Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1868-10-09
BLAIR In BEDFORDl
The Grandest FlzEle Of the campaign!
only 500 persons to hear and see the
Elephant


The good people of this quiet town we're
astonished, week or ten days previous to
last Thursday evening, on reading a flaming
poster, distributed broadcast over this COM
muuiiy, announcing that General Francis P.
Blair, jr.. the Democratic candidate for Vice
President, would address the citizens of Bed
ford county, on Thursday evening, the 1st inst.
Here was rich treat in prospective. Here
would be splendid opportunity for the Demo
cratic masses to pay their respects to the man
upon whom they are endeayoring to confer
national honors Here, for the first time in
the history Of the place, a candidate for the
Presidency or Vice Presidency of any party,
was heralded to speak to the people of Bed
ford county during the canvass preceding the
election at which he expected to have the
honors conferred It was supposed that the
men OF all parties, Of al races, colors and
conditions would turn out to hear, and at
least to see, the standard bearer of great
political party in the heat of the canvass, es-
peeially as ii was the FIRST time that the place
was to be honored with such visit Weu,-
and We are loath to tell 1.-THE day came, ave.
the very hour. The side walks we're not
througed with people, nor we're the bar-rooms
filed with the usual number Of bloated visa
ges, so characteristic of a Democratic mset
ing. nor we're there great delegations on all
the roads awaiting the signal from some dash
ing cavalier to enter the town, nor were there
many lasses ready to strew the pathway OF
the great General with flowers, nothing but
few empty carriages, a few wagons, into
which every passer by was blandly invited to
be seated, free of charge, and await the de-
H0usmeRt Hours were spent in thus en-
deavoring to secure loads for the vehicles
that we're chartered. At last the ponderous
delegation got underway and headed for the
Sqriugs where the great man was to be met
and escorted into town. friend at our
elbow carefully checked off vehicle after We
hicle as it rolled by and when the last boy
who ''blushed Ike a rose' careered past he
gravely announced SEVENTEEN men and boys,
all told
This gorgeous procession met the brace Of
Generals, Blair and McKaig, at the Springs,
and after the interchange of courtesies, con-
sisting of compliments and whiskey, the
grand escort, slowly and solemnly, wended
its way back to Bedford, around the town,
back to the Mengel House, where in the
presence Of the assembled multitude of less
than one hundred men, boys and women, af.
ter the elevation OF the Vice Presidential as
pirant on bench, or platform, which requir-
cd considerable braeiug of the knees, and the
manifestation Of much weakness in that quar-
ter, 0. <. shannon, Esq, gave three weigh
ty reasons for the reception of the distin-
guished gentleman aforesaid, 1st, because he
was Francis P Blair, %, because he was
General Francis P. Blair, and 3rd, because
he vas General Francis P Blair, junior To
all Of which the General smiliugly replied,
developing the fact that there was slight
hesitation in his speech, owing, perhaps, to
his being tongue.tied, or embarrassed, or,
what was more likely, wearied. Some
naughty people were wicked enough to at
tribute it to the overflow of spirits, which
went alternately up aud thea down; this
could not have been the case however as the
demijOhn reported to have been found iu the
Generals barouche, was empty, and, there
fore, useless.
Evening came, and with it came darkness,
but not the Democratic masses! The streets
were as silent as when Sabbath invites to the
House Of Prayer. Long visages could be
seen now and then thrust out of offices and
side doors; yet no relief came. Curses both
loud and deep weat at the head Of the man
who had tossed and won the Democratic ele.
phant. But, there was 10 going back on the
show, the bills were out, the tickets sold and
the boys were demanding admittauce The
score OF two who had come in single handed
from the country, were cursed until forbear
aEce ceased to be virtue for not bringing
more. But the curtain had to lift and the
performance had to commence,
The Court room, capable when packed to its
utmost capacity of holding five hundred per-
sons or less, was absolutely filed, as 1t has
been wont to be on all occasions of exhibition
of hocus- -pocus, Iedgerdemain, or monkey
show for years, with men, women and chill.
dreu. The great General Blair then pom
melled the Radicalsto his heart content. It
was the same Old speech which My brother,
Montgomery" made here two years ago, re-
Yised. Old Blair, you know, puts them to-
gether and Frank and Montgomery spout
them. It dfdut take very well among the
uIJrss but they gulped 1t down and thanked
the gjyer. The meeting fizzled out with
speech nom Ackaig or some other pop-gun,
and the poor fellows who mad to endure all
the agony and pay for the whiskey went to
bed and dreamed of glories departed.
The next morning the sore heads" were
II the majority, and with visages red and
fun Of bushes, to The number Of four or
five, without cheer or funeral kneIl,'
the General was escorted out OF town, and
with sufficient wood and water" to last
until the next station, sent on his way, not
rejoicing, but full OF it
Thus ended the farce and fzzIe
PREVALENCE OF A FEAREuL DISEASE IL OUR
MiDsr.-Dickeus says:
The FIRST external revelation of the dry
rot in men Is tendency 10 lurk aud lounge;
TO be at street corners without Ineligible |
reason; to be going anywhere when met; to I
be about many places rather than any; to do /
nothing tangible but to have an intention Of
performing number of tangible duties to-
morrow or the day after
Dry rot has long prevailed in Bedford.
Her famous Mineral waters are of no avail
when its deadly virus has once been implant
ed in the human system. There seems to be
no remedy that viii either relieve or cure this !
dire malady. The man once attacked BY it is
lost Like the DeviI-fsh Of Victor
Hugo. with It's thousand attennae il envirous |