Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-11-12

Odi ooCiCty, 1HIctHdUlOIdi LAtulCdi
Congress; Old Volunteer Fire De-
partment of Philadelphia.
SOLEMN ENTHUSIASM.
How One OF Tom Corwin's Speeches
was Received in the Western
Reserve.
Cincinnati Enquirer
1t was one of Corwin's campaign
years, way back in the fifties, or may
be the forties, and he had been max
ing the circuit of the State in behalf
of the Wing ticket He had gone
through the Southern and Middle
counties, and had been assigned to
the Reserve to wake up the Yankees,
as he said, and so had lighted down
at gainesville. The meeting WIS
morning one, after the old fashion,
and the farmers from all around the
country had come in to hear "the
great Mr.. Corwine," as they called
him, make speech When the Or
ganization had been effected and the
speaker introduced, he felt that he
must do something worthy of his rep
utation as "the great Mr.. Corwine.''
He laid down his stock of facts and
figures III systematic order, building
from them an argument that he
thought irresistible, working at it pa
tiently until he thought the structure
complete; but upon looking into the
faces of his auditors he was unable to
catch a single responsive look
There they sat, bolt upright before
him, .dignlfied and quiet-so silent
indeed, that Tom could hear the tick
ing of the old clock at the far end of
the room. There was not ripple of
applause, though, nor smile, nor
clap of hand. 4. i D
Th6 discouraged Corwin little
but he thought he could wake them
up with some Of his eratory. So he
sailed in with some OF his impassion-
ed flights of rhetoric, and no orator
that America has produced had a
more glowing fancy or could utter
more eloquent things than he. Still
there was no response. There his
audience still sat, upright, unmoved
as so many gate posts. Then he con-
cluded he would try the virtue of his
funny stories and told string Of
them as only Tom Corwin can tell
story. Selecting particularly dig
niied old fellow in front of him, he
directed his budget of side-splitting
yarns at HIM, but neither smile
broke from his lips or those of any
one present. Then he went to max
ing faces at them, the funniest faces
that ever man made. Still not a
smile, not a hint even that any one
enjoyed the performance. There they
sat before him, giving that dignifed
attention which they thought the oc-
casion required; but no one opened
his mouth or moved hand or foot in
the way of response. Finally Mr..
Corwin sat down disgusted.
Then tall, lank, cadaverous indi-
vidual, sitting off in one corner of the
room, slowly rose to his feet, and,
clearing his throat very leisurely,
said: "Mr. Chairman, in view of the
fact that we have had the great Mr..
Corwine here with us to-day, greatly
to our edifcation, l therefore move
you, sir, that we now proceed to give
Mr.. Corwine three cheers" SO say
ing, he sat down.
Then another lank, cadaverous in
dividual, on the other side of the
room, rose to his feet slowly as the
other, and said: "Mr. Chairman, l
second the motion" And he sat
down.
Then the Chairman with due So
lemnity assumed perpendicular to
put the question.
"Fellow citizens" said he, sit has
been moved and duly seconded that
this town meeting proceed to give
three cheers to the Honorable Mr..
Corwine for the able and mastery
1dress he has delivered in our pres
ence to-day: All who are in favor of
that motion will signify the same by
, saying aye" A dozen or more voted
in the affirmative. 'Those of a con-
trary mind will say no. There We're
none. "The motion is adopted."-
Then he sat down and silence again
relgned.
Presently a little, dried-up, weazen-
faced man in the back part of the
hall got up, and in cracked voice
called out, ''Mr. Chairman, hooray for
Mr.. Corwine!" And he took his
seat.
And then the dignified party in the
middle of the audience, at whom the
jokes had been directed, rose in his
seat, cleared out his throat, and in
dignified tones said: "Mr. Chairman.
hooray for the great Mr.. Corwine,"
and he sat down.
Finally, an old, gray-haired veteran
who sat up in the amen corner, got
on his legs, and, leaning on his cane,
called out in the querulous voice of
age: "Mr. Chairman, hooray for Mr..
Corwiner
The three cheers having been thus
given for the speaker, the meeting
adjourned with due solemnity, and
Corwin went to his room at the hotel
vowlng that he'd never make another
speech in the Reserve. And he did
not. "Still," SAID he, 81 never blam-
ed them much. That was their way
of showing enthusiasm. They had
never had any missionaries among
them
Several States are erecting their
own buildings on the Centennial
grounds at Philadelphia. Ohio is
the last one named as putting up a
fine building there. Similar build
ings- will be put up by Massachusetts,,