The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-05-07
BARBOUR AND EWING.
Two "Reminiscences Of Veteran Poll
ticians.

As a specimen brick of what consti-
tutes the most local article of local
politics, we give below a speech deliv-
cred long ago by Governor Barbour, of
Virginia. BY way of introduction we
would say that after filling the measure
Of statesmans ambition, and having
been honored with the very highest Of
fees in the gift Of the people, and after
having retired to private life, he per-
mitted himself to be prevailed on 10y
several good-natured old fogies TO come
out for a county office. No sooner had
he put himself before the people than
one Naples, an illiterate blackguard,
came out against him In accordance
with the strict rules of conducting
political campaign in those days, Gov
ernOr Barbour had TO take the stump
with Maples But Naples could always
beat him in abusive harangues. The
final speech of the campaign made by
Naples was abusive beyond all prece-
dent. The followinging is Barbours
reply, which we think is the most com
plete thing in its way that we ever read
Said the Governor:
"FELLow-CITIzENs When | was a
young man, now nearly forty years ago,
your grandfathers sent me as their rep
resentative for four terms to the House
of Delegates, and ! was chosen Speaker
of that body. At subsequent period !
was twice elected Governor of Virginia
Afterwards and for ten years | repre-
sented this renowned Commonwealth in
the Senate of the United States, where
| was the confdant and perhaps ! may
say the peer of Macon, King, Gaillard
Pinckney and Van Buren. Mr.. John
Quincy Adams subsequently conferred
upon me a place in his Cabinet, and
for three wears shared his counsels in
conjunction with Clay, Writ and Nc
Lean. | was then appointed envoy eX-
traordinary and minister plenipOtentiary
to the court of st. James, where it be-
came my duty to conduct negotiations
with the conquerOr Napoleon. Judge
then, fellow-citizens, of the inefiabIe dis
gust ! feel, after such career, and in
my declining years, at finding myself
here to-day, engaged in low, pitiful
county contest with such n - dlsa-
greeable little cuss as Bill Naples
1t is related Of the venerable Thomas
Ewing, of Ohio, that after having served
his country with such distinction, and
retired to his comfortable mansion in the
valley of the Hook k-HOcking. q number
of waggish Young men thought it n good
Joke to elect him road supervisor the
smallest Office known in the State OF
course. no one had an idea that he would
pay any attention to it, But they were
disappointed. Hewent before the town
ship board, took the usual oath of Office
and gave the required bond. When
road working time came round, he
went over his district and gave all his
able bodied constituents legal notice in
writing to appear at such and such
place, some with hoes, some with shov-
els and pick-axes, and others with plows
and teams.
Prompt to the minute Mr.. Ewing set
his men to work and he kept them at it
without ceasing, throughout the hot
summer day, himself in his shirt
sleeves, experimenting the work. Ifa
man dropped out of line to take rest
the ex-secretary "docked' him so many
minutes, every one of which had to be
made up in good, solid work. 1t is
said that more work was done in two
davs under "Old Salt Boiler, than had
ever been done in week in that dis
trict under any other supervisor. His
enthusiastic constituents never reelected
hin,