicable tg a body which is t law • unto it
self, and vested by its' very Conetitutiou with
absol9te dominion over the subjept. ' •
-Now, Mr. Speaker, what is the m' e'lning of
the worsl±eleetion___in_the_chiffse_of_theleonsti
tution referred to, and,what is the duty im
posed on the House by it ? Is it simply to
inquire into the fact whether a choice was
made or not? By 'no means: because that,
wovd,tiu the connection in which it_is used,
necessarily imports a more . extended signifi
cation—namely, that there has been a choice
of a Representative made, by qualified electors,
in the mode and manner prescribed by
,the 10-_
gal authority of the Stateoi, Territory. - To
judge - of the "returns" is to decide that such
, -
an election was and that , its results
were properly and truly certified ; and to
judge of the qualifications Of a member.,ie to .
. ;determine that a•person claiming the sent by
virine - of - such-an electien-rso-Certified,-is pee--
sessed of therequisite. constitutional fitness.
If the duties imposed on the Boma) receive
this interpretation, they find appropriate ac
tion and aptly discharge theift- several offices
in preventing a usurpation 'of the rights and
privileges of the House by.'a poWrer extraneeous
to it. •
• It seems to me thht this view is strengthen
:rid when. when wezonsider the relations which'
thi's Ilona° holds to State' authorities. • Mem
bers hold tfloir seats. here solely byiyirtue of
the provisions of the Federal ,Constitution. L 2
They are independent :of State control, and in
no way subject to its jurisdiction.—The au
thority which creates and surrounds / them
is paratiiont to State sovereignty r .and exists in
defiance of it. The actidifof a State, in dere.:
gation'of the Conkitutibii, or of the enact-
Merits made in the pursuance of it., cannot em
bartufs the tweed of thia House, or curtail the
'limits "and-extent of the powers conferred upon,
it. A.State'canouly act in reference to the
will of the constitution by toriTertning to it and
by, assisting iu .giving ,it expressiod. If a
State would undertake to enact a standard of
'fitness, in relation to members of this body,
will any one contend that- we could not set . ,
;aside those regulations, if fourid
,tdbo incon
sistent with the Constitution or repugnant to
. I ; ts ”quktements. The iorit. to judge of the
Qtnrl sly Aeictib
aleptt ~,, ~ ''.. ;sec the right to fa mine into ,
and p - , ',_o; e legality of the w ordering
,t(
, tU p ng ft. If ihNverei4o:lB6,thb,,
1.11 0
, uelei r ttoki ;be limite'di, ' ,i6ti)ei,:ii:itirti:iiiiiti l ry .
li t'
4,nta4lo.oplarity of the'b,&ilinit , pi\ 04fli?n,i
!libii , lbnic,l4Y-zobberd' - of tii,e—,fitlitCodAbcr,eootit
ieekitire ofitC , organicrraW ,:, ' skid ' , be ." siiijiciatt
i
tp - tiferierju'riedietions.upposer, 'sir; for
- tbrigake,..of illustraiion; that a Reif-constituted
body, or,a,,bedy electiid ty aliens;., should fis
sntne_the_ntizazystile,_a4attributes_cfa_Blote-',
I.ligisliiire, and proceed. to legialcita,,,,keepindi
, a jOtirnaVenaciing statutes, - and authorizing
their-publication,.:asis_usuiLL,with—legitimots.
Itssezehlive, qnd Mutt, in , pureman9e, e,f, a. law
passe& by, it, .perso,na Curd present them
selves' here, with formal papers, in one: band,
an'd the journal 'and book of - ataiutes.of such
bogus I..egislature, in the otiiir ; will it be
contended that,this House Would not have the
prerogative to inquireinto tiipii right • to. be
here-and-to entertain, in its fullest extent,,
•th e
uestion
ing Legislature and the legality of its detsl,.
The, denial of the existence of such a power is
an admission thtit the 'General Government
possesses noself%sustaining principle, and
cannot maintain intact tle true ielation it
holds to the several States, It pip it of all
vital principle, and places its life at the suf
ferance of Wrong : doers. The very necessity for
the Cap else of* power contended for, taken
• .ontrection - with the explicit — words - of the
'Constitution, leaves no room to doubt as to
the-proper censtruction - to bd pia upon it, and
of the . poiver of this House to go • behind the .
_mare tukohltery_ employed in the selection of
-its members, and to'determine Upon the char
acter and authority of the power that faiioned'
and authorized, tikatmachinery and gave it
vi
tality. -
If we ha're the reght to,', Inquire into and
pass upon - ..the, legality of State bodies end
laws, 'there is a-still stronger ziason . why we
wotild'poiSess it in - relationio - tSose of 'a - Ter=
ritory. A Terrtiory owes its existence to
Congress—it is the product of its creative
power; and, indubitably, the creator may
supervise the action: of its creature, and, cent..
pel it to Conform to'the law of its being. No
.Cot-of ; Territorita+egislature is . binding imletat
it conforms ` to its organic law, and every act
destitute "of moll conformity. is null and,Void.
