Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-10-17
A Great Day and a Great Fizzle.

A Great Day and a Great FizzIe.
Wednesday, the 18th inst. was design
ed by the Know Nothings of Clarksburg,
to be great day in the history OF that
party-a day marked as the old Romans
did their fortunate epochs. by the making
of great sacrifices, the staying of bulls
and calves. and the calling of the people
together to sit in holy council upon the
exigencies of the Commonwealth. 1t
was advertised in flaming handbills that
on that day there was to be Grand
" American Mass Meeting and Barbecue"
to which they " invited their fellow citi-
zens without Distinction" "to hear a
discussion Of the issues of the crisis. -
Refreshments were to be provided
" statesmen of distinguished ability from
Maryland and eastern Virginia. were to
be in attendance-the ladies were particu>
LarLy invited, and the Fillmore and Donel-
son clubs of Harrison, Lewis, Upshur
Barbour, Taylor, Preston, Marion, Mon.
ongalia, Tyler, Doddridge and Richie
counties, were invoked to roll up their
hundreds to contribute to the magnifceuce
of the grand occasion. But it was like
calling spirits from the vastly deep, for
being called they came not. s ...
The day broke vi pom US in clouds and
gloom. portenous of the fate Of the Grand
Rally. An hundred or two of people
came to town to hear the " discussion"
advertised, and it was even rumored on
The street that there was to be reply on
the part of the Democracy, by some of
our citizens. Among the other perfor-
mances of the day. gigantic pole was to
be raised that was to far over-top that Of
the Democracy, and during the morning
the most devoted followers of Sam worked
like beavers in its preparation. But it
had only been raised a few feet from the
ground, when it broke in two places and
" drapped Uery suddenly" The Hon. J.
S. Garlic then informed the crowd that
there was no argument in pole, 1--WE
suppose not when it breaks. and that
dinner was waiting for them at the grove
across the creek near the residence of Mr..
A. F. Barnes and told them that if the
Democracy did raise higher pole than
the Fillmore boys* it signi6ed nothing.
and that this. pole could be raised at some
other time, &C., and proposed that they
all go to the grove and eat dinner and
hear the speaking.
Accordingly to the grove went the
crowd, at least portion of it, to partake
of the Refreshments" and listen to the
big guns" of Know Nothiugism-Hon.
John Minor Bolts and Hon. Henry Win
ter Davis, the statesmen OF distinguish
ed ability from Maryland and eastern
Virginia" who were to enlighten our peo-
pie as to the propriety of all turning abo-
lItlonists. But ooh, what fall was there
my countrymen p Bolts didn't come
Davis didn't come-noboiy came but
Garlic. The refreshments were misera- |
bly, meagre-all gone before we got there;
and instead of the qualification Of listens
ng to statesmen of distinguished abili>
~" the ears of The people were again
bored by the man who has been on all
tides of all questions. and who Injuries
whatever cause he espousss. His argu,
nents were the stale slang and pot>house
'xpletiVes peculiar to the knights of the
and his audience did not
'xceed an hundred of the gaping disciples
# SAM who were ready to swallow any
normity so it was not tinctured with De-
nocracy, including here aud there De-
nocrat whose curiosity had induced him
see the thing through. The ladies
'ere -" few and far between" and at such
distance from the scene, as to indicate {
heir distrust of their security in the beg
arly assemblage. q
Disguised with the sorry appearance of {
ls whole affair, ia company With Maj. Z