The Portland daily press., 1868-01-29
Ii eainisecnoes OLA Democratic Congress
mQu,

The following extract from Washington
letter. giving on account of an eminent pugl-
ist who represents Democratic constituency
in Congress, is calculated to inspire every
American heart with emotions OF national
pride and of gratitude to the sixth ward OF
New York city:
The Hon. John Morrissey has won golden
opinions since his accession 10 the house,
from the ouietness and unobtrusiveness OF his
deportmeut and the afability OF his dlsposi-
ton He is said to be one OF the most genial
of men in his intercourse WIN MS ielloW-
members is not at all proud, and will associ-
ate even with Ashley on tennis of equality.
tbonGh his private opinion of the Toledo
memher is not good He said on a recent oc-
casion. in confidential way that, he did
not see how man with Ashley's record of
early life could have the impudence to sit in
Congress; and there are few who will ques-
ton the wisdom of that remark or doubt its
pertineDce. One of the best intellectual and
moral treats a man can enjoy in Washington
is to get the Hon. Mr.. Morrissey to turn on
the stop-cock of unrestrained converse, and
tell the secrets of his inmost heart. He will
do 1t on very slight provocaton, and keep you
chained to his interesting discourse for hours
at a time He delights to tell of his feats of
proves in the ring, especially his memorable
match with Heenan. l heard him tell that
forget how he shouldered his fists and
| showed the manner in which fights were won
| "Golly, how did tremble when was coming
| to the scratch that time. Heenan was too big
for me- and that morning I'd have liven a
| good deal to get out of the scrape. Still 1
made up my mind that as had put all my
money-every id cent had Ii think he said
| S1,7O0l into the thing, l was going in, ard
then, thought I, I'll be id if didn't whip
| him too. When looked at Heenan, stripped
| for the fight, thought I'd be whipped sure
| than again I rnada m mind tn make him
work for it. eyed him all over as he sat in his
| corner. Good God, says to myself, l can't do
nothing with that fellow; but then, again,
thought l must. Well, we came up to the
plug me. ! tell you what it is, gentlemen, I
don't want to brag of my own pluck, for it
| would be no use now that l am out of the
ring, but if hadn't been pretty good game,
I'd have caved in on that first round. After a
| long tussel we fell, and was nightly glad of
it. 1t was while we were down this time that
made up my mind was going to whip him.
Heenan tried to choke me while we were
on the ground. He got his hand on my throat
this way lsuiting the action to the word }.
When felt him do that, thinks l to myself,
sonny, I've got you now.' thought that a
man who'd do that was a coward, and from
that time to the end of the fight / felt sure of
whipping him, and would have whipped him,
just as did, if the fight had lasted just twice
as long as it did. If Heenan had pluck equal
to his strength all hell couldn't whip him
but he hain't, and it's no work at it's no work
at all to whip him, If you can only stand up
under him for the first few minutes" Yon
wounld't think to hear Hon. John in reminis-
cences of the ring, that he considered his pres
emit position in the light Of promotion or ad-
vancement. On the contrary, he thinks the
neblest work of God first class boxer, and
doubtless views it in the light of dis
honor to the ring that one of its brightest or
naments and stoutest champions should have
degenerated into Congressman.