. _
But, Mr.. Speaker, we do - not 'depend, upon
the deduct ions. of general - reasoning alone, for
the - existence of this . power; it' -satis- iet:lolled
by precedenta of .the highesrcluiraeter and
most commanding obligatien. These decisions
colitis found in thebook of contested-eleotf6n
cases compiled from the records of Congress,
to which I refer geitlenien . who May . .be de
sirous of intopo - ttiiiiiiin," frem the most
, autitentio so roes, andillustrated- by the
ions of opr
book cases may be found wherein the
_legality of State Legislatures and; State laws
were inquired into and passed - upon, and
Which show that such has been . the unques-
fioned practice from the earliest days of our
Goi o vritinent down' to the present tittfe.,
Vito the attention of gentlemen on the other
side of the Hoye to the base of Potter vs.
Robbins, and particularly to the report and
speech_ of_Silas_W right _ than_whom—qo- purer
or abler man ever graced the Halls of Con
gress:, It is. a case bearing directly On, the
point involved in the ono now before :us; Odd
in which the Senate' not only set aside a
State law, but atso_ontertained and. adjudica
ted the question of the legal existence of tite ..
,Legisatu're-of-Rhode Island.
Having thus eb_own t'ae prerogat i ve ofthe
Mouse to examine into atiff - tleible u the
legality of all laws by force of which mettber-,
ship iu it is olaimed,•tho quartion wises, has
there - been presented a case that calls for its'
exercise I affirm thOre hai. And. hero, I
d'es'ire, to exprese no opinion, in reference to
the action and claims of Governor • Reeder ---
That suftjeot is ( - not now legititnately.-beford_
us, and it:bi; tberitfore, unnecessaii to die:.
cuss it. When it does arise, I will meet it,
and he governed by its itierits alone, uninflu
enced either by passion' or prejudice. Never
theless, I auffree to deplore, that all the. de
numciations so freely and bitterly heaped up
on-the:devoted head of - Goiernor Reeder have
not, in the sligb test degree,- lowered, • lam' in
my estimation or lessened 'the dm'ffidence I
have heretofore reposed id his honor and in,
fegrity. I now believe him.to he as free from
all taint ,of disbonorand false motives as he
was, when called froth the peacefufpursuiti of
his-profession in Penn'syl4ania, by Preiident
Pieroe, to the governorship of Kansas; and
that it is fully in hie power to vindicate his
wholibonduct from the 'foul and degrading,
aspersions" cast upon it by his enemies., BO;
soon as an opportunity is given to him. • I am
persuaded that he can and will prov.o, most
conclusively, that all his acts both official 'and
nitoffioial were rigidly correct, and• in . strict
accordance withtb_e.tdoetit sense of duty.; and
that the allegedlnoonsisteneies of his career
are more seemidg thati real, and involve nomi
of the elemoists.Of wrong and culpability Wt.'.
tributed to them. .• ' •
What does qp ease before. 4 represent?
It represen ts tat when'the people of Kansas
wero.abont to eleot membeis to their Terri
_ • •
riak,Legislatiire, for.tze pttpeny d oignnix
n .
gevernnient and takftig the Initiative
4t.:,este‘tlllehingitalamte 'and - 04 were
.i.ftivn4q, • lit4tiliatik,ntid olaiwhelliaedly
'.iinined';forcei•Orotnidleetntri, who;l6i military
:'efeeta;..'"nxidty. lieleiiciOhret4i;litidliiiinkiday •
tion-:dre_vo:atvay_.-and ; avedintojimaalreneas,thef
surprieed-aud - difetoeleac -lateral leek poa- .
session .of the ballot-boxesi
.cjeeted' the otk ,
,eera legally-appointed - to hold and - booduet the.
election ;'eubatituted - fOr. -- tlietn:Pliant
nenteseleeted fr om -;among themaelvee; , and
herkient,throligh-the-ialca,of..-tileetin
I .
ions of their own to the-Legislature,-i-many_--of
- whoui were not even l'esidtta' - of the ' Terri;
story; lavileislY'ehestan iy
thiese,armed`marauders;su4sequently aeletc
bled as the legislature, and !Outer dieregard
o; the action :of the Goiernor i assumed, and.
exereised , the.ntsollite power deciding' 'en
the legality of their own 'electie4s t
''
.theh
.
•• :• ;II I • I .r 8,41.4 1 .11 4. t,•01•41:41
•the 4 election'of a Delegate to represent the
Territory in this House; that when the elec
tion took place; scenes of invasion, , violent*
and lawlessness , similar to ,those which had
marked the histoiy of the 'previos March:
elections were re-enacted, and resulted in the
selection _9f_the sitting
_Delegate, General.
