Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 August 1879 — OLD-TIME REMINISCENCES. [ARTICLE]

OLD-TIME REMINISCENCES.

I'olitieol ( uinpuigiiing ill Tennessee StumpSpeaking and Kind red Accomplishments.

BY W. W.

One of tin'potent institutions or inf!nonces in the South, which wrought marvels in welding communities together, its it were, by throwing the particles, the individuals constituting them, into close contuct, although in a sparsely-settled country, comparatively, was that agency called stump-speaking a peculiar creation of early times—and so designated, of course, because originally it may very well be presumed to have arisen from political discourses pronounced from the top of a real stump in some clearing, for want of a better rostrum. And, in connection with this agency or institution, think of “stumping” the length and breadth of a State like Tennessee, some GOO miles long and 200 miles wide, and Oiling appointments in a Gubernatorial canvass occupying two or three summer months in that latitude, by constant and fatiguing travel in a buggy or on horseback, and this, too, while the speaker was fought at every public gathering for two or three hours daily by a political antagonist as determined and ambitious, if not as able as himself. The result of it was, however, that the ]icople of the various counties made it a point to turn out and receive in a kind of grand procession or as an escort their favorite champion, some of them traveling oftentimes twenty or thirty miles to meet him; and they not only “stood up to him ” in their own county when there, but, if possible—and it almost always Was possible, because of the great amount of leisure enjoyed— many going to appointments'll! the neighboring counties, in this way getting acquainted personally with every one worth knowing for thirty or forty miles round about. With their sympathies and prejudices thus stimulated, and their political education made the most of, no matter what other department of needed elementary instruction suffered, it was but natural when great issues were made up fur them by designing politicians, that they should resjiond with all tie warmth and energy of their nature; and. if unfortunately directed wrong, it only ail the more deplorable, l>ecao.se- as already intimated—taking no half-way ground, their fierce parti-zlan-tup, their heat ami impetuosity mast ne. carry them a'l the further ar-tr&v.

I;j<- r'-i-uJt of all this was, that it -i : jv opk- of the South almost -'e • wj-'Hjunity of politicians; made I u d'-mi.uaiit matter to the | ‘ ’ • deal besides more ! " 'o t-.eir real advancement, j h were really dis- 1 •/* -y ‘- to iha wont promising . .t' ■ ; there. Science, literature, art. t;.> trad* ami professions; indeed, l/ i-ir <int< r«.sfs of every kind were n*-gle*u<i, to pay tribute to this—in thousands of cases mushroom distinction, which drew to it and monopolized the ablest, men of the South. In this connection I shall never forgetan evening spent in company with one such, especially a man of national reputation, and the posse sor of one of those splendid intellects seldom vouchsafed to any, but which had yet been a completo sacrifice to this Moloch. The strong and bitter regrets expressed by himself at the meteor-like but barren career that was then rapidly drawing to a close—for he died in the very prime of early manhood hardly two years afterwards—were enough to make any young aspirants for political honors shudder, could they have been heard as I heard them; enough to frighten back from such a course even the most sanguine and hopeful devotee of ambitk n that ever essayed public distinction on that basis. Referring to his own sad experience, he asked: How was it, possible for him who had had applauding thousands hanging upon almost his every word and gesture for years —how was it possible, when the excitement lapsed, to afterwards go down and talk to twelve men in the corner of a couutry court house ? Why had he been cursed with a gift so fatal as oratory, when it in the end brought him so much loss aud suffering and disappointment, for he was broken in fortune and health, and even hop<? itself, as the result ?

And when, on the same evening, he made his appearance for a few moments at the outskirts of a political gathering in the public square, and was shouted for by the concourse of people until they wore hoarse, hoping they might have a chance to listen once more to one of his eloquent and masterly efforts, can I ever forget his gloomy looks and his savago exclamations as he came back with angry strides and as if pursued into my room at the hotel close by? “ Let them yell—curse them! It is such as that that has ruined me; and, instead of making them a speech, I should like a good deal better to huddle them like sheep and drive them to h—ll.” And when a young man, on the same occasion and evening, retired from the orator's stand with exultant step and sparkliug eyes, because he had been cheered to the very oeho, it wrh florae*

