Daily Los Angeles herald., 1882-04-30
"REMINISCENCES OF TOM CORwiN.
How he once complimented the State
of Ohio.

81 knew Thomas Corwin well," said
Colonel Sweeney, the host of the Barrett
House, an old Mexican veteran and Cali
fornia pioneer, to a group Of interested
listeners seated about the stove. 1--WE
were boys together in Ohio. Black
Tom,' we called him when he was at
school, and Black Tom he remained till
the day of his death. Corwin amounted
to nothing after his celebrated speech in
the United States Senate in opposition
to the Mexican war, when, in one of his
remarkable flights of impassioned elo-
quence he exclaimed: eff were Mexi-
can as l am an American, | would well
come the invader with bloody hands to
inhospitable graves That speech was
job put up on Corwin by Webster
and others" said the old Colonel. Il
have heard Corwin, with tears in his
eyes, say so himself Webster and his
friends were opposed to the Mexican
war, and they had determined to oppose
the voting of funds to carry it on. The
agreement was that Webster and others
should follow Corwin in speeches
against it. He was selected to make the
first speech, and an eloquent 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 it were. By the bye" said the
Colonel; 81 have a good story to tell Of
Tom, which is particularly apropos at
this day, when Ohio is sending out so
many big men. 1t was just the same in
Toms day as it is now; and l wish you
all to bear in mind, gentlemen, that |
came from Ohio The Colonel, it may
be remarked, to catch the pitch of his
intended jest, stands fully six feet seven,
broad shoulders, and powerfully built.
Though verging on sixty years of age,
his form is straight as pine, and his
step has the elasticity of youth
"Tom, he continued, like a great
many other good and great men, was
fond of the flowing bowl, and once in q
while he would take drop too much.
1t was on convivial occasion, when
Tom was present at banquet at the
National Hotel in Washington, that he
was called upon to respond to the toast
of his native State, and must say that
he acquitted himself with honor to the
State and to the infinite satifaction and
amusement of all present, in one of the
most mirth-provoking, post prandial
speeches | ever listened to. Arising
with all the dignity and gravity that
Corwin could assume, he acknowledged
the honor conferred in calling upon him
to respond to compliment to the State
of Ohio. Then proceeding in quasi
grandolinquent strain, he exclaimed
Ohio! Why, Mr.. President, while the
United States, this grand republic, has
produced more great men than any other
country in the world, Ohio has produced
more great men than any other State in
the republic 1t is matter of history
mark that. Why, sir, said he, Warren
county, in the State of Ohio, has pro-
duced more great men than any other
county in any State 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 State in the Union. 1t is mat
ter of history-mark that. Then, with
merry twinkle in his black eye, that
for the first time betrayed the humorous
intent of the speaker, he added, Gen
tlemen, that is the township that | came
from-mark that; and he sat down
amid the uproarious mirth and side
shaking laughter of the auditors about
the table. Cor Chicago Times.