Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-08-20

possession of few tulips which would
have realized a princely fortune, were pale |
and speechless as they looked on the miser
able bulbs before them, useless 10 them
selves, and now unstable at any price.
Efforts were made to create the impression
that the panic was absurd and groundless,
but the whole thing had "gone up"
Some comparisons. not altogether COM
plimentary to the American character for
shrewdness and sagacity. have been made
between this absolute tulip iunacy and the |
mania for merino sheep which once turned |
the heads of so many of our most sedate |
countrymen. There is some ground, at
least, for the suggested analogy, but there
was in the latter case, with all its extrav-
gances, an element of common sense, which
certainly did not exhibit itself in the for
mer. 1t appears from the history of this
remarkable excitement, that it originated
in very natural business transaction, the
Importation, by a gentleman in Boston, of
some half dozen sheep from one of the
provinces of Spain, whose feeces were said
to be of the finest texture and such, un
doubtedly, was the fact, though the sheep
were so thoroughly imbedded in tar and
every other offensive substance, on their
arrival in America, that their superiority in
no sense was apparent, judged by the usual
standard. But even this repulsive exter-
nal condition of the animals seemed to i'm
bue them with mysterious value, and to
add to the interest with which they were
regarded. The plausible argument was
used, and with the desired popular effect,
that the introduction of such sheep would
enable American manufactures, thea in
their infancy, to produce broadcloths and
other wooden fabrics, of a texture that
would compete with the foreign made.
Mr.. Clay was one of those who we're con-
suited with reference to the sheep, and he
at once decided that they were exactly the
animals that were needeG-some of them
subsequently finding their way to Ashland.
The speculation was quite too profitable to
stop here. and, in about year there were
probably thousand merino sheep in the
| Union, and they had advanced to twelve
hundred dollars per head, indeed, they
soon went up to fifteen hundred dollars
apiece, and 6rst-rate buck would COM
mand two thousand dollars at sight or
course, the natural spirit of Yankee enter
prise and love of lucre, were equal to such
an emergency as this, and hundreds of
" merino sheep" soon accumulated in diff
ferent localities. In time, the speculation
had become so feverish in some parts of
the West, that the sum of eight thousand
dollars was paid for buck and eve. This
remarkable purchase, which was illustra-
tive of the enthusiasm that possessed some
mems minds at this period, was made BY
Mr.. Samuel Long, well-known builder
and who is said to have entered into a
similar operation under the following cir.
cumstances There resided, at this time,
in Lexington, KY, and but short dis
tance from MIR. Ciay's villa, a wealthy gen
tleman named Trotter, who had two sheer
J "a buck and ewe-and Long was very
. desirous to possess them. He repeatedly
bantered aud importuned Trotter, to obtair
, this pair of sheep from him, but withou
, success. One day, however, the latter sait
to the former If you will build m
such house, on certain lot of land, a
| shall describe. you shall have the me
rinos." Draw your plans for the build
ing" replied Long, instantly, land lei
, me see them [ will then decide" Th
plans were soon after submitted to him
J and Long eagerly accepted the proposal
7 and forthwith engaged in the undertaking
> He built for Trotter a four-story bric
r house about 50x70 #, on the middle of a
e acre of land; he finished it in the mos
. approved style, enclosed it with costl
}. fence and finally handed it over to Trotte
4 for the two merino sheep. The estimate
!. cost of the establishment was a
J., least fifteen thousand dollars. Bu
n a long while before this beautiful an
j. costly estate was fully completed, th
y price of merinos declined gradually, an
t six months had not passed away bt
: fore they would not command twenty do
v larl each. even in Kentucky. Man
). persons lost their all, but none treate
IS the goddess of evil fortune more ph,lt
+ sophically than Mr.. Long. He held o
!. to this pair until their price had reache
Il the par value only of any other sheep
J, and then he absolutely killed both buc
r and eve, made free barbecue, called a
= his friends to the feast, and, in the mid
of the festival, declared himself RUNE
man, all on account of his passion for M
ripoc