Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1881-05-26
miscellaneous.
Ex-senator Hamlin. Interesting Incl
dents in his Career.

The New York TImcs gives an eleven
column biographical sketch Of ex-senator
Hamlin. The irst appearance Of the sub
jet Of the sketch pleader at the bar is
- described
One evening at a husklng party 10 which
Young iIamlin and his companions ia the
Hebron Academy were invited. a certain old
gentleman, whose name need not now hc
mentioned. took rather more Medford rum
than va, good for hIm. In fact. he became
dI>asreeahly boisierou>. Al tins the school
bDys took otfense. and to bring the old
topper 10 his senses they pclied him With
hard ear. Of corn. and with more vlgor than
ceremon, rolled him in the hu,k~. The re-
suit Of tins treatment was that the old iel-
low left the party with black eye and
very sore body. Il was expected that this
would end the matter Those who held IN
this view. however, were surprised early the
next morning to hear that all the academy
boy, who attended the party had been ar
rested on warrant charging them with
assault and hA,irr, Without DELAY the,
we're taken before the Justice Of the Peace.
who held hi- court IN an old kitchen and
who ~as proceeding IN a very pompous
floor Of the apartment gave WaI beneath the
unusual s'raln to which II MA, subjected,
4nd Judge and complainant, students, Wit
nr,>es and spectators. together with the
family cat. chars. tables. pots, pans and
closet full Of ciockery. were together thrown
four feet into the cellar The old people
cried out with alarm. and the sell important
Judge OF the Peace bewailcd his broken
furniture and china the ho,>. finding that
nobodt was hurt. laughed heartily at the
disaster which had fallen upon their prose
Gators. and at last the court va adjourned
TO the academy. Here Hannibal Hamliu.
among the rest was called upon TO testify.
A. he went upon the stand. tai! black
eyed bol there was lIt;ie buzz Of eNpccta-
Ion among the spectators. and smuthercd
ordinations of Give II 70 them, 'lianny,
from hIs school frIend, this oommotion.
must be explained. being due to the fact
that the boN va, known 10 have taken quite
an interest ia the recent trials which had
occurred III the local courts. and because 1t
wa> believed that he had at odd times
picked up law enough 10 be more than
match for the thick wltted Justice OF the
Peace. This proved 10 bs the case
Did You throw anV ear of corn at the
plaintiff - the first question asked, with
fro~n, BY the court.
NO. Sir" answered Hannibal. with slV
twinkle IN his bright eve. Yet with admirable
gravity no Sir" did not throw an, ear
Of corn at the plaintiff"
do YOU swear YOU did not ?"
II swear did not" answ cred the boy.
For moment the court paused, looked
grave. and then asked
did YOU see anv one else throw any ear
Of corn at the plaintiff ?"
That" replied Hannibal. with perfect
coolness, ''ls Il question whlch ! cannot an
swer, and which YOUR Honor has no right to
ask me" Then for fully five minutes he
went on TO cite iaw points in support of his
position. all the time employing technical
terms which were 20 much Greek 10 the
Justice, until at last that discounted and
completely cresifalleu official, greatly con
fused and amid loud laughter. discharged
Hamlin, fined number Of boy. dollar
each, and quickly adjourned court
The following incident shows how he
came within hairs breadth" of being elect
ed to the Senate long time ago;
Returning TO Maine after the close of the
twenty ninth Congress. he was elected by
the Democrats, despite his anu-sla,ers rec
ord. 10 fill the position of Representative
from Hampden in the State Legislature.
During this time 1t became the duty of the
Legislature 10 vote for United States
Senator. Mr.. Hamlin become candidate
for that position. He was defeated by just
one vote. The incident which led TO that
defeat is an exceedingly humorous and sug-
gestive one. At the time in question the
Legislature did not meet in joint convention
to elect Senator. Ii was necessary that
both the upper and lover houses. meeting
separately, should cast their votes for that
officer. In those days the Maine Legisla-
ture was composed Of 100 members in the
House and 2j in the Senate. In the House
Mr.. Hamlin's friends were in the malprity.
In the Senate he had II votes, while his OPP
ponents had Is. How he earned the enmity
of one of these opponents may he briefly
told. While he was Speaker of the Maine
Assembly there was in that body certain
gentleman of taultless attire. pleasing man.
ners. good address, and some reputation.
This gentleman, whose name need not be
mentioned, had one foible, that is to say,
one pronounced and particular foible-his
hair was very thin, and he was very sensi-
tive in regard TO it. To hide his approach
ing badness he had habit of carefully
with bandolne and other preparations,
stroking each particular hair which was left
to him into its place. One day, while IN
the chair as Speaker, Mr.. Hamlin, in the
innocence OF good and joke loving nature,
sent for this gentleman, and, looking fxedly
at his smooth and polished pate, said, with
a chuckle:
BLANK, old fellow, | just wanted to tell
YOU that you've got one of your hairs
crossed over the other"
''You insult me, sir; ; you insult me" re-
piled the member, with unexpected and al
together unnecessary Indignation, aud then,
refusing to listen either to reason or expla-
nation, he left the Speakers desk and re-
turned to his seat. When Mr. Hamlin be-
came candidate for the L. S. Senate this
gentleman was a member of the upper house
of the Maine Legislature, and positively
refused though member of the same party,
to vote for the man by whom he believed
he had been insulted. So it was that Han
nibal Hamlin was defeated for seat in the
Senate by hair. In the end, his strength
was thrown for Mr.. James w. Bradbury,
and that gentleman was elected to succeed
the distinguished George Evans.
The following illustrates Vice President
Hamlin's influence with President Lincoln
One evening Mr.. Hamlin went to the
uo.ao o,J annn,pca1 Tn President