Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-02-27

of any service. He replied: eyes, for
Gods sake send them to us-give US old
muskets, swords, cutlasses, anything that
will kill, or the Free-State cause will be
ruined in Kansas Corwin and myself,
without any further stimulus, Immediate
ly devised plan for their removal. 1t
was this: Gen. George D. Hendricks, of
Eaton, was the Major-General of the Dis
trict, and was, at that time, delegate
| from Preble county. We applied to him
for military order to remove the arms
from Warren county to the arsenal at Co
lumbus. The request was granted, and
COrwin and 1 Immediately set about the
performance of the duty. On arriving
at Lebanon we summoned to our aid Rev.
j. M. Flood, James S. lotion, Eben Hall,
Courtland Ross, Alph. Thomas and E.
Minis. After consultation, it was agreed,
that on a certain night, when everybody
had retired, we would comply with the
order of the Major-General. lotion, Hall, i,
Ross and Thomas, were to go to Lewis
Chamberlin's shop and get the cannon,
and Flood, Corwin and myself, were to
act as pickets. Minis furnished the team
to carry the cannon to Dayton, and Ross
provided the horses and wagon to follow
with the small arms, which were deposit
ed in the second story of Martin Earhart's
blacksmith shop. Eben Hall was to go
with Ross in the wagon, and Thomas with
Minis. About midnight, the cannon was
rolled out of the shop and taken along the
pike to the Fair Grounds. It was bright
| 7inraf MI Y,oEo
or on the streets, but no enemy, cowan or
eaves-dropper, was to be seen. Soon all
was in readiness. Minis was on hand
with his wagon and a smart span of
/ horses. With infinite labor, right on the
pike, we succeeded in getting the cannon
on the wagon. Our friend Thomas had
been indulging too freely in benzine, and
we resolved that he should not accompany
Minis, as was first intended, for fear his
demonstrations might betray the whole
scheme. Two of us took him one side for
consultation, gave Minis the wink, and
instructed him to put his horses on the
run and go on without Thomas. But no
sooner did he hear the rumbling of the
wheels and the crack of the whip than
he broke loose, like quarter horse, and,
being fleet of foot soon overlook the wag-
on and jumped astride of the cannon, ex-
claiming: attention, the Universe,
here's your Emperor" ="
! By this time it was 3 O'Clock a. M, and
Ross was to go to Earhart's shop and load
the remaining military supplies. He did
not reach the shop until O'Clock, with
Hall. They, however, went to work with
a will, and by five o'clock the armory was
despoiled. just at this juncture, Mart.
Earhart appeared on the scene, but had
sagacity enough to take in the situation
without being too inquisitive. Ross told
him that they had the order of the Major
General to remove them to Columbus,
and with that, he could not have stopped
the shipment if he had tried.
Eben Hall was to accompany the arms
to Dayton, and from thence to Chicago,
where they were taken in charge by the
Kansas Aid Society. Under our in
struction, on his arrival at Dayton ,he was
to go to Columbus via Chicago, and we
were to be responsible to the Major-Gen-
eral for taking this circuitous route We
gave him 800 for the service, and he per-
1OEIlCU bLlO GdSA W OuE CubkFC sdblSIdSBlOls
Only once was he questioned as to his
mission and cargo, but he quickly dis
posed of his interlocutor by curt an
swer, accompanied by significant ges-
ture. This "Border Rufian'' walked
away e'a sadder, but wiser man,
i We afterwards ascertained that these
arms were carried through Iowa to Kan
sas and did great execution in the Border
War. Lane promised, that after perform
ing its mission, the brass field piece should
be sent back to Lebanon, but he paid III
for it, in the war of the Rebellion, anC
where it is now, "this deponent saitl
not.''
From 1886 to 1858, I was constantly em
ployed in fighting the Democracy an,
building up the Whig and Abolition par
r ties, in Warren county. attended nearl,
all the State Conventions, and, for abou
twenty years was member of Centra
2 Committees. The Star took notable par
in the campaigns of 1S40 and 1874. 1t wa
4 devotedly attached to the fortunes of tina
: great and good man, Henry Clay. In 1s5
e l was appointed Delegate to the Whii
j National Convention, at Baltimore, an
voted for Gen. Winfield Scott f1fty-tw
: times for the Presidency. His accep
e tance of the nomination, FFwith the reso
= lutions annexed'' ruined him in tn
e closely contested Northern States and di
Y him no good in the South. 1t was, en-
# phatically, a proslave~y platform. wa
y one of the sixty-six, including John Shel
:, man, who "spit on the platform'' an
= was hissed by the Secretary of the Cor
+ vention. For. this ungentlemanly d'
:, monstration of his, Mr.. Colfax introduce
o a, resolution of expulsion, but it W;
r withdrawn on his making an humb
'r apology.
t. After the Convention, visited Wasl
e ington City, and was invited to make m
a. home with the hospitable family of Sc
rs retary Corwin. was treated with 'sdi
e, tinguished consideration, and had a fiji
O. opportunity to enjoy the attractions of tt
I'd Capital, visit Mt. Vernon, etc. 1 CALI
er on Gen. Scott, in company with Ben. Sta
D. ton. That was the first time ever sa
10 him. He was then in fine health al
n spirits, and a magnificent specimen of h
c. manity. After ascertaining that 1 W
k a member of the press and published
od Wing paper, in Mr.. Corwin's town,
a inquired how thought Ohio would vol
lv 1 frankly told him that the State wou
IL go for Pierce. He asked my why? 1 /
hy sponded: ''Your Endorsement of the col
Id promise measure will throw off the g
of tire Liberty vote and lose you many stro
ed Anti-Slavery Wings" He replied:
he beg to differ with you. 1 have inform
ton from authoritative sources, whi
est convinces me that will carry Ohio by
,r- large majority" "Nothing would affo
w. me more pleasure" 1 replied, ethan