Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-11-14
BARNUM'S SPEECH ON HUMBUGS.
Delivered at Stamford on the occasion OF the
agricultural Fair.


1t seems to be a most unfortunate circumstance
that should be selected to speak on humbug, as
looking on ladies, whose profession it peculiarly
is, find it hard to express myself in their pres
ence. Every thing is humbug except our agricul-
tural society-that alone is not.
Ilumbug is generally defined ''decet or mpo-
siton." \ burglar who breaks into your house,
forger who cheats you out of your property, or
"A rascal, is not humbug humbug is an i'm
poster but in my opinion the true meaning of
humbug is management-tact to take an old truth
and put it in an attractive form.
But no humbug is great without truth at the
bottom. The wOolly horse reality. He
was really born with woolly coat. bought
him in Cincinnati for $500, and sent him on to
Connecticut, but for long time doubted what
should do with him, and feared that he would
die on my hands. Just at this time, in lS49, Col.
Fremont and his party were reported to have
be IN lost among the Rocky Mountains: the pub.
lie greatly excited, but shortly news came
that he was safe. Now came the chance for the
woody horse.
1t duly announced that after three DAYS
chase upon the borders of the River CHA, an ami
nal had been captured by the quarter muster of
Col. Fremont's party, who partook in a singular
degree Of the nature Of the buffalo, antelope and
camel. This story was so far true, that was
myself the quarter master who captured him. and
] charged quarter for the sight. The picture
outside the exhibition depicted the animal as
jumping over a hedge Of rocks now if the ami
nal had really laaped, as shown in the picture,
he must have passed over a space of five miles
To have believed that he could have survived
such leap, would have boon tho grossest hum
bur.
But Col. Benton who understands 70 humbue
hut his own, rrested my scheme, and prosecuted
me for obtaining money und,r false prctenses, a
the horse was not what it professed to be a.; but
think wrongly, as the people who it were sat-
isticl, and they got the worth of their money.
Now the scientific lumbug should know the
precise moment to act rs | did, or the world
would never have been blessed with sight of the
woody horse.
When the woolly horse arrived from Connecti
cat, he was put in stable near Lovcioy's Hotel.
One of TIL boardcrs who came to see him. recop-
nzed him rs an animal he had seen at Bridge
port. "Good heavens.'' he cried, 81 have seen
that animal before it is really an extraordinary
humbug.' lie took up friend from the same
hotel, and after he had seen the animal, let him
into the secret, and in succession thrty-seven
persons carried up, all of whom took the
humbug in good humor, except the last man.
My ambition to he the Prince of IIumbugs |
will resign, but hope the public will take the
will for the deed; can assure them that if had
been able to give them all the hrmbugs have
thought of, they would have been amply salts
fed.
Before went to England with Tom Thumb
had a skeleton prepared from various bones. 1t
was to have been made eight feet high; it was to
have been buried a year or so in Ohio, and then
dug up by accident, that the public might
learn that there were giants of old. The price
was to pay the person who proposed to put the
skeleton together, was to have been 1925.
But finding Tom Thumb more successful than
thought, sent word not to proceed with the
skeleton. NV manager, who never thought as
highly Of the scheme as it deserved, sold the skel-
eton for $50 or IS.
Seven years afterwards received from the
South an account of a gigantic skeleton that had
been foun'. Accompanying it were the certif-
Gates of scientific and medical men as to the gem
uincness. The owner asked $4,000 or 81 900 a
month wrote to him if he brought it on
would take it if found it as represented, or
would pay his expenses if not found it was my
original humbug come back to me again Of
course refused it, and never heard of it after
wards.