Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-12-28
BOB TAYLOR, OF TENNESSEE
How He Won a Wife and the HOnors Of
a Congressman.

On Wednesday, the 10th inst, at
Asheville, N. G., congressman-elect
Robert Taylor was united in marriage
with Miss Sallie Baird, a niece of Gov.
Vance, of North Carolina. The mar
riage is the conclusion Of a somewhat
romantic story. When Taylor was
nominated by the Democrats as their
candidate for congress, Miss Baird
promised him that if elected, she
would marry him; if defeated, it
would be an indefinite time before
their union could be cOnsummated.
The district contains some of the
strongest Republican counties in the
State, and has always given a Repub-
lican majority Of twenty-five hundred
or twenty-three hundred. The pros
pect for Taylor attaining his desires
were, therefore, not at all promising.
Besides, he had as an opponent Petit
bone, one Of the Republican chief
tains Of the State, an emigrant from
Michigan, possessed of unusual
shrewdness. In the Presidential con-
test, as one of the Republican electors,
he bore the banner of his party as gal
lantly as was possible, worrying the
Democrats considerably. For Taylor
he entertained seemingly nothing but
contempt.
TaylOrs nomination was simply a
lucky stroke of fortune. In the Re
publican convention Taylor's brother,
a very pronounced Republican, was
the principal candidate for the nomi-
nation against Pettibone but the
latter, after a bitter fight, secured the
honor. Republican Taylor's friends
we're all angry, and the Democrats
conceived that it would be a good
thing to nominate his Democratic
brother, who would probably draw
votes from the Republican ranks.
This plan was carried out. Taylor
was only tWenty-eight years old, and
in that region had made considerable
reputation and popularity as a fiddler
At the frequent gatherings for dane.
ing he was a most welcome guest
His nomination seemed to FIRE the
! young men with enthusiasm. Mum.
bers Of Republicans and two or tire,
Republican journals left the party
ranks and went over to TaylOr's side
Pettibone was accused Of being il
with the Revenue and CuStom-hous,
Rings, which had controlled politicI
in that section. 1t was an understood
fact that Federal money was to b,
shoWersd on the district, Taylor, a
be afterWard told friends, had only q
10 commence tho canvass with, Blu
once out, money and assistance 0
every kind poured in on him, so tina
after the campaign vas over, very lit
tic Of tho 50 was spent. Petition
looked down on him with contempt
and in the opening speech merely al
luded 10 him a. the beardless DO.
who iddles."
When it came TO Taylor's reioinder
!, he approached the table with a iddl,
in one hand and a ~carpet-bag in tn
, other. Ho commenced with the state
ment that he was a fiddler. Then
laying the fiddle and the carpet-ba
sido BY side on tho table, he asked tn
crowd 10 choose between them, Tn
{ point was taken up and carried from
, one end Of tho district to the other
producing any amount Of morrlmen
Al Pettibono's expense. Pettibone
/, sfterWard, never alluded TO Taylor
| fiddle moro than once or twice. Taylo
also tainted Pettibone with the fac
: that his regiment, at the close Of tn
t war. disbandod with more men than i
0 had started with. The young Demo
B crat was a ready, eloquent speaker
. had never failed TO awaken snthusi
= asm. Frequently when the speakin
z was over he would entertain the crow
with music from his violin. The dis
D tfiot has its share OF moenshiHer