Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1850-01-26
AN ELEcTIoNEERIro AyEcporr.

AT The New England Supper in New Or.
leans' Mr.. s s. Prentiss Of Mississippi, who
was complimented by speech, told the fol.
lowing eectoneerug anecdote:
He said that six or eight, or twelve years
ago, he went TO Washington, thinking he was
member OF Congress, but he found out HE
mistake, and came home as fast as possible
10 get right. He made speeches in fifty-four
of the ffty-six counties in the State. He
sent printed bills containing his appointment
tweniy-six days ahead Of him. Now there
was caravan just at hi. time perambulating
the State, and the proprietor availed himself
Of the gathering collected by Mr.. P.'s notices.
This by the wars said MIR. P. wa. quite in
the ordinary course Of things, as an observer
OF political excitements must have remarked
that caravan of some kind or other usually
follows in their wake.
"The first time Mr.. P saw the elephant
was in - county in the northern part of
State, near the Alabama line. 1t is one of
the most beautiful counties in Mississippi,
its population chiefly from South Carolina,
and though they had voted against him on
the previous election. He hope their State
rights notions would bring them into his sup
port al this contest, when he did no, run so
much the candidate off party as the Repre-
sentative OF the State whose dignity and So
vereignty had been outraged in his person.
AT the appointed hour he found over three
hundred ladies and gentlemen assembled 10
hear him. He was in "high feather" and
began 10 speak with more than usual energy.
The audience listened with marked attention
and he fetsur OF bagging his game. When
he had spoken about an hour, he began to
observe some Of the outsiders looking over
their shoulders and this movement was gra.
drally followed by more and more Of his au-
dlence. He began 10 think he was growing
dull. and endeavored 10 rouse himself up to
more animation; but it was no 60 He at
length looked in the popular direction, and
there, TO his horror, just coming over the hill,
was the elephant dressed in his scarlet
,rappings and oriental aplendour, with hou-
dah on his back, occupied by the musicians,
and in the rear came long line of wagons
and cages. foolish feeling Of vanity, not
to be outdone by the elephant, came over
him, and he continued to talk, appealing 10
the people in the name Of the State, their pa
trio,lsm, SC, &c; but all in vain. A few
well hammered persons remained, but evil
dently they were retained only by their po.
lilene:s.
lie found il was no use So he said "WeIl
ladies' and gentlemen, | am beaten but
have the CONSOLATION OF knowing that it is
not by my competitor will not knock un-
der 10 any two legged beast, but yield 10
the elephant" To be sure, he was at first
provoked by the preference shown 10 the
beast above himself, but on reflection he was
inclined TO think the people were right. A
Bengal tiger or an India elephan, was an an
imal 10 be seen once in lifetime, but politi-
clans they could sec every day.
He said, however, he had his revenge a
few days after. He found that he must come
to some understanding with the caravan. So
he agreed with the proprietor that at Holy
Springs he would address the people under
the great awning for an h ur, and then he
would give way TO the monkey and the clown
He hoped This would not be charged on him
as ''bargsn and corruption" At any rate,
it was honestly carried out by both parties.
Between himself and the caravan, large as.
semblage was gathered under the immense
awning, One OF the cages was converted into
a rostrum.
He heard low sound which re.embed
growl, and learned that the hyena was his
nearest listener. There were large auger
holes in the top of the box, for The admission
of air. He commenced speaking, and whea
reached the blood and thunder portion OF his
speech, he ran his cane into the cage and
called forth most horrid yell from the en-
ragged animal, at the same time he gesticula,.
ted violently with the other hand
The effect was electric he called down
the house in perfect tempest of enthusiasm.
From this time he had it all his own way. He
! hurled hisanalhemas al his foes, and enforced
them by the yells of his neighbor The hy-
ena was good for hundred votes, and he
thus converted mischief into profit