Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-11-10
Rnrnum,s speech on Humbugs.

nvn AT STAMFORD ON THE OCCASION OF THE AGRI-
phbi CULTURAL FAIR.
T. seems 10 be most unfortunate circumstance
.bat should be selected to speak on Humbug; as
Liking on the ladies' whose profession 1t peculiarly
~ find il hard TO express myself in their presence
f. yerv thing is humbug; the whole State is humbug,
lIcant our Agricultural Society-that alone Is not
Hnmbug is generally defined deceit or imposi-
fon," burglar who breaks into your house, Tor
r who cheats you of your property, or rascal, is
SSot a humbug; a humbug is an lmposter; but IN my
nninon the true meaning of humbug is management
Tactic take an old truth and put it in attractive
form
But no humbug is great without truth at the bot
TOM The wOoily horse was q reality. He was re-
aIlv born with a woody coat. bought him IN Cln-
cnnati for $500 and sent him on to Connecticut, ou'
for long time | doubted what should DO with MIN,
and feared that he would die my hands Just at
This time in 1849, Col Fremont and his party were
reported TO have been lost among the ROCKY Nloull-
tains; the public greatly excited but snortly
news came that he safe. Now came the chahce
for the woolly horse.
It was duIv announced that after three days chase
unon the borders of the River ella, an animal had
been captured by the quartermaster OF Col fremont
party, who partook in singular degree OF Inc nature
of the buffalo, antelope and camel. This story was
50 far true, that was myself the quartermaSter VINO
conured him, and charged quarter for the sight.
The picture outside the exhibition depicted the ami
nal as jumping a ledge OF rocks; now II the
animal had really leaped, as shown in the picture he
must have passed a space offVe miles. To have
believed that he could have survived such leap,
would have been the grossest humbug
But Col Benton, who understands humbug but
his own, arrested my scheme, and prosecuted me for
obtaining money under false pretences, as the horse
was not what it prOfessed 10 be; but think wrongly
as the people who it were satisfied and tley got
the worth of their money
Now the scientific humbug should know the pre-
else moment TO act as did, or the world would never
have been blessed with sight of the woolly horse
When the woolly horse arrived from Connecticut,
he was put in stable near Lovejoy's Hotel One oil
the boarders who came TO see him recognised him as
an animal he had seen at Bridgeport.
Good heavens !" he cried, g have seen that an
mal before; it is really extraordinary humbug .
He took up friend from the same horpl and after
he had the animal, let him into the secret, and
in succession thirty-seven persons carried up
all of whom took the humbugging in good huTor ex
cent the last man.
have not the vanity TO call myself real scienti
fc humbug, | am only an humble member of the
profession.
Ny ambition to be Prince of Humbugs will re-
sign but hope the public will take the will for the
deed | can assure them that if had been able tc
give them all the humbugs | have thought of, they
would have been amply satisfied.
Before went to England with Tom Thumb, haC
q skeleton prepared from various bones. 1t Il
have been made Is feet high; it was to have beer
buried year so in Ohio, and then dug up by ac-
cdent so that the public might learn that there
giants OF old. The price was to pay the person whC
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 skele
ton My manager, who never thought highly o
the scheme il deserved, sold the skeleton for $50
or SIS.
Seven years afterward I received from the South
an account of a gigantic skeleton that had beer
found. Accompanying it the certificates O
scientific and medical men as to the genuineness -
The owner asked $4,000 or ST, 900 month ; wro
to him if he brought it on l would take it if foun
it as represented, would pay his expenses if not
| found it was my old original humbug com
back to me again; of course refused it, and neve
heard of it afterward.