The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-09-22

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5Sanssills Daily ssnrnal..
Pig the cause Of War.

All the world have heard the story
that the war of 1912 was brought on by
. quarrel about spg. The Pr"vediDcss
(R. u Journal explains it as follows:
The story has been often repeated,
and ihe dignity Of the Rhode Island pig
that caused the war with Great Britain"
has been dwelt upon till it has become
one OF the traditional glories Of the State.
! and we should hardly venture to deny it.
even if it were not true. The facts are
these: Mr. James Rhodes, who lived
in this city, found on his land. in Clans
ton, not for the first tine. y couple Of
fat hogs that belonged to Caleb Will
liams, OF that town. He drove them out,
but not without great difficulty, the
Characteristic Obstinscy of the animals
making them go IN every direction tut
the right one. The day was very hot,
the hogs were very lat. and after the ex-
ercise, they died. The owner brought
suit for thervalu Ii Was one Of those
twill cases" SO famous in our courts,
and in all other courts. the temper OF
the parties beins excl ed TO O degree far
beyond the amount OF the matter IN con
troversy. 1t was held that. although
Rhodes had an undUubted right to drive
out the hogs, he had not right to drive
them IN such manner as to ,ause their
death. The prosecution was conducted
ty James Burrill. and the defeated par
ty never forgavs him although many
overtuIes OF reconciliation were made.
When the S,ra:orisi election came on.
Mr.. Burrill had, upon the record, one
majority. But one OF the members
elected to vote for him, was influenced
BY Mr.. Rhodes to vote for his opponent,
NJ. Howell, who was elected by one
IN j0rity. Mr. Howell was Q memter Of
the General Assembly, and voted for
himself When the declaration OF war
was under consideration IN the Senate, Q
motion was made TO postpone the ques-
tiOn till the next session, and this motion
was lost by one majority. Mr.. Howell
voting with the majority. Had the
postponement prevailed, it is probable
that war would not have been declared,
inasmuch AS in the meantime, the order
in council had been repealed, and Eng.
land bad made overtures Of reconcilia-
ton. Thus it is assured that Mr..
Howell's vote caused the declar,ti,n.
On the final vote, which was carried by
SIX majority, both our Senators voted in
the minority. sltough Mr.. Howell was
one Of the strongest Democrats OF his
time. Why he separated from his par.
ty We never heard.
The election of Mr.. Howell is q a.
nous one in the annals Of this State.
Gov. Fenner presided in the Grand Conn
mittee. By precedent. which had the
iorce. e.of law. he had the casting vote in case
OF a tie. Not knowing the detection Of the
member from Glocestcr, and supposing
that Mr.. Burrll would have one ma.
jority, he voted in the first instance SO
as to make tie. and intending after
wards to give the cast NJ vote. ! his, as
the event proved, Was an unnecessary
exercise Of power, TOR had he not voted
there would have been y tie, and he
would have had the un9uestioned right
10 the casting Vote. The proceeding,
however. caused great excitement lt
Was denounced in the Grand Coumites
by Hunter. Hazard aud others, and the
Governor ordered Mr. Hunter to take
his seat. a law was subsequently
passed defining the legislative po~ero
the Governor within the limits that are
now prescribed by the Con-titution.