Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-07-22

, TEEN, we are respectfully,
, JOHN w. STEVENSON,
, President of the Convention.
NICHOLAS M. BELL, Secretary.
Mistellaueans &eading,
WASHINGTON IN VAN BUREN's TIME.
Congress had its comedies as we'll as it
tragedies, and the leading comedian was Thos
Corwin, Representative from Ohio, who was
type of early western culture, and borr
humorist He was a middlesized, somewhat
stout man, with pleasing. manners, a fine head
sparkling hazel eyes, and a complexion sc
dark that on several occasions-as he used tc
narrate with great glee-he was supposed tc
be of African descent. "There is no need o.
my working" said he, "for whenever l cannot
support myself in Ohio, ell should have tc
do would be to cross the river, give myself
up to a Kentucky neero.trader, be taken
4 South and sold for field hand" He always
had a story ready to illustrate subject Of
conversation, and the dry manner in which
he enlivened his speeches by pungent witt
cisms, without smile on his own stolid coun
tenance, was irresistible.
His greatest effort was reply which he
made to Mr.. Crary, of Kentucky, who had
undertaken to criticise the military ability ot
General Harrison. John Quincy Adams went
over to Mr.. Corwin's desk, and advised him
to reply without success at first, Corwin say
ing that he was something like Balaam's ass
he could never speak without being kicked
into it. The next afternoon, however, he did
reply, end his speech, as model Of humor'
Gus retort, has never since been equaled at the
capitol His description of Mr.. Crary, as he
appeared on parade as military general
and after the fatigues ola muster, when treat.
ing his brigade to watermelons and whisky at
a country grocery store, as the ancient heroes
assuaged their thirst from the skulls Of their
slaughtered enemies, was delicious piece of
satire. Then, turning to the history Of Gen
eral Harrison, Mr. Corwin gave an eloquent
picture of his patriotic. services with convin.
cling force. No member of Congress ever re-
ceived such personal discontinue from a
speech, and Mr.. Crary never recovered from
Corwin's onslaught. Even at his home, the
farmers always offered him watermelons in
their season, accompanied by quotations from
Corwn's speech. He retired from public life
an extinguished orator.
President Van Buren endeavored to restore
the good feeling between the Administration
and Washington society,"" which had been
ruptured during the political rule of General
Jackson. He gave numerous entertainments
at the White House, and used to attend those
given by his Cabinet, which was regarded as
an innovation, as his predecessors had never
accepted social invitations. Ex.President
Adams, the widow of President Madison, and
the widow of Alexander Hamilton each
formed the centre of a pleasant coterie, and
the President was open in. the expression OF
his desire that the members of his Cabinet
and their principal subordinates should each
give series Of dinner parties and evening re.
ceptions during the successive sessions Of Con-
gress.
The dinner parties were very much alike,
and those who we're in succession guests at
different houses often saw the same table or
naments, and were served by the same wait
ers, while the fare was prepared by the same
cook. The guests used to assemble in the
parlor, which was almost invariably connect
ed with the dining-room by large folding
doors. When the dinner was ready the fold
ing doors were thrown open, and the table
was revealed, covered with dishes and cut
glassware A watery compound called veg
etable soup was invariably served, followed
by boiled fish, over-done roast beef or mutton,
roast fowl or game in their season, and great
variety of puddings, pies, cake and ice cream.
The fish, meat and fowl were carved and
helped by the host, while the lady of the
house distributed the vegetables, the pickles
and the dessert. Champagne, without ice,
was sparingy supplied in long, slender glass.
es, but there was no lack of sound claret, and
with the dessert several bottles of old Made-
ra were generally produced by the host, who
succinctly gave the age and history of each.
The best Madeira was that labeled the "Su.
preme Court" as their Honors, the Justices,
used to make direct importation every year,
and sip it as they consulted over the cases be
fore them, every day after their dinner, when
the cloth had been removed. Some rare old
specimens ofthis Supreme Court wine can now
be found in Washington winecellars.
At the evening parties the carpet was lifted
from the room set apart for dancing, and
the floor was chalked in colors to protect the
dancers from slipping, The music was almost
invariably first and second violin, with flute
and harp accompaniments Light refresh
ments, such as water ices, lemonade, negus
and small cakes were handed about on wait
ers between every two or three dances. The
Growing glory of the entertainment, howev.
er, was the supper, which had been prepared
under the supervision of the hostess, aided by
some of her intimate friends, who had also
loaned their china and silveTware. The table
was covered with alamode beef, cold roast
turkey, ducks and chickens, fried and stewed
oysters, blanc mango, jellies, whips, floating
islands, candied oranges and numerous varie-
ties of tarts and cakes. Very often the young
men, after having escorted the ladies to their
respective homes, would meet again at some
oyster house, to 90 out on a lark, in imitation
of young English bloods In the favorite play
of tom and jerry" Singing, or rather
shouting, popular songs, they would break
windows, wrench off knockers, call up doctors,
and transpos sign-boards; nor was there a
night-watchman to interfere with their rois-
tering-An Anonymous Writer in the At
lantic.
AMEN.
/. It's Origin-Amen is Hebrew word,
of Hebrew origin. Prior to the time OF
Christ it was found in no other language of
it in their idol worship. But with the intro
duction of Christianity, it has found its way
into the languages of all nations, who have
received the Christian as their religion. In
the Greek, Latin, German and English