, 1877-10-21
POPULAR WHIMS.
How a Soup-Bone Article Nearly
Defeated a Candidate.
Tom Corwin as the Man Who Wore
Night.Shirt-Broiling His
Steak.

stance OF stfOug anu cncctlre, tnOuEu Unjust
and unreasonable, political fight being made
against candidate on a ridiculous and trivial
occasion occurred III this county during the
campaign Just closed. Mr. John c. Covert, OF
the Cleveland Leader, was the FIRST candidate
nominated BY the Republicans On their legisla-
tive ticket. and it was generally thought that he
would make strong run, and so he would had
1t not been for little piece Of cheap dcma-
gosy pEacticed By his political foes. It
seems that On or about the Goth Of June, 1878,
Mr.. Covert wrote and published in the Leadtr
an article On "Chcap Liying.'' This arti-
cle contained sou1e very wholesome
advice to working and poor people
IN regard to the matter OF curtailing
their expenses OF living. saying that the hard
times made it necessary for all classes of pcopls
to economize. lie remarked upon the very low
condition Of the people OF the Old World, and,
while renarking that it was not necessary OF
desirable that the working classes OF this cour-
try should be reduced to the same condition,
still that there was something Of . lesson to be
derived from the manner of their subsistence
TIE article in question closed with
THE FOLLOWING RECIPE
and remarks upon it:
Il gentleman who has bua'ed himself considers
living states that few days ago he purchased ma
ter1al and matte SOUP for nnc persons at TN expense
OF cenls cents for peas, cent for one bcttnuda
onlon, ditto for two heads asparagus and dozen
lvuves Of xpinacil. cen. for !, su,ali bone which
the butcher would have thrown away The whole
WAS boiled for half un hour and then SO thoroughly
in The broth. and It made dish which any ons
would have relished, and which can be compassed
by the most s!enaer pnrse. Such dish with lhs
addition OF breud, might almost constitute {
II
i much better than the. poorer classes
enjoy in Europe, Then gtea. econom1
stcak costs III aud Is cents per pound, while boil
ing meat from the same beef can be Ind at fEou
ito cents, 4 shank with five pounds Of mea
away bri.kcts, TANKS, shanks, ETC., covered wits
good meat, and fur his loss In these he Is com
pef!ed to demand an extra price for steaks, 4
butcher, knowing his difficulty TO sell aught e1-
cept the best meat only buys the hind quarter. fol
which DC pays Q, o5s+ und 70 cents pr pound.
tions OF the animal for boiling NEAR. he would pay
but and = cents for the whole, and sci! cor
respondingiy cheaper
One Of the printers in the Leadtr establish
ment, who had left on account Of some dissat-
istaction whicl, he had given IT, his employers
went before Justice of the Peace and Hladt
oath that Mr.. Covert write the article in qucs
ton and then tue opposition opened It's tire
Not another issue Was made against him. NJ
ply the soup-bone candidate; he was opposed t<
the working classes; and would bring then
down to the level Of the paupcrs OF Europe Inc
earnestness with which the tight was carried "
WAS truly humorous. Cartoons were engraved
representing the unfortunate editor engaged iH
peddling his soup to starving WurkinSmen. lit
was portrayed rs II poor, blinu beggar asking io1
votes and Offering to reward the voters with soup
which be was ladllug from kettle near BY.
And, 1T length, when none OF these plant
81 frN
was finally cartooised as chasing down the work.
ingnen with his soup loaded in syringe, de-
termined to force them to partase OF it.
All this, strange to say. had considerable
force with the unthinkipg workfnTnan. III
would shake his head Us he behell the cartoona
and resolve iu his Utmost soul that candidate
who would ATTEMPT to fortc him to live upoi
such diet as that could never hope ior his ba1
lot.
Well, the result when election came OF
WAS quite close between the two parties any
way,-only few hundred votes to spare,-ant
it was announced atoirst that 3fr. Covert WI
defeated. But til. i icial count showed hiu
elecrcl by very few votes.
While Slr. Coyert's election was still q matter
OF doubt company OF gentlemen, Of which ten.
Garfield, tue Hon. i. j. krddle, OF Washington,
aud Dr.. J. T. Robson, anA E. Cowles, EsQ., ol
Cleveland, were members, were discussing the
subject, and they ali agreed that while the tlGiIt
ann its result bctrayea 4 very curious condition
an isolated case.
Cen Garfield said that
TOM CoRT-IN,
the famous Viii. orltor of Ohio. related shortly
before his death that nc Won his first Congress
sional scat, in 1880, entirely upon What he
called the ''night shirt issue" He was nom-
mated upon the Whig ticket iu district having
Il Legitimate Democratic majority Of at least
15,0U0. He had but very little hope OF election,
and therefore was somewhat desperate in bis
methods.
Iu the yery first speech he made he thus re-
ferrcd to his opponent, who was very finely
appearing gentleman and really did put uu
some style for that day and state OF society:
Fellow citizens: what shall say Of my op-
lie Is really 50 much Of gentleman, 70 inc fop,
that it is with much dlttidenc e that these black
hands, inurcd t. the tardships Of toll would
different from and much better than commnn
mortals When We arc ready to retire for the
night, we ren,ove ou1 outer garments ana fecl1nn
upon our virtuoua couches. and sleep the sleepof
Innocence anu peace, usrayed IN the shirt which
has been wet during The day with the :
Eweat Of honest toll but when th's hns sentis- e.
muu who NOW demands your votes for the htyh
office OF Congressman, who desires to represent
you in the councils Of the nation. when this gen.
moves ali hls garments, meme Of which ~crr ever
wet by honest toll. and carefully arrays himself
after the time -houored style OF onr +randmothcrs
in long, flowing nsht-shtt. ;! his ID tue ane
sentlenaa who demand. your suIragcs upon the
Democratic ticket and nuthing could pursuade me-
to say auyht against him.
This description, which Alr. Corwin intended
to be received as ladic-ous joke and to create:
q lau9h Was taken as the most solemn state
ucut Of fact, aud not smile was visible upon
the couutenanccs of his hearerE- At first be
nas in doubt as to the effect which the story
might hare, but it was the most farorablc to
bis cause. The honest woodslncn considered
The wearing of tho night-shtrt US well-nii.h a
crime, and everywhere he spoke during the
he was called upon to relate the story,
ani in one way anu another be did so MI over
The district, AID when election came he went fn
with fuir majo1ty aud began hts WONDERFUL
public career.
Ur. Robson said that the story recalled to bis
mind
TuE DEFEAT OF CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE
in the State OF New York where hc lived when
he was small boy.
la that DAY, s:lu the Doctor, It was not con-
silctcd the proper thing for candidate to make
srrerirs. lie was expected to stay at home
auu let his friends 10 the lighting. The actions
Of the candidate were, howeve1, very closely Oh
served and MS record VERT carefully rakeu up
The rl11,.iatc III question. during the progress
of the ra1,vass which was to decide whether he
should go to Son;ssss as5ss or bis s0t ds1rst,
ind 1t noun stopped At waysiue
ma aud ordered dinner. In so doing,
1uweyer, be directed that his beef be bsoiied
1pou tue coals instead Of trie0 like that OF the
,thcr guests. This decided his chances for
LECTION. Word went forth from one end OF the
district to another that the Wing candidate did
1ot eat his meat as the rest OF humanity did,
tut had it cooked upon. the Goals something
lftcr the plan Of savage They would vote
ur no such man to make laws Tor thena-
These are samples Of the stories told, and the
conclusion vas arrived at that there is nothing