"Mr. President," exclaimed one of these gentlemen (whose speech was not publicly reported, I think), "Mr. President, the times is propishus. We're a-enterin' on a new ery. The _people_ is a-movin' in this 'ere great, and wonderful, and extraordinary--I may say, Mr. President, this 'ere soul-stirrin' and 'lectrefyin--branch of interestin' rural erconomy." (Applause, during which the speaker advanced a step or two nearer to the presiding officer's desk, wiped his nose fiercely upon a fiery-red bandanna handkerchief, and proceeded.)
"The world, Mr. President," he continued, "is a-growin' wiser ev'ry day,--I may say ev'ry hour, Mr. President! Ay, sir, ev'ry minute." (Loud applause, amid which one old gentleman in a bob-wig was particularly vociferous.)
"I say, Mr. President, the people is a-growin' wiser continu'lly; and by that expression, sir, I mean to convey the idee that they are a-gettin' to know more, sir! Who will gainsay this position? Whar's the man--whar's the er--individooal, sir--that'll stan' up 'ere to-night, in this hallowed hall, under the shadder of this doom above our heads, sir, in view of the great American eagle yender,--that 'bird of promise,' sir,--and dispute the assertion that I now make, Mr. President, as an American citizen, without fear and without reproach!" (Deafening shouts of "Nobody! nobody _can_ dispute it!")
"No, _sir_! I think not, I wot not, I ventur' not, I cal'k'late _not_! I say, Mr. President, it is no use for nun of us to contend agin the mighty ingine of progress; 'nless we'd like to get our crowns mashed in for our pains, sir. That's the way it 'pears to _me_; and I've no doubt that this 'nlitened ordinance now present, sir, will agree with me on _this_ p'int, and admit the truth that present indications, sir, p'int, with strikin' force, to the proberble likelihood that the deeds begun here to-night must be forever perpetooated hereafter, and that--a--they will--er--go down, sir, to our children, and our children's children, _a posteriori_, in the futur, forever!" ("Yes, yes!" and thundering applause.)
"But, sir, the p'int at issoo seems to me to be clear as the broad-faced sun on a cloudy day. I'm no speaker, sir. I am not the man, sir, that goes about to proclaim on tops of houses! I'm a quiet citizen, and calls myself one o' 'the people,' sir. But w'en the questions comes up of _this_ natur',--w'en it 'pears to me to be so clear and so transparent,--w'en the people goes abroad, sir, in their might, and--er--and can't stay ter home,--w'en _such_ things occurs, sir, then _I'm round_!" (Shouts of "Good! good! good!" the respectable old gentleman in the bob-wig creating a cloud of dust about him with his stamping and excited gestures.)