The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1866-05-12
Dan Rice before the RECOMMENDATION

Committee.
The Committee on Reconstruction still
persists in suppressing the most important
testimony ELECTED before It. Dan Rice has
recently been on a circus tour through the
States lately in rebellion, and has had OPP
portunities offered to but few for observing
the condition Of the Southern people as to
loyalty. His testimony viii be found to show
the true feeling that exists in the South
when the thin crust Of pretended loyalty
is melted away and true character is reveal
ed us under the celebrating influence of
menagerie, when man stands IN the pres
ence of the untamed forces Of nature, sepe-
rated therefrom only by the thin partition
of an iron cage. Mr.. Rice, being duly
sworn, testified thus.
@. You have an unruly animal, known as
a pet mule, with your circus, have you not
"A. l have.
@ What are the idiosyncrasies of that
/ beast
A He is much given to kicking.
Q. 1t is almost impossible to ride him, is
it not2 =
A. tits. generally offer $25 to any man
who viii ride him round the ring.
Q. On your-late visit to the South. did you
receive any offers to ride that mule
a. l did
O. State, to the best OF your knowledge
and belief all that occurred on these Oc-
casions.
A In Richmond, discharged Confeder,
ate soldier attempted to ride him, but was
Immediately thrown upon his. back
Q. What did the Confederate soldier say
, to this
! A. He said the mule was id Yankee
! Q. Did any others make the attempt? 3
I A. Another of Lees veterans tride to rid
him, and succeeded.
= Q. What did he say2
A. He said, after he had dismounted, tina
If he'd had regiment o them ere Cayalr.
he'd have whipped Fitzpatrick all to smash
and that In the next war against the Yank
he intended to raise a BRIGADE of EN-.
q Cross-examined by Mr.. Stevens:
= @. Is that he-mule or a she-mule
e A. It's a he-mule.
= Q. You have monkeys in your show, hay
l. you not2
., A. l have.
O. Have you ever heard any disloyal II
n marks made in relation to the monkeys?
Il A. I can't say that have.
q. Have you ever heard anything said
their presence2
:, standing IN front of the cage, and hear
* one of them say it looked like a Freedmen
N Bureau.
II Q. How was this remark received?
- a. 1t created much laughter.
~ @. Were there any personal allusior
~ made on that occasion?
A. Some one in the crowd said, pointin
u to the ourang Outang, That's Sumner"
Il Q. Did that please the by-standers?
a A. Very much.
= O. Did you ever hear any observation
~ ~ made about the bears
I'll A I heard it said once about one-eye
;, bear that he looked like Ben. Butler al
> about grizzly that it ought to be called B,
d Wade.
Ia @ Were the points of resemblance mi
y utely stated
A. They were not. The observation VI
NJ made on the tout ensemble, with special rel
renee, perhaps, to the peculiar deformity
the case of the One-eyed animal
" @. Have you side shows with your circu
- A. I have
Q. State whether you ever heard disloy
HI remarks in relation to them.
A. l believe heard something of the XII
once about Daniel In the lions den
@. State what it was.
A. A young lady asked me which one W
at Daniel and which was the lion.
ON @ What was your reply
VS. A. told her it was easy to distingui
'od Daniel from the lion, as the former wore
re, swallow-tailed coat and had cotton u
NJ breIa under his arm.
@. What did she say
the a. After looking into the cage, she 81
ly very spitefully, that Daniel looked like
mean Yankee, and she wished the Ii
81 / would chaw him uDl-Ciu Chm