Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 October 1883 — TIPPECANOE AND TYLER TOO. [ARTICLE]

TIPPECANOE AND TYLER TOO.

The Log Cabin, Hard Cider and Coon-Shin Campaign of 1840. This was a remarkable event in the history of our country, says a writer in the Louisville Coufier-Jqumal. With clap-trap devices Gen. Harrison elected over Me. Van Buren almost by acclamation, having carried nineteen States out of twenty-one. ■- Hon. Bailey Peyton, of Tennessee, called to see Gen. Harrison at North Bend after he was nominated at Harrisburg, Pa. Peyton went to Cincinnati and made a speech. In this speech he said he had been to see a Whig nominee ; that he was the man they wanted. He said helived in a log cabin, with the latch-string never pulled in, a barrel of hard cider to treat his friends, and coonskins nailed over the cracks m the walls to keep the wind away. Old Joe Harrison (no kin to the General) owned the Six-Mile House, below Cincinnati, where the United States flag had floated for forty years. This was the great resort for fast horses, tight men and lively women. Joe saw a point, and at once built the first log cabin. This was the start; in a few weeks there were hundreds built all over the country. On May 18, the Whigs met at the Galt House to make arrangements to build a log cabin. In a short time plenty of funds were raised for the purpose. Col. John O. Cochran, Chief Marshal; Geo. D. Prentice, of the Journal, Birney Marshall, of the Gazette, Assistant Marshals; Geo. L. Robards and James McDonald, architects and builders. Wm. O’Hara’s band was in attendance. It consisted of drums and fifes, four tenors and two bass, 200 boys with as many axes. Each appointed himself a committee of one. With twenty teams we left the city, proceeded down Jefferson street, then south to Broadway, into Built’s woods. We cut twenty trees. With ox and horse teams to haul them, the line of march was one mile long. W T e brouglk. the whole tree and cut it up at the place where Bufer’s hotel now stands. This was one of the jelliest days of the “Falls City.” There were all sorts of people there, from the highest to the lowest, and all seemed to take a hand in the Tog cabin. It seenied ttrme that hard cider was quite strong, for many of the boys fell at the first fire, and by the wayside, but there was not any quarreling. Birney Marshall and Hiram Ray led the van, each with a long pole, driving old Meek’s ox team. Bill O’Hara with his band of fife and drum—l would like to see such a band to-day. The dust was two inches deep, and when the vans were reaching the city you would have thought it was Birnam woods moving on Macbeth’s castle, as every Whig carried a large bush. At the setting sun our cabin was finished; and in the presence of 5,000 people Gov. Poindexter and Charles M. Thurston made the first log cabin speeches. Prof. Candy and his glee club, with the songs of “Tippecanoe and Tyler too,” set all the people wild. I thought, good-by, Mattie (as old Hickory called Van Buren). I said hear it not at the Hermitage, old hero. The air became full of the sounds of the different glee songs, composed by Prof. Candy. The woods resounded with songs of birds and the voices of the women and These glee songs had more power over the mind than the gospel song of to-day has in the churches. There was something in this Presidential campaign of 1840 that was remarkable—the good feeling one party had for the other; there being but few homicides, if any ; it certainly was owing to the glee songs. But once was enough to make a President in that way. ‘ln 1844 the same claptrap was Tried, hut it was stale, flat and unprofitable. Mr. Clay was defeated by Polk.