Avainerman，alightercharacterthanHumphreyCrewe，wouldhavebeencontenttohavegotsomething；andletitrestatthat。LittleMr。
ButcherorMr。SpeakerDoby，withhissorrowfulsmile，guessedtheironhandwithinthevelvetgloveoftheLeithstatesman；littletheyknewthemantheyweredealingwith。Oncearoused，hewouldnotbepacifiedbybribesofcheapolivebranchesandlaurels。Whenthepropertimecame，hewouldflingdownthegauntlet——beforeRomeitself，andthenletHoratiusandhisfriendsbeware。
Thehourhasstruckatlast——andthemanisnotwanting。TheFrenchRevolutionfoundNapoleonready，andourownCivilWarGeneralUlyssesGrant。Ofthatevermemorablesessionbutthreedaysremained，andthosewhohadbeenpreparedtoriseinthegoodcausehadlongsincedespaired。
ThePingsquitbill，andallotherbillsthatspelledliberty，werestillprisonersinthehandsofgrimjailers，andThomasGaylord，theelder，hadwornseveralholesinthecarpetofhisprivateroominthePelican，andcouldoftenbedescriedfromMainStreetrunningupanddownbetweenthewindowslikeacagedlion，whileyoungTomhadbeenspiedstanding，withhishandsinhispockets，smilingontheworld。
YoungTomhadhisownwayofdoingthings，thoughhelittledreamedofthehelpHeavenwastosendhiminthismatter。Therewas，inthelowerHouse，ayoungmanbythenameofHarper，alawyerfromBrighton，whowassufficientlyeccentricnottocarryapass。Thelightoffame，asthesunsetgildsaweathercockonasteeple，sometimestouchessuchmenforaninstantandmakesthemimmortal。ThenameofMr。Harperisremembered，becauseitislinkedwithagreaterone。ButMr。Harperwasthefirstmanoverthewall。