The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-20
Barnum up for Congress In Connecticut,

Barnum up Tor congress IN connecticut
From the Herald
When the Democrats of New York nominated
John Morrissey for Congress in this city it was
regarded as very bold act, and it was gene
rally conceded that the party had exhibited
greater amount of courage than the world had
given them credit for. The radicals of Bridge
port, Conn.,, have, however, far outrivalled
the New York Democracy in boldness and
hardihood by putting forward Barnum as their
Congressional candidate. Well, courage and
pluck are qualities that always excite a GER
tain amount of sympathy, and it was on this
account that we really felt disposed to favor
Morrissey, although it is unquestionably true
that he was of material assistance TO us in in
suring HOfimanns defeat. As regards Bar
mum, we feel disposed to do as much for him
as we did for Morrissey. He will meet with a
very powerful opposition on account of his
antecedents and associations. He has hard
contest before him, and will naturally enlist
the sympathies of those who are inclined to
help ''the under dog in the fight"
Barnum has no doubt calculated upon the
support of the Herald when seeking the nomi-
nation for Congress. Many years ago, when
one of our present well-known hotel-keepers
was exhibiting fat OK i'll a corner of an open
lot in this city subsequently called Nlblo's
Garden; Barnum set up rival show in the
opposite corner, with an old negro woman
named joyce Heth, and astOnished the public
by announcing that she was the veritable nurse
of George Washington, aged one hundred and
fifty years. He paid a visit to the Herald
office, and, producing a pile of documents,
gravely offered to prove to our satisfaction that
| the negress was really what he represented
her to be; but we shook our head, and told
! him very plainly that our incredulity was not
| to be overcome by any array OF documentary
| evidence.
At this the Snowman was evidently nom
! plussed; but putting the best face he could on
the matter, he changed his tactics and said,
! ''Well, my dear sir, the fact is this old negro
woman is all the capital | have in the world,
| and will you not give young fellow chance
if you put it on that ground, it is another
! matter" and we gave him the chance he
| solicited.
The present position of Barnum as regards
! his Congressional venture is precisely similar
| to that which he occupied in his Joyce Heth
speculation. He wants start in political life
on much the same capital as he possessed
| when he sought to make a start in active life.
! He is Just as complete a humbug in politics as
! he was as a Snowman. In this respect, how
! ever. he will be fit and proper representative
for Bridgeport, Connecticut. In fact, he will
appropriately represent the whole State of
Connecticut in Congress, and will be an equal
match for John Momissey in any political
trickery that may be going on at Washington.
Both will be fitting representatives of this
original and progressive age. They will be in
perfect harmony. Their politics will enable
them to pair off on occasions when they desire
to absent themselves. from the House, and
whenever the brandy-and-water is passed
around by some of the Congressional bar
keeper Barnum will take the water and
leave the liquor for Morrissey. By all means
| let BaTnum be elected Ii will be the last and
biggest humbug of his life, and will appropri-
ately crown the edifce of humbug which he
has been for so many years engaged in build
| ing up.