Political Quotes

“I take the Senate back to June 9 of 1772, and I read from Rory Raven's ``Burning the Gaspee.'' A handful of longboats glided across the water on a moonless night. The men--some at the oars, other nervously fingering muskets or clubs or handspikes--were silent as they drew closer and closer to the silhouette of a schooner a short distance away. A white British ensign fluttered from the schooner's topmast in a humid breeze. A sentry on deck peered into the darkness, catching sight of the approaching boats. ``Who comes there?'' he called. The men in the boats bristled at the sentry's English accent. ``We mean to come aboard,'' replied a big man in the lead boat. ``You cannot,'' the sentry shouted back. ``You cannot come aboard.'' A moment later, the schooner's commanding officer came on deck. Roused from his bunk, he stood at the rail in his shirtsleeves. Raising a pistol, he warned the men not to come closer. Another man in another boat rose to his feet and declared, ``I am the sheriff of the county of Kent''-- That would be Kent County, RI-- ``I am the sheriff of the county of Kent, God damn you. I have a warrant to apprehend you, God damn you. So surrender, God damn you.'' The officer drew his sword and repeated his warning. Some of the sailors under his command joined him, weapons at the ready. In one of the boats, a man turned to the friend seated next to him, saying, ``Reach me your gun--I can kill that fellow.'' The gun was handed over.…”