The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-09-01

Scott, contains the pleasing intelligence that
Poll has taken, the oath Of allegiance. and
vows to shed hertlas. feather in the Union
Gauss. saal- -L..la.a .-.--..- .s.fs.i .sr
EeFnamAo Wood. th6gfT
M. B. g." the correspondent Of the
New Hampshire Statesmans is one of III .
best correspondents in Washington. He is
candid, 4 true Uniou man, and very intelli-
gent. Tna recent article he gives an in.
eresting account Of the man who for years
passed 50 much political power in New
Fernando Wood vas born Of poor paren-
tage in the city Of Philadelphia. in 1919;
and Is subsequently now 81 years OF age.
His early education was quite small, and ne
started in life as cigar. maker, clerk in
counting house, and ship. chandler ii
small way inNew York city, and gradually
rose to the position Of 1 heavy and success-
ful merchant the ship-owner. He was 4
member of the 9th Congress, from 1871 to
ls4s. and failed Of re election; but from
that time till now he has been the ruling
spirit in the Pandemonium of New York
city politics. He was the chief sachem,
who, in the celebrated Tammany Hall quar-
rel, led out the tribe which established the
ven,al Mozart Society. that, with him at its
head. had SO many year so swayed the po-
lit,cal destinies of that city. In 1854 he
was elected Mayor Of the city was repeated
ly reelected. and at the last State election
was again brought into congress in place of
James e Kerrigan as one Of the Ave mem
bers from that city, by avote Of s,l76
against s.4ss for John Duffy, Independent.
1t is not necessary to say that Fernando is
an able as well as a notable and may just
ly add, notorious public man. The mind
that can rule great and turbulent city, Of
a million population. as he has alone for at
least a dozen years, and in vital degree
for at least dozen years, and in . vital de
gree for twics that period,. whatever Of
crime be laid to his charge, is man of no
mean intellectual powers. .s.
was present when Mr.. Wood 6rst ad-
dressed the House in the earlier part of this
session, on his favorite scheme of peace
commissioners and pacifcation. 1t was not
generally kRown that he was to addressthe
House. otherwise. $50 great is the curiosity
to see and hear him, there would have been
crowded z, ,heries. As.it WAS, all the mem
bers of the House at the Capitol gathered
into their seats, and some Senators came
over 10 listen. When he arose and address
ed the Speaker, the House was silent; cir
cnmstance in this Bear G.rden, - John
Randolph named il. of very unusual occur.
renee. He is tall person, full six feet
high; stands. walks. and sits erect, and has
every where . proud and elevated bearing.
He is a'man Of large frame. but, like Cas-
ius. has "a lean AMI hungry look;" but
whether like Cassius. lean because he
''thinks to much," and Ehcthes, like him,
really dangerous man, do not here dis
cuss. He dresses in the finest broadcloth;
abrown frock.coat with vslyet collar, always
buttoned from the bottom to nearly the top
button! This habit gives him the appear.
ance eta plump, round. symmetrical, As
well as tall and perfectly erect person.
Black pants; small standing collar; plain.
black cravst; dark yest; heavy calf boots.
shining q plain, handsome gold guard
chain; pair Of black eye glasses, attached
to ribocn;' a piain. gold ring upon the tile
finger Of the iees hand. and wig so nicely
adjusted, that its neatly brushed, fins brown
hair is not suspected as artificial by one in
thousand; and there you have the personal
Of the noted New Yorker, as I scanned him
on the occasion OF his three set speeches
this session. he has hollow back, though
certainly stout backbone; and in his very
erect attitude, with closely bpttoned coat,
this popularity is very, perceptible. The
The general outlines of his head and face,
and especially his large, curved, and close
mouth, strikingiy remind you OF Henry
Clay. Il is said that he aspires in his ora
tory to initiate the Great Com,noner, and an
excellent portrait Of Nr. Clay. taken in
1884, when about the age Of the New York
or at the present time. now hanging over
my table, certainly coroboratcs the remark
Is to their personsi resemblance. Mr..
Cay's head was however, cast in sltossthes
alarget saepld. His head is much smaller,
his forehead less broad ia proportion 10 bis
sine, than the good Kentuckian, not "a
high, BAT quite as full. His faos, long and
lnarrowing to the chin and his complexion,
as wslllss his erect, tsll form and long srms,
are more Hks those Of ". Clay than any
other speaker Ihsve ever seen, either on
the floor Of Congress ot elsewhere. OF
course. when you approach the marvellous
powers Of eioquence Of Henry Chy, 4 n men.
toned Of Fernando Wood isss absurd Is !,
would be to mention the grovslling politics
and political career Of the disciple Of Cal.
hogp with the lofty principles and career Of
the great Kentucky patriot and statesman
Their characters are absolutely, 10 these
particulars. tho antipodesl of esch other, and
f.,rc,ah = Ann ll,,skp N tioy, .hv contrast