Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1823-07-10

of them had acquired reputation in their
provincial racing, but how they would
| play their parts, when opposed to each
other on the great theatre of the nation
al turf, was all ''doubt and darkness"
Bets were various-and the vocifera-
tons of praise BY the friends of the res
| pective Dags were boisterous and con-
slant. The shrewd Yankee was ready
to risk his whole crop ofonions, together
with the fruits of his years toll in the
Cod fishery, on his favorite Adams.
Hundreds of the sons of OLD KESTUcK,
were around the Clay, who made the
'welkin ring" with their shouts. They
said he was ''half horse - half alligator
and tipped with the swapping turtle p'-
Nay, they ayowed "he was a very steam
boat = a Mississippi sawyer - They
swore "he was the best horse ON the
turf, s. that they could out run, out jump,
out shoot, throw down whip, any man
or set of men who dared to contradict
them ~
A faint uproar of appreciation was
occasionally heard from the friends Of
the Calhoun, but twas "a dying sound"
The Georgians and Yirginians were
loud in their plaudits.-They offered to
stake piles of Old Virginia sweet scented
and Georgia uplands, on the Crawford
The Yankees looked with gearing eye
at the hogsheads and bales, and sinned
most heinously in their harts against that
| commandment, which forbids the cove
ting of thy neighbor's property.
The Jackson had about him some
staunch friends, though few in number.
They talked ofthe ever glorious EIGHTH,
and swore ''by the deeds he had done,o
that HE was 'horse of horses -
The adams had been long under the
care oftwo famous sporting associations,
called the "Essex Junto,'' and "Hart-
ford Convention" whose system of
training was fashioned after the English
| plan.
The Clay was trained chiefly in
Kentucky, amongst the people, and rub
bed down occasionally by the friends
of South American independence and
the Mississippi boatmen.
Some Dutch waggoners in Pennsyl-
vania had the keeping of the Calhoun,
who stuffed him with rye straau and
arheat bran sort of food that merely
tended TO puff him up, without invigo-
rating him with any real strength.
The Jackson might be said to be with
out keepers at least he had none of
| experienced professional skill. His
hackers said he was always at the SER
vice of the jockey club-that he requi-
red no keeping, and that he was always
ready ifhe people should Minkft to start
him. No studied preparations had there
fore been made, and he came upon the
ground full and rough--relying on his
native strength, unaided by the skill of
the iockies.
The Crarford was in famous plight.
He was at first managed by some
Georgia jocllies He was thence taken
to the old dominion, where he was a.
gain looked after by some Of the old
grooms of 'ninety-e'ght !; the same who
had trained the Jefferson, when he beat
! ''tother Adams" Mordecia Noah, of
New. York, also 4ever and anon" took
| him through course of exercise.
The state of Maine was selected as
the starting post. There, on the appoint
ed day the candidates met s. from thence
they were to run throughout the whole
twenty-four states.
The beating of the drum announced
that the hour for the riders to mount had
arrived The rafting of this instrument
ofwar electrified Old Hickory. 1t was
to the same music he ran when he tried
his speed with the Packenham. He
pricked up his ears, bowed his neck,
champed his bit, and carried lofty. But
this note of war greatly affrighted the
dams, whose spirits are always started
at 'wild wars deadly blasts" and his
friends were greatly shocked at sounds
SO offensive to the feelings Of psacsa-
bi.and religious people.
The editor of the National Gazette
was selected as the rider of the Adams,
who has acquired some distinction both
in this country and in Britain, as rider.
His system of political craftsmanship
partakes more of the English, than of
the American mode. And it is more
over said he is quite capricious in rela-
ton to his tenants, alternally the yotery
of doctrines fashioned to the varying
hour" He mounted his candidate for
dominion and the richness and gaudi-
ness of his dress filled the people with
amazemet. He was clothedin purple
and on his head he wore cap shaped