Part 38 (1/2)

But a Democraticbesides study ethnology They have also paid great attention to fine arts, and are particularly anxious that all voters shall have a ”genius for the arts” I would like to ask them if it has always been political practice to insist that every voter in the great ”unwashed” and ”unterrified” of any party should becoular” ticket? I thought he was received into the full fellowshi+p of a political party if he could exhibit sufficient ”inventive faculties and genius for the arts,” to enable hienius for the arts” enables him to strike from the shoulder scientifically, be admitted to full fellowshi+p in a political party? Is it evident that the political artist has studied the oldan opponent's head with a shi+llelah? The oldest master in this school of art was Cain; and so canes have been made to play their part in politics, at the polls and even in the United States Senate Chaenius for the arts and those occupations requiring intellect and wisdo ballot-boxes, forging soldiers' votes, and copying a directory, as has been done, as the return list of votes? Is the ”inventive faculty” of ”voting early and often” a passport to political brotherhood? Is it satisfactory evidence of ”artistic” genius, to head a uided by political passion, as numerous instances in our history prove, is the worst ofhie” one of the lost arts restored? We all kno certain ”artists” are prone to embellish elections and to enhance the excite riots, and the frequency hich these disgraceful outbreaks have occurred of late, especially in soerous ”art”

Mr Speaker: I repeat that I ah his native country and have seen how he is oppressed I have listened to the eloquent and patriotic appeals of Daniel O'Connell, in Conciliation Hall, in Dublin, and I have gladly contributed to his fund for a the condition of his country to this land of liberty and independence; and it is because I aues who attempt to blind and ainst the interests of huhbors will testify that at mid-winter I employ Irishmen by the hundred to do work that is not absolutely necessary, in order to help the the ht be disfranchised, for I have no great degree of ”genius for the arts;” I felt, therefore, that I et ”posted” on that subject as soon as possible I at once sauntered into the Senate Chareat men, and I sao empty fra paintings, I was told, were portraits of two ex-Governors of the State, whose position on political affairs was obnoxious to the doislature; and especially obnoxious were the supposed sentiovernors on the war Therefore, the Senate voted to remove the pictures, and thus proved, as it would seem, that there is an intimate connection between politics and art

I have repeatedly traveled through every State in the South, and I assert, what every intelligent officer and soldier who has resided there will corroborate, that the slaves, as a body are ent than the poor whites No man who has not been there can conceive to what a low depth of ignorance the poor snuff-taking, clay-eating whites of some portions of the South have descended I trust the day is not far distant when the ”coyptian pall

I have known slave mechanics to be sold for 3,000, and even 5,000 each, and others could not be bought at all; and I have seen intelligent slaves acting as stewards for theirevery year to New Orleans, Nashville, and even to Cincinnati, to dispose of their masters' crops The tree colored citizens of Opelousas, St Martinsville, and all the Attakapas country in Louisiana, are as respectable and intelligent as an ordinary coes, educate their children in music and ”the arts,” and they pay their taxes on more than fifteen millions of dollars

Gentlemen of the opposition, I beseech you to re more than party tactics It is absolutely necessary that the loyal blacks at the South should vote, in order to save the loyal whites Let Connecticut, without regard to party, set them an example that shall influence the action at the South, and prevent a new for there, which shall make all our expenditure of blood and treasure fruitless

But some persons have this color prejudice sier is a nigger, and he can't be anything else I hate niggers, anyhoenty years ago I crossed the Atlantic, and a out to Newfoundland as chief justice He was an exceedingly intelligent and polished gentleland States and those froot into a discussion on the subject of slavery, which lasted three days The Southerners were finally worsted, and when their arguments were exhausted, they fell back on the old story, by saying: ”Oh! curse a nigger, he ain't half huer, etc” One of the gentlee, and asked his opinion of the e replied:

”Gentleu three days I was quite inclined to think the anti-slavery gentleuer has no business to be a nigger,' and we should kick him out of society and traentlemen, you prove he was born black at his own particular request If he had no word to say in the matter, of course he is blameless for his color, and is entitled to the same respect that other men are who properly behave themselves!”

