The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-01-08
rom EInrshaII,a Lnsf.


Avery amusing and characteristic speech
was lately mode by the brilliaht and sceen-
tric. Tom. Marshall, in trial before the Su.
Preme Court Of Kentucky, which il quits too
good to be lost. The case was an action
brought against . gentlemen who bad fne
fish pond, upon which some af b!s neighbOrs'
boys we're In the habit Of depFedatipg, apd
who was provoked to the point Of logging
one Of the marauderS, whose parents sued
for damages and employed Tom Marshall %
advocate for the boy. He recovered $s,-
900; and, the ease being appealed, John c.,
Breckinridge, the Vice President elect. aud
GaTet Davis, the great American leader.
were retained for the defense, These gen,
tlemen, in the argument Of the case, warned
the court against the seduction OF the clos
queGce and sophstry Of the distinguished
counsel on the other side. Major Breckin.
ridge contended that the correction was
wholesome and proper one, such as he had
been subjected to in his juvenile days, when
caught in any mischief.
Tom Marshall, in rcply, said that both
gentlemen had endeafored to magnify him
into great man-Kentucky' 3 greatest law,
yer and orstor, and both, in their political
speeches, were in the habit of expressing
great confidence in the ,sagacity and intsll.
gencs Of the people. Now he wished to In
form the court how it was that, with such
great superiority Of natural genius and &C.
quirements, and with the additional Gdvap-
tage of years over at least one OF his adveftt
saries, he remained plain Tom Marshall.
hammering q miserable existence out Of o
few LAWSUITS at the harl "while, you,' point
ing to his opponcnt, John e. Breckinridgs,
"who were but tow headed shaver, robbing
birds nests and playing marbles, when the
whole broad Commonwealth of Kentucky
was ringing from one end to the other with
praises Of the great eloquence, vast learning
and ptodigious ability of Tom Marshall, srs.
now Vice President of the United Statesl
snd you, GarFet Davis, wanted to be. and al
most persuaded some weak. minded people
to make, you, the President OF the United
Statesf"
,":Now," proceeded Tom, "our Vice Presi.
dent says he used to be logged in his boyish
days for just such tricks as my clients son
was fogged for, and he leaves US to infeF
that, so far from suffering any damage
thereby, it was. one Of the causes Of his pro.
gress and advancement to bis. present high
position. II my client had only known this
before, and if his son could be spanked on the
same spot that my distinguished friend was,
so lar from bringing this suit, he would haye
acknowledged his profound gratitude to the
defendant for thus placing his scion in the
line Of safe precedents,, ard giving him so
strong claim on the Vice Presidency
Doubtless the political misfortunes and dis
asters of my other distinguished friend, are
attributable to the fact that as his spanking
was neglected in boyhood, he has to make
up for it, by receiving nothing but political
spanks ever since he reached manhood"
These palpable hits excited much laugh.
ter among the lawyers and judges, in which
the two distinguished objects of Toms rail-,
lsry participated.