Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-04-16
"reminiscences OF "Tom" Co,.cin.

"reminiscences or "IOm" C0f1ctn'
burlington Correspondence Chicago Times.
81 knew Thomas Corwin WE'LL" said Col
Sweeney, the host of the Burnett house, an OLD
Mexican veteran and California pioneer, to q
group of interested listeners seated about the
stove. "We were boys together in Ohio
Black Tom,' we called him when he was al
school, and Black Tom he remained till the
day of his DEATH Corwin amounted to moth.
ing after his celebrated speech in the United
States Senate in opposition to the Mexican
war, when in one of his remarkable flights Of
impassioned eloquence, he exclaimed: III
were Mexican as | am an American, would
welcome the invaders with bloody hands to
inhospitable graves That speech was job
put up on Corwin by Webster and Others, said
the old colonel. 81 have heard Corwin, with
tears in my eyes, say SO himself Webster and
his friends were at heart opposed to the Next
can war, and they had determined to oppose
the voting of funds to carry 1T on. The agree
ment was that Webster and others should
follow Corwin 10 speeches against it. He was
selected to make the first speech, and an elO'
uuent one it was; but it raised such howl OF
Indignation throughout the country that the
others thought it the better part OF discretion
not to continue the opposition. So they
backed out and left poor Tom in the lurch, as
IL were. by Tie Uye, sdtu tuc colouei, uaNe
good story to tell on Tom, which is particu-
larly apropos at this time, when Ohio is send
ing out so raany big men. 1t was just the
same in Toms day as it is now; and wish
you all to bear in mind, gentlemen, that
came from Ohio" The colonel, it may be re-
marked, to catch the pith of his intended jest,
stands fully six feet seven, broad shOuldered
and powerfully built. Though verging on 90
years of age, his form is straight as pine, and
his step has the elasticity of youth.
"Tom," he exclaimed, "like great many
other good and great men, was fond OF the
flowing bowl, and once in while he would
take drop too much. 1t was on a convivial
occasion when Tom was present at banquet
at the National hotel, in Washington, that he
was called apon to respond to the toast uf his
native State, and / must say that he acquitted
himself with honor to the State, and to the in
finite satisfaction and amusement of I'LL present,
in one of the most mirth-provoking post
prandial speeches | ever listened to. Arising
with all the dignity and gravity that Corwii
alone could assume, he acknowledged the
honor conferred in calling upon him to RESPOND
to compliment to the State of Ohio. Then
proceeding in quasi grandiloquent strain, he
exclaimed: "Ohio! Why, Mr.. President, while
the United States, this grand re-
public, has produced more great
men than any other country in the world,
Ohio has produced more great men than an!
other state in the republic. Il is a matter oi
history-mark that. Why, sir, he, Warren
county, in the state of Ohio, has produced
more great men than any other county in the
union. 1t is matter of history-mark that
Sir, Turtle Creek township, in the county OF
Warren, has produced more great men than
any other township in any county in any stale
in the union. 1t is a matter OF history-mark
that Then with a merry twinkle in his black
eve, that the first time betrayed the humorou,
intent of the speaker, he added: Gentlemen,
that is the township came from-nark
that; and he sat down amind the uproarous
mirth and side-shaking laughter of the audi
tors about the table.