Mr Speaker: I aislature si for the two constitutional a slavery entirely out of our country; the other to allow ardless of the color of their skins

To give my voice for these two philanthropic, just and Christian islativewise I care nothing whatever for any sect or party under heaven, as such I have no axes to grind, no logs to roll, no favors to ask All I desire is to do what is right, and prevent what is wrong I believe in no ”expediency” that is not predicated of justice, for in all things--politics, as well as everything else--I know that ”honesty is the best policy” A retributive Providence will unerringly and speedily search out all wrong-doing; hence, right is always the best in the long run Certainly,, in the light of the great A over this country, andthe thrones of tyrants totter in the Old World, no party can afford to carry slavery, either of body or of o free Take down the blinds froht of education and Christian culture When this is done you have developed a man Give him the responsibility of a ht of suffrage, Let universal education, and the universal franchise be theyou with such intense interest, will hail us as their saviours Let us loyally sink ”party” on this question, and go for ”God and our Country” Let nohis eyes to the great lesson of the hour, and voting against per the people to express their opinion on this irant this truly democratic boon Then, when our laws of franchise are settled on a just basis, let future parties divide where they honestly differ on State or national questions which do nor trench upon the claims of manhood or American citizenshi+p

CHAPTER xxxVII BURNING OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM

HOW BARNUM RECEIVED THE TIDINGS--HUMOROUS DESCRIPTION OF THE FIRE--A PUBLIC CALAMITY--GREELEY'S ADVICE--INTENTION TO RE-ESTABLISH THE MUSEUM--SPEECH AT EMPLOYEES' BENEFIT

On the 13th day of July, 1865, when Barnuainst the railroad scheraer in New York, S H Hurd, saying that the American Museum was in flalanced at the dispatch, folded and laid it in his desk, and went calmly on with his speech At the conclusion of his re was voted upon and carried, and the House adjourned

Not until then did Barnuram to his friend, William G Coe, of Winsted, who ience to several members

Warm syest opponents pushi+ng forward, seized his hand, and said: ”Mr Barnureat misfortune”

”Sorry,” replied Barnum; ”why, my dear sir, I shall not have tith of ti whipped you all so nicely on that bill”

But he did find time to be sorry when, next day, he went to New York and saw nothing of what had been the A mass of debris

Here was destroyed, in a few hours, the result offrom every part of the world myriads of curious productions of nature and art--a collection which a half a million of dollars and a quarter of a century could not restore

In addition to these, there were many Revolutionary relics and other articles of historical interest that could never be duplicated Not a thousand dollars worth of property was saved; the loss was irreparable, and the insurance was only forty thousand dollars

The fire probably originated in the engine-room, where steam was constantly kept up to pump fresh air into the waters of the aquaria and to propel the i the atmosphere of the rooreat ”sensation” of the fire, and the full particulars were copied in journals throughout the country A facetious reporter; Mr Nathan D Urner, of the Tribune, wrote the following a account, which appeared in that journal, July 14, 1865, and was very generally quoted from and copied by provincial papers,narrative as ”gospel truth”:

”Soon after the breaking out of the conflagration, a nu froe apartment in the third floor of the Museus who had collected in front of the burning building, and ere at first under the is unable to effect their escape Their anxiety was somewhat relieved on this score, but their consternation was by nothat the rooerie connected with the Museuer of the release of the animals there confined, by the action of the flames Our reporter fortunately occupied a room on the north corner of Ann street and Broadway, the s of which looked immediately into this apartment; and no sooner was he apprised of the fire than he repaired there, confident of finding items in abundance Luckily the s of the Museum were unclosed, and he had a perfect view of al is his statetheit as a bulwark before the ith only enough space reserved on the top so as to look out, I anxiously observed the animals in the opposite rooazed was a large cage containing a lion and lioness To the right hand was the three-storied cage, containing aroos in the second story, and a happy family of cats, rats, adders, rabbits, etc, in the lower apart the two vast alligators, and still further to the left, partially hidden froreat white whale, which has created such a furore in our sightseeing ed the boa-constrictor, anacondas and rattlesnakes, whose heads would now and then rise ht was the cage, entirely shut froer and the Polar bear, whose terrific growls could be distinctly heard from behind the partition With a siainst the bars, which gave way and ca the beasts, which for a moment, apparently amazed at their sudden liberty, stood in thetheir sides with their tails and roaring dolefully