New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-16
Anecdote Of Mike Walsh.


Doubtless many of our older readers, who
kept track of politics, State politics, quar-
| ter of century or 40 ago. retain vivid re-
| membrance of Hon. Mike Walsh, of New
York. Honorable Mike was an Irishman OF
| the Charles O'Mxlley order; that is to say,
he was typical and irresistible son OF the
Emerald Isle. A brilliant, dashiDg fellow,
of boundless good nature, OF boundless
| spirits, OF boundless disrespect for the
minor conventiOualities Of boundless love
OF fun, he was immensely popular with his
! political friends, and almost equally so
| with his political foes. He was the wis, the
| humorist of the Capitol SO long as he served
| as legislator. and lost no opportunity of
| making things leave the familiar ruts and
| take lively turn.
One of the many stories that are told
concerning him was revived on Monday
| evening by one of party OF gentlemen
| who fingered in the Senate Library after
the nominations had been made. Senator
Selkrpg. in presenting the name OF his
candidate for the position OF authorship Of
the Chamber, read a letter addressed by
that gentleman to the members OF the
Senate. 1t was an exceedingly well written
letter, Astounding III patriotic thoughts
dressed in we'll cut and fitted language.
and it's effect was, in connection with Sena-
tor Selkregs Endorsement. to procure the
writer the nomination which he desired.
Apropos of this eloquent, weil-turned
letter, one OF the party said TO his com pan
ions Did you ever happen TO hear how
Mike Walsh conducted canvass for his
candidate for doorkeeper, once when he
was in the Assembly =
happened to hear about it, wEereupon the
questiOner proceeded:
"Once when poor Nike came TO the As
sembly to De SWORN in as a leg .slatOr. he
was me: a: the Delavan or at the Manson
House of those days, by colOred gentle
man of fine address. who requested his H.
f1uence in getting him appointed third as
sistant doorkeeper. The office seeker was
received with that nrbanity with which
Mike treated everybody, and after he had
exhibited sundry Endorsements, from several
prominent citizens, he produced, evidently
as his best card, q long and beautiful speci
men of chirography, which he informed his
listener was his own letter addressed to the
AsssIn bly, in behalf of his own nomination.
Mike took l.: hastily read a sentence or two,
and Their, lighting fresh cigar, to the de-
light Of the wouldbe doorkeeper.
proceeded 20 read the whole of
II. When lie got through he was
taken with a hearty tit of laughter, and
on coming out of il, to the joyful astOnish-
ment OF the other. he said Mr.. Bensen, leave
your canvass in my hands. I'll make it a
personal matter Mr.. Bensen wrung his
benefactors hand and departed. In the
evening at the caucus Mike presented no
name tor doorkeeper, or for first, second or
third assistant doorkeeper. Poor Bensen,
VINO from his place in the gentlemens gal
lery in the Assembly Chamber cav the
prize which he coveted, and the obtaining
of which for him Hon. Mr. Walsh, from
New York, had promised 10 make "a per
sonal matter, given to another, was sorely
angered and greved. Mike spied him, and
just as sc OF as the caucus was adjourned,
tu. before any OF the members had dis
persed. ne asked for order, and exclaimed
in loud voice: If Mr.. Bensen, who was
candidate for third assistant doorkeeper,
is in the building, he is wanted at the
clerk s desk. The caucus saw tina. some
thing good was up. and not man moved
from his place.
Presently the my.tifed Bensen appeared,
and in response 70 Mikes request took his
place a. the clerk desk. Mike rose and
with great show OF sOlemnity informed
the caucus that he had personal egplana-
ton to make TO them and to r late candi-
date for the third assistant Goorkeepership.
Then. turning to Bensen, he said something
to this effect: MT. Bensen, on the occasion
OF your coming to see me this morning, and
asking my humble influence TO secure you
the position on which you had focused,
informed you that / would make your can
didacy my personal matter. MIR. Bensen.
have done so. Believe me, sir, l havn't
met a Democrat since l parted with you
but / have taken him by the outtOn-hole
and said, with earnest voice and moist eye,
"Whatever you do tonight, don't vote tor
Beusen for third assistant aecrkeeper." To
a man, Bensen, they said they would 60
back on Bensen, and for the kindness thus
shown me bv my fellows. am, hope. duly
grateful. This is one of the proudest mo-
ments of my life, for l realize as l never
did before the sincerity and warmth Of my
political friends in their relations to mo.
By this time the defeated candidate, the
perspiration running down bis face. was SO
torn with his emotions that he didn't know
whether he was afoot or on horseback. He
probably realized only this one thing clearly,
that pubic lie had lost all its charm for
him. The caucus, too, was in a state OF
complete bewldcrment, eince nearly every
man composing it had, indeed, gone back
on Bensen at the earnest solicitation of
Walsh, while Walsh now admitted that he
had promised to make Bensens canvass his
personal matter" When Mike had got to
this point in his speech he requested one of
the boys on the floor to bring him a glass
of water. When it was brought he drank
it with great deliberatiOn, wiped his
mouth very slowly, and then, in
the midst of the most intense silence, took
from one Of his breast pockets Bensen's
letter and read it aloud. He had pleas
ing, sympathetic voice, and the letter, good
in itself, gained immensely in Mixes rem
dering of 1T. When he had concluded he
suddenly struck an attitude and vehem
emily exclaimed, with the letter held high
in air, IL tt II thee, Bensen, that when had
read that eloquent document three or four
times the conviction with which / became
possessed on first reading it deepened and
crystalized until it took shape in the resolve
that would not insult such an accomplished
scholar, such an eloquent and polished
writer, and such an earnest and effective
patriot by rendering him the comparatively
inconsequentiai recognition that attaches
No, Bensen, l could not do 1t, I-cOuld-not
dot. Justice to thee as peculiarly
gifted individual and to the policy of the
party whom we both so absorbingly love
alike forbid it.
The caucus Just howled, and even Bensen
himself joined in the bursts of laughter that
set the pendants of the big chandelier jung
ling. The next day the Senate proceeded to
elect officers. and Mike, when the office of
amid applause which the Speaker did not
try to check, moved to substitute for the
Democratic caucus nomination the name of
Mr.. Benson The caucus nominee, by
Mikes arrangement, was man of straw,
and his motion was carried by reclamation.
The performance was brought to tit ter
minatiOn by Mixes rushing from his seat to
the lobby, and profusely and with the ut
most ostentation congratulating the reas-
surred. the proud, the happy Bensen."-
Albany EUening Journal.
Buy your coffee, parohed and ground, at
the steam coffee mills, No. Camp street.