Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-01-01

and as mark OF her respect, and with
view to the eclat, sent polite invitations
to the President, Mr.. Fillmore, the MEM
bers of the Cabinet, Mr.. Clay. and many
other distinguished members of both
houses of Congress. 1t happened that
on that day several members ofthe Cabi-
net and Senate were dining with Mr.
Bodisco, the Russian Minister. His
good dinner and choice wines had kept
the party so late, that the concert was
nearly over when Webster, Clay, Crit
tenden and others came in; whether from
the hurry in which they came, or from
the heat of the room, their faces were
little flushed, and they all looked some
what hurried.
After the applause with which these
gentlemen had been received, had SUBJ
sided, and silence once more restored, the
second part of the concert was opened
by Jenny Lind, with "Hail Columbia"
This took place during the height of
the debate and excitement of the slave
ry question, and the compromise resolu-
tions of Mr.. Clay; and this patriotic
air.. as a part of the programme, was con-
sidered peculiarly appropriate at a con-
cert, where the head of the Government,
and a large number of both branches of
the Legislative Department were pres
ent. At the close of the first verse,
Webster's patriotism boiled over; he
could. stand it no longer and rising like
Olympian Jove, he added his deep sono-
rous bass voice to the chorus and
venture to say, that never in the whole
course of her career, did she ever hear
or receive one-half of the applause as
that with which her song and Webster's
chorus was greeted. Il
Mrs. Webster, who sat Immediately
behind him, kept tugging at his coat tail
to make him sit down or stop singing,
but it was of no earthly use-and at the
close of each verse, Webster Joined in,
and it was hard to say whether Jenny
Lind, Webster, or the audience were the
most delighted. 1 have seen Rubini,
Lablache, and the two Crisis on the
stage at one time, but such happy con
junction in the national air of Hail Co
l,lmbia," as Jenny Lind's tenor and Dan
iel Webster's bass, we shall never see or
hear again. sal9oa ~
At the close of the air. Mr.. Webster
rose with his hat in his hand, and made
her such bow as Chesterfield would
have deemed a fortune for his son, and
which eclipsed D'OrsaI IS best. Jenny
Lind, blushing at the distinguished hon.
or, courtesied to the floor; the audience
applauded to the very echo; Webster,
determined not to be outdone in polite
ness, bowed again; Miss Lind recour-
tested, the house reapplauded. and this
was repeated nine times, or I'm vii
lain else"
1 have seen Niagara and Taglioni
Mars and Lalibran; have walked
through the ruins at Postum and the
Colosseum by moonlight crossed Menai
Bridge and the Thames Tunnel, but new.
er while memory lasts will this scene
fade away.
Being something of wag, and deem
ing this too good to be lost, the next day
it was currently reported that Barnum
had engaged Mr.. Clay and Mr.. Webster
to accompany Miss Lind and himself as
far as Richmond, and assist her at hel
concert. For some days nothing but
Miss Lind's concert, and the report about
| Clay and Webster was talked of about
the capital.
A few days after this I was sitting il
the Congressional postofice, when &
member came in, with whom I had al
ways been on friendly terms, and to my
usual very cordial "Good morning." tn,
gentleman, with lips closely compressed
pale as his shirt, and clipping his word
very shortly, replied in sort of staccat,
style, !. Good morning, sir. Can 1 hav,
word with you in private ?" Heavel
defend me from challenge, thought ]
Still, never dreaming how 1 could hav
| incurred the gentleman's displeasure,
replied very politely, "With pleasure.
After leading me some distance through
the crooked passages of the Capitol, h
stopped short, and looking me full in tn
face, and seemingly as anxious for fgh
as bull terrier, he began:
II understand, sir, that most insult
ing report has been very extensively cir
culated in this city about two of the mos
distinguished men of my party, and
I have heard from more than one sourc
that you are the author. Ny object, si,
( is. to know whether you are the author
and if SO, whether you hold yourself re
sponsible." Being still in the dark, AM
utterly unable to comprehend the drif
Of his remark, l replied, {" Sir, do no
know what you are talking about; yo
will be pleased to speak som ewhat NOR
intellsgbly" "Well, sir" said he, hi
choleTTsing at my GOODNESS, =" [ hav
learned from the most unquestionabl
authority, that you have said that Ban
mum had engaged Mr.. Clay and Nj
i Webster to accompany and assist Jenn
4 Lind at her concerts in Richmond"
never was SO equally divided between a
inclination to laugh outright and to &c
i vexed; and hesitating moment whett
i er should abuse him for his stupidity
4 or laugh in his face. it occurred to m
i that if he could swallow SO much, hi
credulity was capacious enough to diges
much more. So COMPRISING my lip.
and trying to look as fierce as possible
4 [ said in the same staccato tone of voic
in which he had spoken, Eyes, sir, 1 al
responsible for that report. and l recko
i I've seen the contract My young OF
i ponent's jaw fell, and speaking in hi
usual natural drawl, he bowed politely
and evidently with feelings of great dis
4 appointment at not being able to get
fight. 81 beg your pardon, sir, was nc
aware that you had seen the contract.
/ do not know whether he ever tol
any one, or whether his friends let hir
into the secret of my disposition as
i wag, but certain it was, for some time
j whenever he saw me on the one side {
| Pennsylvania avenue, he always ha
some business on the other.