INTERVIEW WITH COLONEL INGERSOLL.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4947, 17 November 1884, Page 2

INTERVIEW WITH COLONEL INGERSOLL.

Bob Ingersoll embodies in his great big six foot one or two frame more hospitality and good nature to the square inch tha"n a regiment of ordinary men. Yesterday, when called on by an Enquirer reporter, the fact that the bulls had got hold of the Signal Service thermometer did not ap« pear to have disconcerted him in the least.

His table was littered with notes and cards; some answered, perhaps, and others neglected. Correspondence bothers him but very little, it being one of his maxims, as he said yesterday, to " never answer a letter to day that you can answer the day after to-morrow, and then it's too late." For all this indifference it can be safely assumed that every deserving letter receives attention. Asked whether he was going to do any political work between now and November he said he believed not, because it gave him more pleasure to fight the Church than to fight the Democrats, and because there was no important issue between the parties. If there was, he would go on the stump for Blame and work as long as he was able. The campaign, for want of an issue, was going to be a quiet one, ending in Blame's favor. The tariff question would hardly receive any attention but for the log-rollers. The Louisiana member says, "Of course, I'll vote to remove the tariff on the goods in the list, but you must protect sugar." The Massa> chusetts man says, " I'll vote for the measure if you protect cotton goods," and the Pennsylvania man remarks, " You can count on me if you strike out the clause about iron." In this way every member of Congress would have a whack at the bill in. the interest of some outrageous monopoly, and monopolies always come out on top and crowd the little, fellows to the wall. Reverting to Colonial days he explained himself to the effect that he admired Ben Franklin more than he did George Washington, whose patriotism was greatly overrated.

George, with a display of magnanimity/, refused to receive any salary as MajorGeneral. He said : " You need give me my expenses only." They paid him his expenses—and they were heavy—in gold. The other Generals on salary had to take their pay in Continental money that was not worth a Continental—aud that is where George accumulated much sordid wealth, lived,fat, and entertained like a king. The Colonel had a great deal to say about religion, but as its publication would hurt the feelings of pious readers, the remarks are omitted.—American paper.