Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1870-08-30
From Sparks Memoirs of Fifty Years.
31aoa Sargent S. Prentiss. A

u -rt- fi+ ts. Va
When Prentiss and Wood were the Whig
candidates for : Congress In Mississippi, and
Claiborne and Gholson the Democratic candi-
dates. McNutt was the Democratic candidate
for Governor. The campaign was most ami
mated one, and Prentiss addressed the people
in very nearly every county in the State the
people, en- nl0sse focked to hear him, and his
name was in every mouth. The Democratic
nominees did not attempt to meet him ON the
stump. His march through the State was over
the heads Of the people-hundreds followed
him from county to county in his ovation
McNutt alone attempted to meet him and
speak with him, and he only once. McNutt
was Virginian, and was a man Of stupendous
abilities; he was a lawyer by. profession, and
was Governor OF the State. Next to Poindex-
ter, was the ablest man who ever filled the
chair. Unfortunately, like most of che young
and talented of that day in the West, he was
too much addicted to the intoxicating BOWL
Upon the only meeting of these, Prentiss and
McNutt, the latter, in his speech, urged as
reason for the rejection or defeat of the former
his dissipated habits, admitted his great abili-
ties, his mastery genius. pronounced him the
first man of the age intellectually, but deploped
his habits which were rendering him useless,
with all his genius, learning and eloquence. Z
Prentiss, in reply, said My fellow-citi-
morals, sagely, and had almost said, sobery
made by the gentleman, the Democratic nomi
nee for the chief executive Office Of this State.
Had said this, it would have been what the
lawyers term lnisnomer. 1t would be impos-
sible for him to do or say anything soberly, for
he has been drunk ten years; not yesterday,
or last week, in frolic, or socially, with the
good fellows, his friends, at the generous
board-but at home, and by himself and dem
John not upon the rich wines of the Rhine
or the Rhone, the Saone or the Quada!quiver ;
not with high-spirited or high-witted men,
whose souls, when meowed with glorious wine,
leap from their lips sublimated in words swollen
with wit, or thought brilliant and dazzling as
the blood Of the grape inspiring them-no ;
but by himself, selfish and apart from witty
men, ennobling spirits, IN the secret seclusion
OF dirty little back-room, and on corn-whis-
key-these only, communing In affectionatc
brotherhood, the son Of Virginia and the
spirits of old Kentucky Why, fellow-citizens,
as the Governor Of the State. he refused to
sign the gallon-law until he had tested, by ex-
pertinent that gallon would do him all day.
Now [ will admit, fellow citizens, that
sometimes, when in the enjoyment of social
communion with gentlemen, am made merry
with these, and the rich wines of glorious
France. 1t is then enjoy the romance of life.
Imagination, stimulated by the juice of the
grape, gave to the world the Song of Solomon,
and the Psalms Of that old poet Of the Lord
glorious old David.
1.-The immortal verse of wandering Homer,
the blind son of Scio's isle, was the inspiration
of Samian wine, and good old Noah, too, would
have sung some good merry song, from the In
spiration of the juice Of the wine he planted
but having to wait SO long, his thirst, like the
Democratic nominees here, became so great,
that he was tempted to drink too deeply, and
got too drunk to sing; and this, I fancy is the
true reason why this distinguished gentleman
never sings. 4
Perhaps there is. no music in his soul. =
The glug--glug-glug of his jug, as he tilts
and pours from It's reluctant mouth the corn
juice so loved of his soul, is all the music dear
to his ear, unless it be the same glug-glug-
glug as it disappears down his capacious throat.
Now, fellowcitizens, during this ardent cam
paign which has been so fatiguing, / have only
been drunk once Over in Simpson county
was compelled to sleep in the same bed with
this distinguished nominee-this delight of the
| Democracy-this wonderful exponent of the
| principles and practices of the unwashed De-
mocracy-and in the morning | found myself
drunk on corn whiskey. / had lain too close tc
this soaked mass of Democracy, and was drunk
from absorption
''This was more than the Governor coulc
stand, and, amidst the shouts and laughter O.
the assembled multitude, he left the stand, anC
declined to meet again, before the people, tht
young Ajax lebanon Of the Whig party"