Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1850-08-17

aHu Hdpplly Loiu StOIy -Ihls painting IL
now at Tsrytown, in the possession Of
Mr.. Washington Irving.
The same talent that made him fine
painter of scerfery, has rendered him a
powerful descriptive writer. Tom Owen,
the Bee Bunter---the Big Bear of Arkan.
sas--the Prairies of Notwithstanding
scenes and amusing stories of all kinds illus
tate his vivacity, humor, and genius. Mr.
Griswold well remarks of Mr.. T--."He
has genuine relish for the sports and pas.
times of southern frontier life, and describes
them with remarkable freshness and skill
of light and shade. No one enters more
heartily into all the whims and grotesque
huinors Of the backwoodsman, Or brings
him more actually and clearly before us
He has fixed upon his pages one of the
evanescent phases Of American life, with
distinctness and fidelity that will make
his books equally interesting, as works oi
art or history; and may serve as a type
Of the class OF writers who have created a
rich and peculiar literature in the South.
West and South"
/ briefly relate the history and publica-
tioA Of tom Owen, the Bee Hunter" O.
il is SO characteristic of the early producs
tions of many celebrated authors
Mr.. L. was at the house of planter in
East Feliciana, when he met with Tom
Owen, who was, what the Irish call, d
Natural-@he had but one idea, and that
was to hunt bees, MIR. T. went out bee
hunting with him, and afterwards Wrote
for q village paper, since extinct this eele'
bfnted story. The Editor retained it in
his possession three months, and then re-
turned it, as not being sufficiently interest.
ing for publication. The article was
thrown in drawer, but was subsequently
sent to the Editor of the Esprit of the
Times" who published 1t. Mr.. f., living
in the "backwoods, J" was not aware of its
great popularity, until he went to New
York some three years afterwards, where
he found himself quite lion, as that sin.
gle article had rendered him "famous."
This tale has been translated into
French and Italian, and been published
ia the best English periodicals, and even
in the Calcutta Gazette. Lord Bentinck
highly complimented it in one of the Lon
don Magazines. The other productions
Of T. gave also met with great succees---.he
delights in the scenery of the South, and
in the habits of the people---he intuitively
comprehends the simplicity of the Western
backwoodsman, and dl.cribes it in vivid
colors--he equally well conceives that o
the Southern hunter, and delineates il
with skill and beauty Mr.. L. has been
pronounced the best writer of the present
day, of Western sketches and back woods
life.
Though decidedly literary in his tastes
Mr.. T. has always had 6 great fondnes.
for politics., his writings and speeches
show thorough knowledge Of political
science and of the prominent statesmen
and politicians Of the day He was dis.
,ingnished Editor in New Orleans for
several years. When he was sent with
dispatches to Gen. Taylor, ut Matamoras
in 184s, he wrote for his paper, from the
seat of war, interesting letters, describing
the American camp, officers, Mexican
scenery and villages, published throughout
the United States, and he soon after pub.
lishsd a work entitled. "Our Army on
the Rio Grande," illustrated with en-.
cravings from drawings made by himself
from which almost all the authors Of the
~cafhpaign lives Of Gen. Taylor have
drawn their facts. His sketches of Gen
Taylor were graphic, and well adapted to
please the popular mind. His writing.
had great tendency. in exciting the afTec.
tons Of the people, and turning their atten.
ton to Gen. Taylor as Il candidate for the
Presidency; so much was this the case,
that most of the. great orators of the North
and West, through the late Presidential
campaign, were indebted to his pen. Mr.
r.. found, however, in time, to his sorrow
as have mary other men Of genius, that
literary talent, political knowledge and
tact, however eminent, not conjoined with
command Of large pecuniary means, are
not sufficient to insure success in the ex.
pensive enterprise of publishing u city
paper, and after having labored for years
with all his energy, he was obliged to give
way to others.
Mr. r., however, distinguished himself
during the last Presidential campaige as q
public speaker and orator, and warmly
espoused the election of Gen. Taylor
His speeches, illustrated by pathetic and
humorous anecdotes, were characterized
by sound sense. His opponents and friends
equally desired to hear him. Whenever
he spoke, he meet with great success; the
press and the friends Of Gen. Taylor highly
complimented him for his talent and zeal
In his speeches were manifested the bes'
elements of popular orator, originality
brilliancy Of expression, amusing ant
graphic illustrations. invested them with
great power and honesty of purpose IL
ways characteristic of his oratory. There
may be some in the South who may exec
MI. T., in some particulars, as a political
speaker, but there are none who can sue
ceed better in the great object Of speaking
that Of convincing an assembly Of tht
truth of the orators principles, and induc
ing it to adopt them. Mr.. T. 10 a whig
but is not ultra in politics; his umildnes'
and popular address much advanced in the
last election the interests of the whig party
and disarmed the opposition. His amiabil
ity and kindness, united with the arts o
the popular orator, and talent for literary
composition, render him an important ait
to any popular cause which he espouses
The high estimate put on his service il
the last Presidential campaign. caused hin
to be generally spoken OF as the candidate
for Congress at the last election in tbs
Third Congressional District; if he hae
been willing to have accepted the nomina
ton, it would without doubt have beer