The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-06-14
a Prodigioas Fizxie.

An attempt was made on yesterday
afternoon to get up an excitement over
fhe presence of General GRANT in this
citv. With their accustomed e.gerness
10 turn to account everything or person,
ont of which or whom capital may be
made, the Radicals generously under
took the preparations. A brass. band
was brought into requisitioR and sta
Toned in front of the McLure House,
GRANTS quarters, with orders to blow
up their horns for the assembling Of the
multitude. All the utility men of the
party were Oh duty. Hero-worshipping
negrophilists hurried TO and fro, with
solemn gestures, consequential move
ment and mysterious air. The indus
trious parade of the faithful suggested
the by-gone times when public recep-
tions greeted the Captain BAGGs's, the
D,RRs and the KELLEYs, when every
hedizened ass skulkiag from the front
was made the object of popular atten-
tion and when blatant, sevile "loyap
enthusiasm daily illustrated the ancient
dnggerel of the nursery:
''Hark bark the dogs do bark,
The beggars are coming to town.
Without further reference to the pre-
liminaries, we may say that of all the
hat, fizling farces that this community
has ever witnessed, the performance in
front of the Mcclure House yesterday
afternoon was the flattest and sill
lest Nor was it at all the
fault of the people. A very re-
spectacle crowd, considering the cir
circ instances, had assembled, and the
citizens were prepared to greet General
GRANT with such reception as might
he due to his position, if no. to his own
merits. But when he made his appear
ance before the crowd, accompanied by
that miserable charlatan whom chance
and popular passion have made Gov
arnor of West Virginia, the affair lost
it's dignity entirely and mirth and dis
dust struggled for the mastery in the
minds of the. spectators. Except the
occasion when the editor of the Intelli-
genccr signalized himself by acting as
master of ceremonies at the FRED.
DOUGLASS lecture, nothing near so lu-
dicrous or piiifnl has lately been wit
messed by the people of Wheeling The
Governor first grinned like n chimpan-
zee, then lowered and shook his head
like little mountain bull at sight of a
red flag, and from Che inarticulate and
ummeaning sounds which followed, we
were supposed To infer an introduc:
tion Of the great military prodigy
of the century. so-called. The prodigy
saw, for ne could not help it,
that something was amiss. The
people didn't "enthuze" to the extent of
a single cheer, and as there was no rat
hole handy, he attempted to crawl into
his umbrella, which was convenient and
half hoisted. Then with numberless
smirks from FOREMAN, who was too
stnpid to observe the obvious symptoms
of popular contempt, and to the evil
dent relief of GRANT, who began TO feel
the effects of bad company, the pair
withdrew and the farce ended While
the people displayed considerable pity
I'm, a,,iIanf1t- ha1 nnnl
deal of disgust for FOREMAN, and no
thing but their respectful sympathy for
the former suppressed manifestation
of their opinion of th Governor, rather
more audible than the seOrnful and
derisiye laughter which followed the
disappearance of the dignitaries.
We are inclined to coincide with the
public in feeling sorry for the General,
but his fate is only that of thousands
who have shared the shame of disgrace;
fnl companions. Public association
with FOREMAN will ruin any man, and
it is not surprising that his introduc-
tion bore so heavily on poor GRANT.
The respectable Judgment of the pub
lie" is evidently not disposed to tolerate
the imam of the mansion;;" We hope,
therefore, that he will be discreet
enough to heed its warnings, and not
disgrace other passing strangers with
his society as he yesterday disgraced
General GRANT. He cannot misunder-
stand the estimation in which he is
held by the community, and deceney
-honld prompt him to accept the situa-
tion and refrain from further public
appearances.