Mexico weekly ledger., 1879-12-25
UNCLE sOLON.
The Lunatic-in-C Chief of the
Maine Greenbacfkers--A
Living Nssby. e

things about ''Uncle'' Scion Chase,
the leader Of the Maine Greenback-
ers. If half of what is said of him
is true, 1t shows that that Iunatic
party has done itself credit by choos-
ing the "looniest" member as its
leader.
''Solon Chase is the butfoon of the
canvass; he is making tour of the
State, addressing meetings in every
town, and carries with him lot of
paraphernalia wherewith to illustrate
his absurd arguments and point his
absurder statements. This consists
of a man to sing Greenback songs,
which are the vilest sort of doggerel,
composed by Chase, adapted to ia
miliar airs. Then he has a broad
sheet of canvas, on which is repre-
sented by rude brush pair of lean
steers yoked to hay wagon, and a
tallow candle. Chase would no more
speak without u tallow candle than a
minister would preach without a
Scripture theme. He is a poor man,
he says, one of the people, farmer,
and was brought up to read by the
light of tallow dip. So firmly has
this habit taken hold Of him, that no
matter how brilliantly hall may be
Illuminated with gas or lamps, Uncle
Solon must have candle to read by.
Zone night II Portland he spoke
in beautiful hall, brightly lighted
with handsome chandeliers, bat Solon
must have his candle, and he stood
on the stage with it In his hand, a
pale, yellow flame, visible only few
feet away, so great was the glare of
the gas. But this candle business is
said to take among the farmers, and
Uncle Scion always pTonounces an
apostrophe TO his candle, as Cough
does to his glass of water.
The use of them steers is SINH
lar. The canvas is hung over frame
on the stage, and Uncle Solon uses
them as the text of his speech.
''He owned them ste .rs,' as he
says, having purchased them for $50.
He kept them over winter; they ate
SO many bushels of corn and so much
hay, the fodder amounting in value to
about $40, and in the spring he was
able to sell them for only $50, so
that, unable to use the cattle in the
winter, he was out S95 by the invest
ment, which is all owing to the ruin
Gus financial policy of John Sherman
and the resumption of specie pay
ments; the 'blood-suckers' who hold
the bonds, and the 'desperadoes of
Wall street. If the Greenhack party
could triumph, and billion or two
of irredeemable currency could be
issued, the steers would rat no more
hay. or corn, but could be sold for
500 apiece, so plenty would money
be. The Republican party, by pre-
venting the imitation of the currency,
keeps down the price of the steers,
until they eat up their value every
winter.
"He is an avowed candidate for the
United States Senate, and some acci-
dent may carry him there, when there
will be spectacle that would be
amusing we're it not that it would be
such a lamentable caricature upon
American politics, and bring our sys
TEN of suffrage into ridicule through.
out the world. Imagine Uncle Solor
and them steers teaching finance &c
Senator Bayard. ..s.....
''But Chase is avaricious, and il is
money and not principles that makes
| them steers go. He offered tC
travel with his show under the aus
pices Of the Republican party for s
liberal compensation, and make hard
money speeches as a convert of the
Tesainption act, but his services wer.
} Indignantly declined, and he is now
, receiving salary from the manager,
oc the coalition. In addition tt
speaking, he publishes, at tie ex
pense of the Greenback Committee, +,
| campaign paper, called the POO
, Mans Tract, in which his peculiar
ideas are enlarged upon.
''He is about 60 years Of age, tall
, lank and uncouth. He studies hi
. costume as does an actor upon tn,
: stage. and makes up the Yanke,
: from his cow-skin boots to his coars,
: straw hat. His face is long anC
, peaked, and he wears scragg,
r growth of beard from ear" to ear un
der his chin. He has always beef
eccentric, if so mild and respectable
4 word will describe him, and ha
never had the confidence of his owl
t family and neighbors.
: "When his father died he left con
2 siderable estate, and dividing
l among his family in his will, he pro
8 vided that Solon's share should b
: held in trust until his death, when i
should be divided among his chill
t dren. The will of his father declare'
r Solon a lunatic, and incapable of tn
< management of his own property
n He was then forty years old. H
q comes nearer to Petroleum v. Nash
n than any man ever saw. At Port
: land Uncle Scion called upon Secre
o tary Sherman to pay his respects
5 and was introduced by Senator Blaine
S Uncle Solon expressed great admira
i ton for the Secretary's ability an
regard for him as man, and urge
|. him to give up his financial here
If sizes. He had been q hard-mone
II man himself once, had written hare
d msney speeches, copies Of which b
" promised to send the Secretary
g promising him that he could get som
sfirst-elass p'ints' out of them. Th
II Secretary, in return, expressed hi
qualification at meeting Uncle Solor
e Of whom he had heard much, and ws
u sorry he hadn't brought 'thel
lsseers. ,,s 9a3as5 sfa so% m
n The children OF royal parents ar
always supposed to bs precociou'
z EaOh, do let me go and tell mamma,
4. IeosI fbx Drs paacc Pnun1 IF En0lan