The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-04-15
Daniel Webster and Jenny Lind.


Jenny Lind gave a concert at Washington
during the session of Congress- and, as mark
of respect and with view to the eclat, sent po-
lite Invitations to President Fillmore, the mem
bers of the cabinet, Clay and many other dis
tinguished members of both Houses of Congress
It happened that on that day several members
of the cabinet and Senate were dining with
Bodisco, the Russian minister His good din
ner and choice wines had kept the party so late
that the concert was nearly over when Webster,
Clay, Crittenden and others came in, whether
from the hurry in which they came, or from
the heat of the room, their faces were little
flushed, and they all looked somewhat Hurried.
After the applause with which these gentle
men had been received had subsided, and 81
lence was once more restored, the second part
of the concert was opened by Jenny Lind with
"Hail Columbia"
This took place during the height of debate
and excitement of the slavery question, and the
compromise resolutions of Clay, and this pa
triot air, as part of the programme, was con-
sidered peculiarly appropriate at concert
where the head Of the government and large
number of both branches of the legislative de-
partment were present. At the close OF the
first verse Webster's patriotism boiled over; he
could stand it no longer and raising like Olym-
|
the chorus and venture to say that never in
the whole course of her career did she ever re-
ceive one-half of the applause as that with
which her song and Webster's chorus were
greeted
Mrs. Webster who sat Immediately behind
him, kept tugging at his coat-tail to make him
sit down or stop singing, but it was of no earth
ly use-and at the close of each verse MIR.
Webster oned in, and it was hard to say
whether Jenny Lind, Webster, or the audience
were the most delighted. I have seen Rubini,
Lablache and the two Crisis on the stage at
one time, but such happy conjunction in the
national air of "Hail Columbia" as Jenny
Linds soprano and Daniel Webstcr's bass we
shall never see nor hear again.
AT the close of the air Webster rose with his
hat in his hand and made her such bow as
Chesterfield would have deemed q fortune for
his son, and which eclipsed D'Orsay's best.
Jenny Lind, blushing at the distinguished hon
or, courtesied to the floor; the audience ap-
pauded to the very echo; Webster, determined
not to be outdone in poiteness, bowed again ;
Miss Lind re-courtesied; the house again re-
applauded; and this was repeated nine times,
or 'Im villain else."
Being something of wag, and deeming this
too good to be lost, the next day it was current
| ly reported that Barnum had engaged Clay and
Webster to accompany Miss Lind and himself
as far as Richmond and assist her at her con-
cert For some days nothing but Miss Lind's
concert and the report about Clay and Webster
was talked of at the capital.
A few days after this was sitting in the
Congressional postotice, when member came
| in, with whom had always been on friendly
terms, and to my usual very cordial "Good
morning" the gentleman with his lips com
pressed, pale as his shirt, and clipping his
words very shortly, replied in sort OF staccato
style, "Good morning sir. Can have word
with you in private?" Heaven defend me from
challenge, thought |. Still never dreaming
how l could have incurred the gentleman's dis
ure" After leading me some distance through
the crooked passages of the capitol, he stopped
short and looking me full in the face, and
seeming as anxious for a fight as bull terrier,
he began:
81 understand, sir, that most insulting re-
port has been very extensively circulated in
this city about two of the most distinguished
men of my party, and l have heard from more
than one source that you we're the author. My
object, sir, is to know whether you hold yourself
responsible" Being still in the dark and ut
terly unable to comprehend the drift of his re-
mark, replied "Sir, do net know what you
are talking about; you will be pleased to speak
somewhat more intelligbly." "Well, sir" said
he, his cholor rising at my coolness, Il have
learned from most unquestlonable authority
that yon have said that Barnum bad engaged
Clay and Webster to accompany and assist
Jenny Lind at her concerts in Richmond" l
never was so divided between an inclination to
laugh outright and to get vexed and hestating
moment whether should abuse him for his
stupidity or laugh in his face it occurred TO me
that if he could swallow 80 much, his credulity
was capacious enough to digest much more.
So, COMPRISING my lips and trying to look as
fierce as possible said in the staccato tone of
voice in which he had spoken, "Yes sir, I am
responsible for that report, and reckon Pve
seen the contract" My young opponents jaw
fell, and, speaking in his usual natural drawl,
bowed politely, and evidently with feelings of
great disappointment at not being able to get
up a fight; ~ beg your pardon, sir, was not
aware that you had seen the contract"
do not know whether he ever told any one,
or whether his friends let him into the secret
of my disposition as a wag, but certain it was,
for some time, whenever he saw me on one side
of Pennsylvania avenue, he always had some
business on the other.
I told the Joke to Webster at his own house,
before the nomination of the Wing party was
made, and ventured to suggest to him that
when he was elected president he ought to con-
fer some office on the man who was willing to
fight for him and the honor of his party. He
assured me that, if elected the claims of the
gentleman should not be forgotten.
|
PAUpERIsM IN THE SOUTH.-The New
Orleans Picaytne is publishing series Of ar
ticles in the hope of doing something to lead
the planting class out of what it calls the pres
ent slough of despond. During the past three
years, the editor reminds them, the Southern
States have produced large crops of cotton, and
sold them at geod prices. Putting theincoming
crop at only 3,650,O00 bales, and the total
production the last three seasons reached the
enormous aggregate of l1,75O,0OO bales, worth
about S725 0OO.' The average crop for the
IL, Q0Q hnlo