The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1879-01-24
non TAHLOIg, OF TENNHkAEE.
llew hc Won wIfc aud thc uOneFs at .
cORRrcssnaah- 4 short Romance Og
the Mountains The BeArdIesA
teft Boy ana IIls Fiddle.


tef Boy ana HIs Fiddle.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. December 90.
Last Wednesday, at Ashville, n.
c., Congressman-eleet Robert Taylor
was united In marriage with Miss
Salile Baird, neice OF Governor
Vance, of North Carolina. The mar
rlage Is the conclusion Ofa somewhat
romantic story. When Taylor was
nominated by the Democrats Us their
candidate for Congress, Miss Baird
promised him that, II elected, she
would marry him; II defeated, that It
would be an indefinite time before
their union could be consummated.
The DistrictTcontains some OF the
strongest Republican counties IN the
State, and has always given q Re.
publican msIorIty Of twenty-five or
twenty-three hundred. The pr0s-
poets of Taylor attaining his desires
were, therefore, not at all promising.
Besides, he had rs an opponent, Pet
tibone, one OF the Republican chief
tains of the State, an emigrant from
Michigan, possessed Of unusualshrewd-
ness. In the Presidential contest, rs
one of tho Republican electors, he
bore the banner Of his party rs gal
lantly as WAS possible, worrying the
Democrats considerably. For Taylor
he entertained seemingly nothing
but contempt.
Tayl0r's nomination was simply a
lucky stroke of fortune. In the Re-
publican Convention, Taylor's BROTH
er. very pronounced Republican,
was the principal candidate for the
nomination against Pettibonei but
the latter, after bitter fight, secured
the honor. Republican Taylor's
friends were all angry, and the DEM
ocrats conceived the idea that II
would be q good thing to nominate
his Democratic brother, who would
probably draw votes from the llepub-
llcan ranks. The plan WAS carried
out. Taylor was only twenty-eighI
years old, and in that region had
made considerable popularity as u
fiddler. At the frequent gatherings
/ for dancing he was most welcome
guest. His nomination seemed 10
fire the young men with enthusiasm.
Numbers of Republicans and two OI
three Republican journals left the
ranks and went over 10 Taylor's side.
Pettibone was accused OF being Ia
with the Revenue and Custom House
Rings, which had controlled politic.
in that section. II was an under.
stood fact that Federal money was e
lie showered on the District. Taylor
ns he afterward told friends, had onl!
- 10 commence the canvass with
but once out, money and assistanct
OF every kind poured in upon him
so that after the campaign was owe
very little OF the 81 was spent. Pet
tibone looked down on him with con
tempt, and In the opening speec:
merely alluded to him ~ the ''beard
less boy who fiddieS.
Wnen II came toTayiors rcJoindcr
he approached the table with tlddl
I'm one hand and carpet-bag ia tn
other. lie commenced with tn
statement that the serious charg
had been made against him that h
was fiddler. Then laying the I'D
die aud the carpet-tag side by sid
on the table, he asked the crowd {
choose between them. The poin
was taken up and carried from on
end OF the District TO the other, pre-
!. ducing any amount OF merriment q
Pettibone's expense. PettIhone, al
terwartl, never alluded to Mr.. Tay
, Ior's fiddle more than once or twice
Taylor also taunted Pettibone wit
the fact that his regiment, at th
: close of the war, disbanded wit
! more men than 1t started with. Tn
Young Democrat was a ready, eli
quent speaker, and never failed
awaken enthusiasm. Frequent
- when the speaking was over
would entertain the crowd with mn
y sic from his violin. The District III
Il its share of moonshiners, and the.
= with all their friends, were for Ia.
3 lor, as Pettibone was in with, au
supported by the revenue men, Il
enemies Of the moonshiners. Ia
= lor's majority was nearly fifteen hu
n dred, making a gain OF one Co
4 gresham from Tennessee. ii
u father represented the State in Co
p gress just after the war. VIII,
" nominated, Taylor was advised
o. take very conservative course, b
ie answered firmly that be proposed
y make the fight on straight-out Del
X ocratic principles. He did SO, al
won. d tt.
d,