thing never to be forgotten to witness the very different greeting he received from the man I have been delineating. “Do you know,” said he scornfully, laying his hand o» the young orator’s arm, “ why they laughed and yelled so at your speech to-night? It’s because they’ve no circus here now—no monkey—no Dandy Jack and pony in town. My young friend,” continued he, bitterly, “ take my advice. If you’ve got anything to do at home, go home and do it. If you haven’t, get a basket on your arm and peddle oranges or eggs, or chop wood. But don’t let the accursed mob wile you to destruction as they have me.” Speaking farther of “stumping ” and of its trials, I shall nover forget one of them at which incidentally I was victimized. It happened to be my fortune on one occasion to attend npon a notable gathering of tho kind in a country town, the speaker being one of tho really-distinguished stab's men of the South, a United States Senator whom I shall designate for the occasion as Mr. Brown. Tho visit to the plnee was made exceptionally ploasant by a really splendid dinner given by a wealthy friend aud resident of the town, to the statesman and bis family, who were traveling in their own carriages, and happening also to be a guest, I concluded to ride to the next appointment-, being on horseback, tho speaking to take place the next day. The speech was concluded at about 3 o’clock in the afternoon, and mounting our horses we—the orator and myself—started for a stopping placo for the night some ten miles off. Commended to a certain country tavern at that point, the Senator being assured that the landlord was a staunch political adherent of his. we were assured further that we would be made comfortable; so we two rode on with pleasant-enough anticipations, getting to the place just before dark. The family had gone on in advance, getting there a little before sunset. We found a queer condition of things indeed. The tavern was simply a great log cabin, the huge fat landlady being the most remarkable feature about tho place. Meagerly furnished as was tho establishment in all respects, the supper was still worse; the chief articles on tho table being some thick slices of bacon, some badly-made corn-bread, and some stewed pumpkin; or rather some slices of this vegetable simply boiled and placed upon the table in dishes. This, with a sort of creosote coffee, constituted about the whole of the repast. But all that was nothing to what was in store for us. The old landlady, who, by the way, threw her poor hen-pecked husband into the shade, literally and metaphorically, was dreadfully classic; so she began—two cubs about 10 and 12 years old, with unwashed faces and all else to correspond, having put in an appearance, and being thus formally introduced— “ This is Cicero Augustus Pngston, Mr. Brown; he has read your speeches, Mr. Brown; and this is Marcus Tullius Pngston, Mr. Brown ; he, too, has read your speeches, Mr. Brown.” “Diana”—to a fat negro woman—“bring in that stewed punkin—we call that a Tennessee luxury, Mr. Brown.” “Vulcan”—to a lame old negro who poked his head into the doorway to take a look at the fireplace—“put some more wood on.” “Venus, girl, fly about; that table ain’t set square; and you, Hebe”--to another darkey damsel—“set up the chairs.” And so she went on with as many of the heathen mythology as she could find pegs in her household on which to hang their names. The evening limped away, under a horrible infliction of Plutarch, in addition to what I have already indicated; aud, to crown our misfortune, we found the lodging—the night being cool—worse than the supper and the classics. And, to aggravate the case more yet, of going to bed hungry, the statesman being a politician as well, and, therefore, politic, dared not complain or resort to a great hamper in which all this time was resting a mammoth cold roast turkey, flanked with a couple of chickens, supplied by our thoughtful and kind hostess of the same day, in possible anticipation of our falling in with hard times. Not until tho next day, and when we hail fairly escaped from that horrible trap—for we didn’t stop for breakfast— did we dare, at a pleasant place on the roadside near a spring in the woods, make amends for our semistarvation in the house of that political adherent, but dreadfully victimized landlord; and that terribly “strongminded” and sentimental old woman. Whilst on the subject of political influences, such as were in some sort time-honored institutions in swaying popular sentiment and winning votes, 1 must not overlook that prime instrumentality the “ barbecue.” AN hen all other attractions might come short of drawing a crowd upon an occasion of public speaking, that agency brought into full play, never to my knowledge failed to call tho people of any section and of all parties to tke point fixed upon. The method adopted was this:

The parlizans of any political candidate having previously agreed to contribute so many “ shouts ’’- half or twothirds grown porkers- for the occasion, perhaps, along with these a fat beef, and the ladies, in like manner, having promised bread, pies, cakes, and pickles; the day before the grand occasion, a number of practical contrabands under the general direction and command of some veteran woodsman and camper-out, and, therefore, eminently competent for the task, would proceed to slaughter the animals, and next, preparing narrow pits perhaps a foot in depth. ’ In these they would kindle hot fires, keeping up the fierce blaze for hours until the pits were thoroughly heated and the wood burned to a bed of hot coals, they would then take the meat, in halves or quarters, and making gridirons of green oak sticks (rather an Irishism) roast and baste the meat, until it was finally done to a luscious brown. Dinner then called, and a grand rush for some roughly constructed tables being made, the vast crowd would be there supplied with the choice morsels described and their accompaniments, to their heart’s content; and, then full to the very chin, and spread around under the shade of the trees, the oldsters well supplied with cob-pipes, they would be perfectly ready to listen to any proposition or argument their candidate might advance ; the only difficulty being that some would be stuffed so full, that they couldn’t do much cheering on the occasion. lam glad to say that “ liquors ” of any kind—not even “old peach”— ever figured in the refreshments furnished on these particular occasions—or if they did at all, it would be to the smallest conceivable extent, and then surreptitiously obtained. I have spoken elsewhere of the exactions of • the sovereigns the care taken to make the politicians feel their dependence ; and in some cases the extent to which this was carried, and the concessions made by some of the great men who felt that they must “stoop to conquer,” reminds one of the humiliating necessities imposed upon candidates for the Roman Consulships when they were constrained to stand in the forum and crave the “sweet voices” of the mob. How often have I seen the broadcloth sleeve lovingly placed over the shoulders covered by the linsey huntingshirt, as the canvasser for votes would gracefully book on to the intended capture, lead him oqt oq one side,

