Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-02-13

the day on which the farce was to enactS
ed, the Colonel had hint of what was TO
take place, and made his preparations ac-
ieordingly.
The Legislature met, and after the nsu.
lal morning business, the order Of the day
was reached, and the bill Of the Colonel.
which he had drawn up with much care,
was considered in Committee of the
Whole. Some expression, not gaccording
to Lindley Murray, was taken advantage
of by the Colonel 8 opponent, and he cri-
tieised it severely. He spoke of the Hon.
orableamember-a as one whose great fame
had preceded him-as one eswho had len.
resented portion of the great State Of
Virginia in the Congress of the nation and
who bad left that digniGed body in con-
tempt, because the members were so 10.
norant as MOTTO know that the terms '.ns.
eromantie" and.'' microscopic" were iden-
tical in sound and meaning. At this wit.
ticism, as per arrangement, the friends OF
the speaker raised the shout, and despite
the hammer of the presiding officer, the
crowded gallery took it up, and it was
some minutes before order was restored.
The Colonel sat cool and undaunted, his
very GOODNESS showing the close observa.
ton that he felt secure of victory. He
rose with arms folded in an old plaid
cloak, to reply. In low. yet fearful dis.
tinct tones, he commenced his reply:
Mr.. Chairman, Sir: l heard that
this speech was to be made, and, sir, it
has been made. The only reply which
1, sir. as an honorable man, can make in
relation to the speech and the man that
made it, sir, is an argument which have
at my fingers end Throwing back his
cloak and showing the but of duelling
pistol in the side pocket OF his coat. and
which his hand grasped. but Mr.. Chair.
man. that argument must be addressed to
that gentleman elsewhere, sir I"
The reply of the old Colonel fell upon
the hapless wight who brought it upon
himself, with stunning vioIence-on the
audience it acted like a shock of electrici.
ty. All seemed aghast, and each to
the other looked for some means
of averting the catastrophe. Suddenly
tie member who offered the insult arose
and assured the House, and particularly
tic Honorable gentleman, that an inteu-
tion to offend him was the fartbest from
his thoughts, and he proceeded to apollo.
gize in the amplest manner, and in the
most approved form. The matter finally
dropped, but from thattime the argument
at the fingers end of Colonel jackson
prevented any one offering him an insult
Although sensitive in high degree.
the Colonel could take a joke. and profit
by it. too. as well as any other
man. In the contest for President in
1924. the Colonel,a as a Western man,
aYowed preference for Mr.. Clay. and
was opposed TO the Congressional caucus
which nominated Mr.. Crawford. That
nomination found the people OF the
Muskingum Valley divided on the four
candidates, Adams. Jackson. Clay. and
Crawford. A meeting of the people OF
the county was called. in order to endorse
the nomination or reject 1t. The promi.
nent friends of the other candidates Goa.
iesced against Mr.. Crawford, and agreed
to defeat. il possible. an expression in his
fav r. Each side prepared resolutions in
advance, and the day found the Court
House crowded with men from all pats
OF the county. and from the then borough
Of GAINESVILLE. 1t was the first political
meeting held for years, and. curiosity at
tracted large crowd of boys. AS one Of
the more respected citizens, and as Mayor
Of the village where the meeting was held,
Colonel Jackson was called upon to pre-.
side as its Chairman. The moment the
Secretary was chosen, an opponent of the
nomination Of Mr.. Crawford presented
series of resolutions, which were debated
at some length. A division of the ques.
tion was demanded. and it turned upon
the adoption OF the first resolution. In
his pronunciation of the parliamentary
word age, the Colonel, in taking upon
himself French manners, called it oui (tce.
He stated the question, and said
Gentlemen, those in favor Of the adop-
tion of the first resolution, will please say.
oui''
While acting as Mayor of the village,
the Colonel had rendered himself obn0x-
ious to the village urchins, and several Of
those present catching the French pros
nunciation of an English word. while 9th.
ers were voting. shouted "1ce 20 The
quick ear of the Colonel caught the sound,
aud he resolved to turn the mimicry Of
the boys to good account. After de.
claring as it certainly was. from the
sound. the first resolution carried he pro.
ceeded to state the question on the adop-
ton Of the second resolution. giving the
oui a still broader sound. From every
part Of the Court House the shriIl voices
Of the rising generation were heard, and
mingled with Che stern aye Of the anti
Crawford men, the vociferous 70 of the
boys. made the majority large. Every
resolution was thus passed. and the Craw-
ford men found the voices of the meeting
against them. No man enjoyed the joke
more than the Colonel. and " many a
time and oft" have the fat sides of the
old gentleman shaken at the way he used