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“THE STATESMAN IN RECONSTRUCTION.”
SPEECH OF THE HONORABLE WILLIAM H. FLEMING, MEMBER OF CONGRESS FROM GEORGIA.
Mr. Chairman: “When the mariner has been tossed
for many days in thick weather, and on an unknown
sea, he naturally avails himself of the first pause in the
storm, the earliest glance of the sun to take his latitude
and ascertain how far the elements have driven him
from his true course.”
Borrowing a suggestion from these memorable words of Mr. Webster, we may aptly say that when a long and eventful voyage has been made, and the stately vessel rides at anchor in the peaceful harbor, it is natural that those who admire its strength and symmetry should come together in friendly fashion and talk over the incidents of the voyage—how at times the sunlight glistened on the prow, and favoring winds filled the spreading sails; and how again the darkness lowered and the storm burst in fury and the lightning flashed through the rigging and the billows swept over the deck, and how through it all the goodly ship moved on in its course, undismayed, unharmed, the pride of its crew and the admiration of other craft.
And so to-night we are gathered here to contemplate in reminiscent mood the career of one who has spent