Whitfieht; and 'that,; ever since, there , has
been anarchy 'arid ooneu4n, riot, crime, and
bloodshed throughout the Territory,,perpotra•_
ted 'by the authority,and under the sanction
of these usuriers of, rightfill authority, , Sir,
if this ease be true, it is one whose enormity
has no parallel in our history-4 mac which
exhibits ao utter — diSfegtird - for all-law-and
order, and - one that calls loudly for correction.
It telkof a stab aimed at the very vitals of
our Government; of the substitution 'of, the_
revolver and the bowie-knife for the ballot
box ; of the
_inauguration of the reign of ref
fianism instead ! ii... t„. ,- benign influences of
_civi '.. 'Tv'r • 'upi i icy ; and of the'preva
lence of passions and animosities which have
signalized their presence by cruel outrages,
torturing persecutions, and. cowardly mur
ders: And id it is gravely ; argued, oven if
all theee representations 14 true, that such a
ease is beyond investigation by this House,
- and - tnat - thee - seat-of-a--Delegato alleged-to-have.
been sent hare under .the auspices of such
monstrosities• cannot be contested or deciared
1 vacant. It seems passing' strange that any
' oppo talon should le made to an investigation
into these allegations - and - charges - by those'
who deal their truth. If I were a friend of
the eitting delegate, and had a tithe of the
confidence professed by hie supporters in the
merits of his case, I would eagerly court .the
closest scrutiny, the largest and most extend
ed inqUiry. The derdal of it, the attempt to
eva_d_e_tucape from it hy_technicaltsubitle
ties and false issues, 'creates a larger and
firmer, be of in the existence of these evils,
and wi kindle afresh the fires that have been
burning in the public heart and severing the
fraternal bonds which have united together
the different sections of our common 'country
in ,kindly union. Sir, the magnitude of the
interests hero involved, the great ends'of,pub
lie justice proposed to be 'accomplished, the
vin_ of the Insulted law, the restoration
._.
of invaluable righte, and the peao.e, quiet; and
,safety of the hole American people, demand
that this in, etigation should be inade—fully,
prouiptly.,a d, effectually made: In my judge
nig nt, thire is ne better meth) : of making: it
than: the one proposed.. The committee,
Clathed_with the power_ of this House, and
sustained by its authority,
, 00n effectually
compel the attendonee or, the necessary wit•
flosses, force the production of the needful pa-,
pent, and subject to personal -examination
everything connected with:this most unhappy
controversy, An examination made in so
solemn 'and authoritative manner,, , nnd laid
before the people, will - dispe t i the ifticulties
which surround the - subject, correct the evils
necessarily _attendant, - upon,. , imperfect trAtl
daldful inforbiation, and • Booth and calm
down_ _the 'excitement and _.agitation,whien
now perende and distress the public mind.
, The whole subject is a momentous one, and,
closely connected with the pro,sperity and per
petuitrof our institutions, and should, 'there
fore, be treated in a manner commensurate
•. ~
with its importance, and not be trammeled
and embarassed by sharp technicalities and
:trivial- obj eetions,. unworthy of- the subject /did
the responsibilitrpf. this. House. Let us take
hold of the question boldly. and fearlessly,
like:men sincere in, the search of the truth
anti right, determined to' soave nothing un
done that will mark our deep and - lasting ao
testation of outrages against popular rights,
and satisfy the people that bete. Is a citadel
,
'Where their liberties will find shelter, protect
tion, and vindication. - Why should investi
gation be stifled V Is it because - ientleiiiiiiii
fear its results ? Do they know.ihat the Del
egate from Katieb t s;is, Atifng, here . ' by ,rights-
usurped,'. and in defian9e of
,tho,wishos Of .the
People of that Territory, and that these fhots
wilt be made clearly. manifest by the proposed
inquiry ? k -If 'these be net their , comictions;
it is difficult tO sOoontki ' for the'pertinacity of
their opposition, , and
,the deep anxiety , dis
playediii7thidatiing the only practionl mans
of develophig and thoreughly - eXposing the
true history mad . o . knjitipu of: lhe affairs of:
Kansas, ;'Phey;ehoytd., reimomber:thatrl.tvpty
never shrinks from the, ight, but, on . the con.
trary, courts examinatiott,'arardelightai!s ei
portufilties wherein:U) display beauty "and
strength. .y,ver 7 diedaining - to'take. -shelter
behind eqUivroimi raiularts; 'or to fight- with‘
the:weapens of eophictm t ibe..trustinglistands'_.
ourelY :app . the. eenquiring power. ,of
friueio • m
' Gentlemen eic_ther-z.
