Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-10-10
NJ | s G E L L A n Y.
THE WAR OF 1912 AND THE RHODE
ISLAND PIG.

A correspondent OF the Historical Magazine,
for August, revives the foolish story that " pig
caused the war of 1912" The points OF the story
are, that two persons IN Rhode Island, belong |
ing 10 the federal party, had bitter quarrel
about a pig which belonging to the one, would
root up the garden of the other that having
been caught IN the act of destroying some vall
able roots, (pigs are great on - roots, } the pig
was killed by the owner of the garden hat the
said garden owner, at the next election, was a
candidate for the Legislature, and was beaten
by one vote by his democratic opponent, which |
vote was cast by the owner Of the federal pig
the federal pig owner We mean that the Ley |
slature nude choice Of democratic u. S. SEN |
alor by one majority, and the declaration of war
against England passed the Senate by only one
majority. Now if all these statements were well
founded, We do not see how they would es,ab-
lish the proposition that the pig aforesaid caused
the war Of 1912, but the story is not true. The
declaration Of war passed the house of Repre-
sentatives by vote Of 10 to 40, and the Senate
by vote of 8 TO IS, being six majority in the
latter body. The Rhode Island Senators of that
day were William Hunter and Jeremiah b. How
ell. The former was federalist, and one of the
finest orators We ever heard, though we did not
have the pleasure Of hearing him speak until he
had become an old man. He was elected in 1911,
and then, we believe, 10 serve out the tenn OF
Mr. Champlin, who had been elected, in 1909.
Mr.. Hunter was reelected in 1915, and served
until 1921. Mr.. Howell was a democrat, but
how he voted on the war question, and by what
majority he was chosen Senator, we do not know.
Perhaps the editor of the Providence journal
can furnish the facts and so, please the pigs"
put stop to This pig-squeang in our history
Boston Irareier.
The story has been often repeated, and the
nf hnla u min tbat
the war with Great Br aim has teen dwelt up
oh till It has become one Of the traditional glo-
ries Of the state, and we should hardly venture
to deny it, even if it were not true The facts
are these: MIR. James Rhodes who lived in this
city, found on his land in Cranston not for the
first lime, a couple of fat hogs that belonged 10
Caleb Williams, Of that town. He drove them
out, but not without great difficulty the charac-
eristic obstinacy OF the animals making them
90 in every direction but the right one. The
day was very hot, the hogs were very fat, and
after the exercise they died. The owner brought
suit for their value. II was one Of those " will
cases" so famous in our courts, the temper OF
the parties being excited to a degree far beyond
the amount Of the matter in controversy. 1t was
held that, although Rhodes had an undoubted
ri hit to drive Out the hogs, he had not right &c
drive them IN such manner as to cause then
death. The prosecution was conducted b,
James Burill, and the defeated party never for
gave him although many oyertures Of ieconcilia
lion were made.
When the Senatorial election came on, Mr.
BuTill had, upon the record, one majority, Blu
one of the members elected TO vote for him, wa
influenced by Mr.. Rhodes to vote for his oppo
nent, Mr. Howell, who was elected by one ma
jority MIR. Howell was a member of the Gen
eral Assembly, and voted for himself. Whe
the declaration of war was under considerable
in The Senate, motion was made to poslpon
the question till the next session, and this INC
ton was lost by one majority. Had the pos
ponemcnt prevailed, 1t is probable that war wdul
not have been declared inasmuch as, in tn
meantime, the order in council had been repca
~ and England had made overtures of recor
Citation. Thus it assumed that Mr.. Howell
vote caused the declaration. On the final vot
which was carried by G majority, both our Ser
aors voted in the minority, although Mr.. How
ell was one Of the strongest democrats of his tim
Why he separated from his party we new
heard
The election of Mr. Howell is famous one
the annals Of this state Gov. Fcnner presid,
IN the Grand Committee By precedent, viii,
had the force Of law, he had the casting vote
case OF a tie, Not knowing the detection of 4
member from Gl0eeser, and supposing that
Burrlil would have one majority, he voted
the hrs' instance SO as 10 make tie, and inten
ing afterwards 10 give The casing vote. TIL
as the event proved, was an unnecessary exc