The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-01-09
sTHEGATETTTY.
kEOKUK, IOWA: =
TUESDAY MdsTn}o, SlHtAirl


before ihs peepls, and 8 - rded
his life as failure. We we're riding together
when he turned, sSd rS&1rted5f . speech
made The evening before; Trx1r2
1T ~as very cd, indeed, but IN ~ style.
Never make the people laugh. I see that yo61
cultivate that. II il easy and captivating, but
death in the hong run 70 the speaker q
why, Mr.. CorNip, yon Ase the last man
Certainly because you have not lived u
long as l have. Do you know, my young
friend, that the world has . contempt for the
man who entertains it? One must be solemn,
solemn as an ass-never say anything that is
uttered with the gravest gravity, 10 win re-
spect. The world looks up to the teacher, and
down upon the clown; yet, in nine cases outs
Of ten, the clown is the better fellow of the
two. wa
ave Who laugh may be we'll content if We
are as successful as you have BEEN"
az GU think so, and yet were you to consult
an old fellow called Thomas Corwin, he would
tell you that he considered himself the worst
used man in existence; that he has been
sighted, abused and neglected, and all for a
set Of fellows who look wise and say nothing"
Mr.. Corwln uttered this with much feeling,
and we have no doubt but that he expressed
what he believed to be the net purport and
upshot Of his whole life. -
He would have made wonderful comedian
We never sew one who had such play of
feature and power of expression. His words
seemed TO be running commentary on his
countenaIice, and the hit came from the face,
sometimes, long before the words reached the
audience. We remember little comedy we
saw acted by him in Springfield, of this State,
IN 1860. 1t was the more ludicrous from be-
ing improvised at the moment.
He was addressing crowded house in the
town hall, and in the midst of touching de-
scripion Of the. struggles and sufferings of
our earliest settlers that brought the tears to
every eye in the hall, a little buIl,serrier
trotted down the platform, and stood looking
at the audience by Mr. Corwins side. He
was little, round headed, stump-tsiied dog,
with projecting under jaw, bow legs, and ears
set up. tie presented such queer spectacle
that many in the audience laughed. Mr..
Corwin, looking down, saw the cause Of the
merriment and waving his hand back at the
dog, said:
"0ne at o time, my good fellow
The dog retreated few PAGES to the rear,
and then pausing, cooked his head on one
side and eyed the orator. Mr.. Corwin re-
turned the gaze, and, for an instant, his face
assumed the same comical expression 1t
was one of stupid wonder, dashed with q bull
hSiiiNi NtuCtlts IN u luODeUt SOrWln turned
and said
Confidently my friends, believe he seri-
ously contemplates leaving the other dogs and
joining our party
No words can paint the look that accompa-
MED thisFTemark, but hundreds of aching
sides totfof its effect.
When Clay's Omnibus BILL" az it was
called, failed, Senator Foote of Mississippi
rose in intense excitement and exclaimed:
Mr.. President, the Republic ceases to ex.
ist by noon Tomorrow
Mr.. Corwin, who opposed the measure, and
was greatly rejoiced at its defeat, gravely left
his seat and walking over to Mr.. Footeis
chair, said ''Mr. Foote, did / understand
you to say that our Government would expire
by noon tomorrow 2"
''Ies, sir.''
"Well, now, Mr.. Foote, ] am deeply
grieved to hear you make suce an announce.
ment. | have several bills before Congress
that L am exceedingly interested in Now
couidn YOU just to crafty me, have this
hnsl end adjourned over, say two weeks ?''
Foote. was extinguished by the laughter
that broke out from the Senators Al ttipr near.
By the by, this 'omnibus blu gave rise 10
the only difference that ever marred the
friendship of Clay and Corwin. The prophetic
soul OF the great kentuckian saw the ills that
we're about to break upon our land, and
sought to avert them by legislative compro-
misses. Mr.. Corwin felt that we were on the
eve of revolution, but with more eenius than
his great leader, saw that, by the course pro.
posed, we should accomplish by law precisely
what we were attempting to prevent He be-
heyed that if the several parts ofthe Bepublic
could not be harmonized under the Constitu
ton and the laws, as they were, any further
concessions would only aggravate the evil.
he, therefore, deserted the ranks ofthe com.
promlsers, and prepared himself to oppose,
In one of his most elaborate efforts, their mis-.
chievous measures.
lie was sitting in his room one sunny morn
ing, when, after a loud knock, the tall eaunt
form of Henry Clay stalked in. Approaching
the table by which Mr.. Gown sat, and before
our Senator could rise, he brought his cane
down with bang that made the inkstand
BOUNCE, exclaiming, in his deep, clear voice !:
mean p
Mr.. Cerwln was not the sort of man to take
this rude salatation quietly. He sprang to
his feet, anu Tor second the two Senators
glared at each other. Before Mr.. Corvin
could speak, Clay continued:
"Do you know, sir, that we are on the eve
OF a bloody revolution; that this Republic, the
beautiful work of the fathers, will be torn in
fragments, while we, its guardians, sit idle or
quarreiing? have relied on you, sir, on
your patriotism and ability. You were nv
Chief reliance, and now, / understand, YOU
have deserted u.s.
Yes, sir, responded Mr.. Corwin. ~
see the dangers before US, plainly as Won can.
But cannots see the reliefthat is to come from
the further degradation of free people to
traitors who are bent on our destruction
Inc Soath is the aggressor, and we only EN-.
holden treason by concessions to traitors.
every well, sir. Now we understand each
other, Good morning, sir.
II beg your pardon, Mr.. CLAW. Int Won
don understand me, or you would never MT.
tempt to dictate or bully me. Good morning
sirn e" &c mn '"''e'
And so the two great leaders separated.
Mr.. Corwin had such keen appreciation
OF the ridiculous that it was almost imnoss;
Die Tor him to resist giving the ludicrous side
OF any question or subject presented. It was
In this that he did himself injustice. The
world has not yet learned that the two nuaI.
ties OF humor and deep sentiment have tho
same origin. From Shakespeare down thronob
Burns, Hood and Holmes, we fnd The TIC
always Alfred, and equally perfect ,Corv;.
could move his audience to tears as eas;lv : :
to laughter, but the last was the more 10 -
ing and the more popular. He was AN in A..
lent man, his great genius enabling him to do
ms work with ease, and he gave way to that
winch was the most pleasant. If we analyze
ms popular qnafty 1--WE 6nd in it more of hu-
NOR than WIT, although he was eminentin the
!ass power. II consisted generally in bring.
ns 20 Iaoierops Jnxtaposition two or more
d'ssimiiar ideas, as in his efeat Nerre.n
speech, the picture he drew 81 Dan We.
Cotton. presenting to the bewildered 49,.
the Constisufion and r,~h&. - 49,