The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-02-24
An Ingenious bat DisIoyaI South
CarOIIHIan.

An application was recently made to Con. |
gress for the renewal ofthe patent Of an easy |
chair, invented by citizen of South Caroli- |
ma. When the case came up in the Senate,
quite discussion ensued, during which Mr.. |
Hale made decided hit for the pplicant in
the following speech, after which the bill
passed without any difficulty:
Mr.. Hale.-l hope this bill will pass. In
the first place, l am very much in favor Of
the article that is patented. 1t is an easy
chair. In the second place, South Carolina
troubles the Patent office but very little
and | think it would be very ungracious to
oppose this. application from South Carolina
now. l hope it will puss.
We wonder il this was the same paten,ee
of whom good story was quite current win.
ter before last.
Old Judge Evans, the late Senator from
South Caroline, was very earnest, sincere
and venerable old gentleman, who under an
exceedingly gentle, mild and clerical exterior,
concealed some very decided points Of char
ncter, among which was an intense State
pride and strong bias in favor of the insti.
tutions, and even OF the weaknesses and de.
fects Of his old State. To him South Caro-.
lima was the beau ideal of everything admir-.
| able, great and good. Her errors and de-
fects were, to him, virtues and endowments.
And, though it was not in the Nature of the
good old man to hate anybody or anything,
he cherished q decided and very South Caro-.
lnaish repugnance to the Institutions, ideas
and customs Of New England. For any
South Carolinian to possess any Of the quail
ties, the accomplishments or tastes of the
people of that section, was in the view Of
the old Senator, serious breach of faith
and duty TO his honored and beloved old Pal
melto State.
Now, it happened that Judge Evanswas
applied TO by a young South Carolnian, who
had invented some ingenious mechanical
ContrivRDce which he desired TO have patent
ed. The young applicant introduced him.
self as the son of an old friend and fellow
parishioner Of the Judge, and begged his fa.
yor and aid in obtaining his letters patent.
The venerable Senator, raising his spec.
tucles, and fixing his eyes in wonder and
amOzement at the ingenious young Caroli-
nian, in his mild but emphatic tone, interro-
gated him as fellows:
"You are the son Of Colonel Il, of st.
- Parish, South Carolina, who wos born
in the eaid parish 7"
81 am, sir" promptly and proudly respond
ed the young gentleman.
"The grandson of General IL, who
served under General Sumpter in the Rev.
outionary war -
ayes, sir" was the prompt reply
"Your mother was the daughter Of Mrs.
Nancy -, who set fire to her mansion in
the Revolution, to prevent the British occu-
pying it."
"Yes, sir" enthusiastically exclaimed the
VI OHV Vi NdIOllHu pfUuuCSl
families.
"And you," continued the patriotic old
Senator, shave been educated at the acade'
my in -, and instructed in the princi
pies, duties and knowledge proper to your
position, your birth and family :"
"Yes, sir" modestly remarked the now
impatient youth. " .#
"Then, sir" exclaimed the Judge, in a
tone of naughty firmness and Indignation
chow dare you to turn your back upon al
the traditional principles, and ideas, unc
customs of your State, upon the sentiments
, and principles ofyour family, your ancestors
and your countrymen, and degrade yoursel
to the level of common wooden nutmeg
Yankee, by inventing machine !"
The ingenious, but alas higk-born youns
Carolinian was so affected by the forcibl
= manner in which the Senator presented tn
enormity of his conduct, that he abandone
his application, and returned to South Caro-
lima, with view Of standing for Congress
in his District at the next election.