"Our friend here,
who I see can see, despite the dim light, has a countenance which one
could justly say indicates a doubtful and disputatious nature, wishes
to discredit it because he has not heard of such a thing before. Now,
I ask you, gentlemen, intelligent and fair-minded as I know you are,
where would we be, where would civilization be if we assumed the attitude
of our friend here. If a thing is ever seen at all somebody sees it
first, else it would never be seen. _Quod erat demonstrandum_. You
remember your schooldays, of course. I thank you for your applause,
gentlemen, but I'm not through yet. We have passed the question of
things seen, and we now come to the question of things done, which is
perhaps more important. It is obvious even to the doubtful or carping
mind that if a new thing is done it is done by somebody first. Others
will do it afterward, but there must and always will be a first.
"Nobody ever swallowed a river before, beginning at its mouth and
swallowing it clean down to its source, but a division of gallant young
troops from Ohio have done so.
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