Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-01-10
COrVyin-HIs Famous Speech
Reply of General Crary.

Probably the most brilliant effort ever
made in Congress in the sarcastic line was
! that IN which Mr.. Corwin replied to Mil
ltia General CraTy, relative to his applica-
ton Of the "Peticoat" Generalship of
} Harrison at the battle of Tippecanoe.-
From the speech referred to we make the
following extract:
Mr.. Speaker: We all know the mil
ltary studies of the gentleman from Mich
Igan before he was promoted. take it
beyond a reasonable doubt that he has
perused Beyond the title page of Baron
Steuben. Thus we see that the gentle
man from Michigan has assured us he is
prone to look into musty volumes. =
Now the gentleman from Michigan be-
ing militia general, as he has told US the
bloody privations which we know a mil
itia officer has to pass. We all in fancy
see the gentleman from Michigan in that
most dangerous and glorious event of the
militia general-a parade day. We can
see the troops in motion, umbrellas, hoe
and axe-handles, and other deadly like
impliments of war, overshadowing the
field, when lol the leader of the host ap-
prOaches.
Far off his coming shines" his plume
white after the fasion of the great Bour-
bon, IS OF ample length, and reads its
doleful history in the bereaved necks and
bosoms of forty neighboring hen roosts.-
/ Like the great Sunanoff, he seems some
what careless in forms and points of dress,
hence his epaulettes may be on his shoul-
der, back, or sides, but still cleaning glo-
riously in the sun Mounted he is too,
let it not be forgotten. Need 1 describe
the Colonels and Generals of this honor
able body, the steeds which such heroes
bestride on such occasions. No. I see
the memory of other days is with you
You see before you the gentleman from
Michigan mounted on his crop-eared,
bushy-tailed mare, the regular obliquities
of whose hinder limbs is described BY
that most expressive phrase ''seelzle
hause:" her height is just four hands, all
told. Yes, sir, there you see his steed,
that laughs at the shaking of the spear"
that is his ''war horse whose neck is
clothed with thunder"
Mr.. Speaker, we have glowing descrip-
tions of Alexander the Great and his war
horse Bucephalus at the head of the Mac
edonian phalanx, but, sir, such are the
improvements of modern times, that eV-
cry one must see that our militia GEN
eral, with his crop cared mare with bushy
tail and sickle ham would literally fright
en- off battle field an hundred Alexan-
ders. But, sir, to the history of the pa
rade day. The General thus mounted
and equipped is in the field and ready
for action. On the eve of some desper-
ate enterprise, such as giving order to
shoulder arms, it may be there occurs a
crisis, one of the accidents of war which
no sagacity could prevent. A cloud rises
and passes over the sum- Here an occa-
sion occurs for the display Of that great
est of all traits in the character of COM
mander, that tIait which enables him to
seize upon and turn to good account
events unlocked for as they may arise
Now for the caution with which the Ro-
man Fabius foiled the skill and ccur-
age of Hannibal. A retreat is ordered,
and troops and General, in a twinkling,
are found gone, safe ensconsed in a neigh
boring grocery. But even here, the Gen.
still has room for the exhibitions Of he
roic deeds. Hot from the field and chaff-
ed with the untoward events of the day,
your General unsheathes his tenchant
blade, eighteen inches in length, as you
will remember, and with an energy and
remorseless fury, he slices the watermel-
ons that lie in heaps around him, and
shares them with his surviving friends.
Others of the sinews of war are not
wanting here. Whisky, Mr.. Speaker,
the great traveller of modern times, is
here also, and the shells of the water
melon are filed to the brim. Here, again,
Mr.. Speaker, is shown how the extremes
Of barbarism and civilization meet As
the Scandinavian heroes of old, after the
fatigues of war, drank wine from the
skulls of their slaughtered enemies in
Onedine's halls, so now our militia Gen.
sral and his forces, from the skulls of
melons thus vanquished, in copious
1raughts of whisky assuage the heroic fire
IF their souls after the bloody scenes Of a
parade day. But, alas, for thisshort-hved
ace of ours; all things will have an end,
md so even, it is with the glorious
achievements of one general. Time is
IN the wing, and will not stay its flight;
he sun as if frightened at the events of
he day, rides down the sky, and at the
,lose of day, when the "hamlet is still"
he curtain of night drops upon the scene.
And glory, like the phoenix in its fires.
Exhales its odOr, blazes and expires"