as if complimenting him with State secrets ; and how often, too, have I smiled at and even admired it as something like a “fine art” Many a cushioned chair in the capitol at Washington has been reached—aye, and held on to for years—by such devices and through* such devious paths as these, until, indeed, demagogism would come to be thought a valuable accomplishment—more valuable not nnfrequently than high talent without the tact to render it available. Nor was this all. Constrained to thoroughly “prospect” the wildest nooks and corners of those remote districts for votes, aud consequently to face every sort of lodging and hard fare with an equanimity that dared hot be ruffled, could anything be more comical than to see the political explorer,on reaching a rude cabin at evening, taking up one child aftor another on bis knee, and expressing to the proud father and pleased matron bis conviction that children as fine and promising were not to be found in the whole district ! that there was material there, possibly, for even a President of the United States! But here I must relate a rather curious incident and mishap which occurred to one of this class on one occasion among the East Tennessee hills. Overtaking one of tlieso arch tacticians one rainy afternoon, and quite uncertain myself where I was to fetch up for the night, I very readily put myself under his offered pilotage for the house of a leading partisan of bis and local notability, some twelve miles oft'. The road, I may say, was simply abominable; in fact, it was only the customary “bridlepath” of the district, muddy and rocky by turns, and aggravated by the swelling and foaming rivulets at times crossing it, which here and there threatened to sweep ns and our horses away. With dripping ponchos aud tired steeds, we made out at last to reach the place just as darkness was shutting down upon us, and I must acknowledge the heartiness of u welcome which once seated by a great log tire and denuded of our soaked outer habiliments made the roar of the rain on the roof and tire noise of a rushing watercourse close by only something to enhance the consciousness of having made a fortunate and timely escape. The evening passed pleasantly away, I felicitating myself on my luck in having a guide out of a “bad drive,” and my friend, the candidate for the Leglature, not less in discussing with our host probable acquisitions of votes to his support, when the inevitable hour for bed-time arrived, and the just as inevitable feeling of curiosity under such circumstances, as to where we were to be stowed in a cabin seemingly already well occupied by a couple and their six children. It was decided that we two would have to take a bed in the “loft,” all but one or two of the younger children being somehow to be disposed of in a truckle bed and a “shake-down” below. But this time a catastrophe occurred, certainly rather uncommon in its character, considering how ample in strength, if not in elegance, are the materials which enter into the construction of most log cabins. While the floor below was wliat is called a “puncheon floor,” that is, one made of thick plank split out of logs and afterward made as smooth with an axe as skill in the use of that instrument will allow, the floor above was made of frailer materials—of large split roofing boards, a sort of shingles,which, however well they might answer to hold up the weight of the children accustomed to walk on them, were not well calculated for my friend, a “heavy weight” of some 190 pounds avordupois. He had gotten to the side of the bed we were to occupy, under the low roof, aud bad his coat half-way ass, when crash went the support under his feet, and he dropped through the floor like a shot, to my utter amazement, and without the power to help himself at all by catching at anything, his arms being half way in and out of his coat-sleeves. But that was not all: a supplementary crash followed, and when, as quickly as I could, I succeeded in getting down the ladder to survey the scene, amidst the screams of the children, my stout friend, I found, had by his fall broken down mino host’s bed, directly under the chasm, and was trying to extricate himself from the ruins.

The exhibit was funny enough, certainly. The unfortunate politician, his coat still half-way on, was lying on his back, trying to get out from a mixture of quilts, broken boards, and one or two cross-poles; for the bedstead was not of rosewood or mahogany, but of poplar poles, laid at right angles on forked sticks, these latter driven into the ground, the former inserted into augerliolos in the logs forming the walls of the cabin; and mine host and his wife, who had commenced their toilets for the night, were standing by, looking scared and astounded; the woman having caught up her baby out of a sort of sap-trough cradle; doubtless thinking that an earthquake had occurred, and that the cabin was coming down. Of course I could not help giving way to a roar of laughter as I took the whole thing in at a glance, despite a half-way attempt as well as I could, to sympathize with aud comfort the victim of so queer a catastrophe; and my laughing seemed to be the signal for all hands to join in—all, I may say, except my friend—who, very red in the face, could finally only give way to a sort of concession of a laugh as he at last got on his legs. Fortunately, the descent was only some seven or eight feet, for log cabins are not favored with lofty ceilings, and no bones wero broken; and our host, despite the wrecking of his bedstead, went to blaming himself and laughing alternately at the mishap; and, better than all, promised “not to tell ” on the unfortunate subject of it, good as the incident would have been considered by the opposition, had it gotten out. So, after a brief time spent in repairing damages, all hands got settled at last; and, lulled by the rain as it still pattered and dashedjjy turns on the roof close over our heads, it was not long until we were soundly asleep, nothing further occurring to disturb ns until the sunlight of a clear September morning began to throw slanting beams in upon us through the crevices of the rough gable. Chicago, IIJ.