The Fairfield Herald

Speech of Mr. Schurz

After a bombardment of four hours upon the Administration by Senator Sumner, we are told that for two hours more the firing was kept up by Senator Schurz. Says a correspondent of the New York World: "Those who hoped to see Schurz weakening, despondent in his hostility to the Administration, hesitating in his warfare, must have been sorely disappointed. Never did Schurz in any of the long list of his political encounters display more eagerness for the contest or enter it with more willing and heroic spirit. And never did he more completely and utterly rout and overthrow his adversaries. The sham closure, whitewashing document of the majority of the Committee was held up to the scorn and derision which it merited, riddled and ridiculed through and through, and the rays of light piercing the clouds. Its miserable subterfuges and makeshifts by means of which, crossing its own track and eating its own words, it had attempted to palliate and even justify the illegal violations of municipal and international law, were torn aside by an unsparing and a masterly hand and a flood of the light of truth poured in on the whole dark and damnable business. To the gratuitous insults of the committee towards himself and Senator Sumner, Mr. Schurz replied with becoming dignity and spirit, showing himself immeasurably the superior of the cravens who fawn to do their master's bidding. Widening the field to include topics more distinctly political, Senator Schurz proceeded with an arraignment of the administration and its head none the less terrible and effective than that of Mr. Sumner this afternoon that was like a blow from a trip-hammer - demolishing and destroying the object upon which it fell. This, the thrust of a rapier piercing to the life and touching the heart of the corruption festering in the body politic, sarcasm, invective, and ridicule, were more effectively combined, and the writhings and uneasiness of the Administration Senators around him showed how plainly they felt the castigating. The speech occupied fully two hours, and retained every member of the large audience to its closing word. It is understood tonight that to Morton has been assigned the duty of answering Sumner, and to Carpenter Schurz."