Other side-of r the.llsmse ;to themselves ,
and to 'tbsicainie,riglit'aFid: justioe . to join
itands_witk_niin siftiag_out__the_trith_ofthie,
ease, and,in,establlshing, upon Armisnd just.
foundatiemi, the - piiet, order, And prdsperity:
of the Territory of Kansas. And beeauee
'believe such results can , only be.. attained by
action .guided by the light of - an ample and
searching inquiry into tio 'abuses, - dliordere,
'and 'wrongs alleged to have existed and 'still
prevailing in_ Kansas, I will cheerfully vote:
attaitt‘a .caolutlon.
3iiiortilaurou:e-;
Prato the Chicago Times
SCENES IN REAL LIFE.
We-do not often . indulge in the, sentimental,
but occasionally in our walkikour attention fir
-culled/10 -the events happening .before us,
which leave an , impression' upon 'our minds,
and lenA us to thoughts and reflections which
it is well we r as All other Men, should indulge
in at times. - ,
pe bad been on the north side to see an ac
quaintance at hie hotel and returning by Clark
Street, found, as is - generally the care when a '
Man 'is in rt burry;-one of these little busy in
ventions, a steam_tug, had passed up the river
with a small fleet of veseols' in - tow, owl- of
which had been cast off, and had hauled in
-just-west of - thp - bridge, - Seeing - no - hopes :of_:
getting to our office for some time; and know=
ing that our conipbsitors could not be iii 'any
worse temperan hour later than then, We re
solved to bear it meekly, and find mental• ow
-oupatiun by 'observing what Was going (6 -
about us. We little expected what did occur..
- 7 - Thi ----- vossel - we had - mentioned-had " been -
Moored, or • made fast outside of iiiverulcanal'- - -
boats, and 'as we stood looking at the men up
on her, one of-thein approached a female, who
had
_bemoroitched upon deck, and addressing
her, pointed,to the shore, then to the bridge,
and then down towards the thronged and busy
streets of living, •moving, headlong Chicago.
She rose, picked up--a- small bundle, from
which shedrew forth a coin which - she' tori 7
dered to the. hardy Bailer.. Ho refused it,.
whatever tt wiq
uend lending berAittuil,her---
ed her from the retied to the dock and freni
the 'dock np to the bridge.. 'By this time a
lrirge creiril ofperons thronged: the end
of where the bridge would be, if it was always
..__.
a bridge, and in contemplating - tile new fades,
and the representatives,of the various classes
ihere assembled, we bad almost forgotten the...
incident .we have related.. Our attention was .
called from a vain. endeavor to discover sonic-
hope of a cessation ortugi going 'up and down
mid-schooners-and-brigs-pulling- in-and-out;by r
hearing a most audible sob trona some one '
near us. It was not the sob, of 'childhood, --
causedby some sudden , Change from gaiety to,
grief; it was the sob of some maturer breast,
filled with a sense of loneliness and despair.
It reached other Pars than ours. A lady,
dressed in a manner which bespoke wealth
that Could gratify taste and elegauce,'and who
like ourselves, was detained at that place,
stood near, accompanied by three children,
whose desire to get at the extreme edge of the
platform, she with difficulty repressed. ,
With a woman's tenderness hot h=eartrecog
nized the stifled ebullition Of sorrow, and ap- -
proaching the person from whom, it came, who
_wnsioone_ather. thanthe 'woirianikin_Thiiiii jest
seen land from the vessel, she quietly and in
, thatsottoweel voice of woman_which', none
--
can 'resist, inquired if she stood in or,
-was sheill, or-..rtrsi her sorrow such. That it
could be relieved P . A portion of the railing
near us was vacant, Ind towards thrit,and.al-" ,
Mort at our side, these_two_women--came-to—
converse. The stranger was a fair handsome
girl, about eoventeeu pars, neatly but coarse
ly dressed,--Arith shoes not only worn, but _
heavy-and unsuited as lunch for her sexes for
The season. ' The poor girt in honest: simplici
ty and with.an_earnestness which despair alone
.could impart, related be history,,unibtor} - '
r
ted by a single observatien from her pan-
ion, but often accoMpanied by}. e "tears of
I_so6 ip
both. - We'ba're not spacelorit at length;ana .
. -
we wilt give it changing its orda just enough
la enable us to state it 'briefly. '' . '
-- she paid she Was born in - Boston, - -ithebad-ito--,
brother _or Pieter now ; she remembered that
shelled a sister, 'the eldest, whose name wee
Lizzie ;That her sister, years ago cigainst her
father'e will s -had married; And witiiliei'hus•
hand, having been hanished ' the, father's
eight, had gone of, and bad not.been beard of `..
sincio-zno doubt wait • dead. At the time of
her sister's marringe,:ber parents were weal- --,
thy; the pride which drove awai - 7Lizzie had_ .-
(Continued on third poge.) , •