Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-08-06
FROM ANOTHER CORRESPONDENT.

Mr.. EDITOR: For several days past some
of our people had been looking forward to
Friday, the 4th of August, as the day on
which the great representative of the people,
Hon. Leonidas Caesar Houk, would appear
in our midst dispense the vile ISLANDERS that
have been circulated concerning him, chew
up Rule entirely and spit him out, and with
his mastery eloquence, brilliant wit
and convincing arguments, utterly demolish
all opposition to his majesty. 1t follows
therefore, that quite goOdly audience was
on hand to hear this great champion
of claims, pensions, and offices for his con-
stituents. The Judge arrived at about noon
and called for a room at the Austin House.
He was assisted out of his triumphal chariot
and conducted to his room, and the door
closed, and about FIVE minutes thereafter it
was announced that Judge Houk had been
up nearly all the preceding night, was very
weary and had gone to sleep. Visitors We're
therefore excluded until he had somewhat
refreshed himself. Some of the wicked
Rule men in town began to hint that he
might possibly be suffering from one Of
those chronic dysentepie spells" which he
contracted in the army, which, it is said
will account for his frequent prostrations,
and which, therefore, entitled him to that
small pension that he receives But by
about two o'clock the judge had slept stIfi-
GENTLY to venture forth, and the court -house
was soon pretty well filled with those who
wished to hear him. The Judge opened by
saying that he had come to give an account
of his ste hardship, and illustrated how I'M
necessary that was by rather vulgar allu-
sion to Yirtuous woman running around
and declaring that she was virtuous. He
then went on to mention several charges
made against him, and declared that there
was not man in the room that believed
them. He told, also, how he had ''bursted''
| up the custom-house ring, which he said
was similar to the Tweed ring of
! New York. Then he went
| back and repeated some of his
! arguments which he had just made, and re-
| it hated some of the charges He had some
papers to refer to, but they seemed to have
| got mixed almost as badly as the Judge
| himself, and We're not convenient for refer
ent Z. There had not been much applause
/ y
| aud there, so the Judge screwed up his face
in manner that would have done credit 10
one of John Robinson's circus clowns.
| This was happy hit, and won a general
laugh and some applause. The audience
| was growing thinner and thinner, and the
| Judge, after making few more rambling,
disiointed remarks, weuded his way back to
| the hotel, and was escorted to his room by
dilapidated old colored procurer,
| and two or three other faithful friends But
the respectable portion of Houk's support
ers, where were they? Some had quietly
withdrawn before the speaking was halt
| over and those who remained III sight We're
decidedly chop-fallen. TO be plain about
it. Houk was evidently. intoxicated, and tQ
drunk! and that is not a very fashionable
habit in this county, and On such occasions
as this 1t Is peculiarly unpopular in one
who wants to be sent back to Congress.
Judge Houk and few friends, after tbs
speaking, demolished some watermelons
and after a short stay Leonidas departed
but not the effects of his great speech,
is supposed that he meant to favor us " it'll
his recent Knoxville speech, but was toe
booty to remember It.
Whatever the result viii be, it is very Ger
tain that it would have been far better hal
| some pension business Kept MN at Wash
ington, and there are a great many Repub
licans, who were formerly Houk men, who
are now demanding that he shall give al
account, not only of his stewardship, but o
his butlership also, before they can swallow
that pill again.
1t would have been Il considerable sum il
Houks pocket if he had not made tina
Maryville speech, and to use an expression
of Artemus Ward, it would we are inclined
to think, have been ct least So 90 in Leon
idas Caesars pocket if he had never beer
| born" LOYAL BLoUNT.