, 1876-06-11
BEFORE HE WAS "A BIGER MAN"

former, and was likewise indicted for steal
ing bed-quilts, in that famous letter to his
friend in Texas, which has gone into his.
tory, wrote these sad words, evidently under
presentiment Of rapidly approaching
Nemesis: 'tLet man be prosperous and
every man is his friend" The reverse OF
the proposition, to which he was looking
forward even when he was inter pocu1a on
his fro1icks with the members and Sem
ators, is already beginning to be apparent.
With the salient points of FrrzHuGH's briet
career as Doorkeeper the public is already
familiar. His own letter to his friend in
Texas has graphically portrayed the features
of his carnival in q series of unriya1ed pen
pictures He told us how he took tea with
the KERBs, and how Coz "warmed" towards
him and embraced him; how he "frolicked"
with the members; how he astonished the
natives in Washington with that +spanking
turnout; how the members "pulled and
jurked" him about to get favcrs
out of him; how the boy took his hat
and coat; how FAT was enjoying himself !;
and, to sum it all up, how he was "a bigger
man than old GRANT" The public know all
this, but it does not know anything of F1rz-
HUGH before he was Z" q bigger man than old
GRANT" Fortunately the friend in Texas to
whom he wrote the famous letter has come
out in statement which let's in u food Of
light upon his career before the Democratic
members set him up as reformer. In the
language Of the Rings, the friend in Texas
has 'tsquea1ed and "giyen him away"
JOHN ". MADDOX is the friend in Texas, and
in letter to the Sherman (Texas) Register
he explains why he made the precious letter
public and thereby enriched the epistolary
literature of the country. He says:
First, wished to rid the country Of shameful
di.grnce; second, the public bilious, and, be-
ing Of philanthropic turn Of mind, I desired to
give them an effective tonic. I condded in F1Tz-
uuau when nearly every man in Austin WIS de-
nnuneing him. He abused my confidence, and
proved himself to be base counterfeit OF humnni-
t.. The records OF the Federal Court at Austin
determined me- and resolved that he should not
disgrace our State, the Democratic party, and the
nation any longer. In the case Of AorEuEAp,
YOUNG i Co., OF st. Louis, Vs. L. H, F1TzuuGu,
he is shown by his own testimony, by documents
signed by himself, and other evidence, either TO
hive perjured himself wilfully lied and obtain-
ed goods under false representations
Not content with calling him s*a shameful
disgrace" II" q base counterfeit OF humanity"
perjurer, q liar, and an obtainer Of goods
under false pretenses, the friend in Texas
goes still further into details. II his English
is not as picturesque, bizarre, aud highly
colored as F1rzHuou's, it is at least concise
and terse, and has the merit Of being easily
understood. He tells US without unneces-
sary circumlocution how F11zHUaH came to
go to Washington. One evening, FrrzHuoH,
who had been fishing out drift-wood and
railroad-ties from the Colorado boom, came
to MADDo1's house, wet as to body and
respondent as to mind. He was in fine
vein Of melancholy, resembling the tender
regret for day that is dead, and possessed
OF feeling akin to sorrow, as the mist se-
sembles the rain. He sat down at MADDo1's
hospitable board, and while munching his
pone and bacon incidentally made the re-
mark that if be could get to Washington he
mightb better his circumstances. Only heprice
Of a railroad-ticket stood between F1rzHuGH
and that elevation which would make
him ia bigger man than old GRAar" He
intimated to MADDOX that the price Of the
railroad ticket would place him in position
where he would be of service to him. MAD
Dox didn't want any position, not being re-
former. Perhaps he suspected that F1rz-
HuoH's proffer was to be taken in jocular
sense, like B1ADEs proder to MU111oAx, but
be had 8 friend, CLANCY, who was desirous
Of being reformer, aud if F1rzHUaH would
promise CLANCY place he should have the
besides small loan of $3.50
for expenses incidental to the Inauguration of
Democratic reforms. F11zHuGH promised,
and got his accommodation. By this time
the Democratic patriots were assembling in
Washington and were looking about among
the 5000 reformers who wanted to be Door
keeper. There was, therefore, no time to be
lost. As CncnNArus left his plow in the
ield to hurry to Rome, 80 FrTzHuoH left
bis lumber boom on the Colorado and
sped to Washington j, The patriots
him They pulled and jurted
him about" They frohcked With him. Kxaa