, 1873-07-15
WASHINGTON.
Old Racing Days "A Cock
Fighting Capitolian.
Mr.. Jesse Grant---Hts Example and
Lesson.
From Our Qion Coyresnondtnt.

From Our Oicn Co,resnotdtnL
WAsn1HoTov, Juty 0, 1879. !
At this ora OF horso-racng, when almost ov7
CRY watoring-paco In tho Eaat hns is co'trso, aud
tllero nro two mootibgs at oaoh yonr, to corr
respond with tho ehmo entertainments I'm all the
Central md Woatorn citos, vo arc happy to
think that oursolyos hnvo made tho turf what 1t
III. BuL mono Of thu running nowadays will at:
traot tho vast national interest which attended,
the great raco botweon
sin CHARLES AND Eo11rsE,
on tho Washington track, long aftor the concl'l.
sion Of tho second war with England.
At that time, our horsemon In Virginia. Mary
lind, Kentucky, and tho Gulf stateB, Ind brought
into tho country go many excollont specimens OF
tho English, tho Arabian, and other hunters and
runners, that tile South, airoady sootiona'izodt
took little heed Of tho growth of the running
horaoe in tho Northern states
Tho great track at Washington City was choaen
for tho Bent of tho main encounter. 1t was
track laid out on tho high nata bao OF Wash-
ington, by mon like John Tayloo, Of bit. Airy,
and other great border-sportsmon, who had inl-
monso tracts Of land and great herds OF negroes,
and lived In tho plentiful period Of slave-broed-
ing.
The aequol Of that race ia we'll known: how
tho Virginia horse camo on tho track lame and
1t WAS "a walk around" for Eclipse; got on tho
result hundreds Of negrooB and thousands OF
ncres and rovenues, showing recklcas condi-
tion Of public morality, we're changed.
THE BLOOD AND HUM Ur.
30 far from breaking tho spirit Of tho South,
and recommending tt to 60 some good acnHe on
auoh questions, the angry southernera insisted
on the track that they would produce horse,
and na1ne him at "the pole, to beat Eclipse, or
any horse In the North, tho succeeding year.
At the proper timo, they appeared On Long
Island with numbor Of horaos, and finally put
up Sir Horny against Elipso, Who ran with
aeptentrional reliability and tho consequence
was, that overy Bouthernor who had bet on his
fee!ings instead Of his Judgment Was cleaned ont
turf honooforward declined, e1copt In Kentucky.
Some timo ago .mado inquiry At Washington
about tho spot whore tho first Of theBo two Colo
worry beautiful sylvan village, called Mt ploas-
ant, often dcnominated srGlerksyille," whore,
on perfect plain thero wore sonio romRfnH Of
q rnctng-coursc. Looking further into tho mat
ter, found an abandoned hotel, which had boon
iaos, and It still showed vc5tigos OF
It's former character. This was nothing
more, at proaent, than great, eurrnptitiou1
cockpit kept by all old man who had scen NIL
tho celebrated racca Of tho past. and who still
llars aro whto aud hia tooth Bnhgglel. putting
up fighting birds against those Of othera
'coCH-r1aurEns.
One 1ay, foolng boldor than ae wont, drove
my horse right through tho gate Of this old
vestigo Of tho race-track, md, addressing my
aclf to two young men, asked to havo talk with
their fnther, whom know to bo authority on
sporting matters III tho District Of Columbia.
;" We can toll you all you want to know" said
Whilo this mnttcr. was boing discussed, how
ever, the old ruan himaolf came forward; md,
go far from boing childish, he aeon.od to DO
s Sssr my ~ Of 'li lis w .oS Il Sas
been bronght upfto follow out tho old mans
course Of. Trading; and hn soon aftorward took
mo into hen-coop. double-lockod, na II within
wcro some birds Of Paradise, and thore, for the
frat timc, I made the acquaintance Of
THE BRITISH oAME-coCK:
bron7o-fAatho1uu bird, looking like a two
legged race-horse, with gamo, Bauoiness, and no
sonso OF apprehension or Affection expressed in
early age, out or at the comb and taught to wear
Rtool spurs. could woli imagine tllat this fol-
low was an hereditary galiator, used to killing
ordinary barn-door cocks with a stroke, and
as. to kill cats and rats, and to be knocked
to fight another cock constantly.
I do not know that I have over met,
in human or savage lfe such crcature
tho avcrago chiekena TINT I found within ono
mile Of Washington. Tho old man told mo TINT
como prodispoaition for coek-flghting remained
over from tho Abolition period !; and he sad
that n prominent 1ntarnal-nevenuo official was
in the hnbit OF coming out to tElo promises to
800 little bloody. spat botween aoino Of these
game fowls.
The old man showed mo the atoel CUFFS, which,
like the pen, looked migh:ier than tho sword,
and IS keen :ae . miniature sabre Or parable:
sword, ,-uicely attached to loatlser-casings, and
hardly heavier OH the cocks foot than. tho
natural horn or nail which belonged
.boro. Some o.. these gatfa had .ree7
porhaps from tlo time When washington, t,
himself fought these chickens With tho Loes,
Fairfa1eB. and other Christian statesmen whilst
other gaffs had boon freshly mado at the ahop Of
=; Washington mechanic, who indulged ths bo-
aud "Abolitioniats u, would be- dono and
square up-and-down fight will, hnir.tnggors
or gaffs. or racing-platos, would bc recognized
as the spocialtios Of Republican chiyalry.
Snid to the old gontleMnn, - Can YOU show
mo whore the track used to bo whore
ran, b.ok in % tie tirtioa tics " % "YoaS .ai tho old
gentleman, walking me out to tho odgo OF fiue
1lell OF wheat, hcre it camo, right BY this spot,
church. and yan clustor Of cottagos Of Yankco
clerks md. instead Of Booing it aH you SOC it
now, built oyor by SIGH pooplo, It WAS once tho
greatoet track i'll tue world, until the ganlblers
got to running it. They taod to got up thoir
boxes. until tho gentlemen got tIrod Of coming to
tito place. Finally tho wholo courso was aold
Oh, aud havo got iloro about 60 aoreE that an,
ready to accommodate any Yankee With, il ho