Morning journal and courier., 1883-09-12
Stories Of Tom C0rWin of Ohio. [Told by Ben Perley Poore.l

Corwin's great strength was as humorist ! Either before public assemblage or in pri | vate life his original mind would humorousl | illustrate his subject with spontaneous an unpremeditated wit seldom equaled and ney CT surpassed. Many of his stories like thos of President Lincoln, were parables, bu while Lincoln always had 8 stock of storie on hand, Corwin appeared to invent his a they were wanted. When he was 8 younJ member of the House of Representatives man named Crary made bitter attack upol General Harrison, then candidate for thu
 Presidency. The next day CorWin replied 1T
 speech which, for vigorous argument, pure irony and genuine wit, has never been equaIe6
 in the capitol of the United States. The de
 fense of General Harrison was overwhelm
 ing, and the annihilation of Crary complete
 The House was convulsed with laughter al
 the richness and originality of the humor
 and at times almost Rwed by the great digni. ty and profound arguments of the orator.
 The pages of history were ransacked for il
 lustrations to sustain the speaker, and all
 were poured in rapid profusion upon the head of poor Crary, who sat amazed and stupefed at the storm he had provoked. As Corwin proceeded the members left their seats and clustered thickly about him, the re- porters laid down their pens, the presiding officer his gavel, and everybody gave himself up to the enjoyment of the hour. As Mir. COrW1u pa1uI0Q III mock Q6FOlC style the knowledge of military affairs which the law yer member from Michigan had acquired from reading ''Tidd's Practice and Espinasses Nisi Prius," studies so happily adapted to the art of war, the House fairly roared with delight.
 He drew 8 mirth provoking picture of Crary, in his capacity of militia brigadier at the head of his legion on parade day. with his "crop cared, bushy tailed mare and sickle hams-the steed that laughs at the shaking of the spear, and whose neck was clothed with thunder" comparing him with Alexan- der the Great and his war-horse Bucephalus, at the head of his Macedonian phalanx, and finally, after reciting his deeds of valor and labor during the day, left him and his ex- hausted troop at corner grocery. assuaging the fires of their souls with draughts of whiskey, drunk from the shells of slaughtered watermelons When Mir. Corwin came to give the history of General Harrison, and defend his military record, he rose to the height of pure eloquence and spoke with convincing force and unanswerable logic. The fate of Crary was sealed. Probably no such personal discontinue was ever known from the effect of 8 single speech. He never recovered from the blow, and was known at home and abroad as the late General Crary. Even at home the farmers and the boys, in watermelon season, would always offer him the fruit with sly jests and jeers, and a joke d1 &A4o GAAAAsoEy So1cCE puO1IC LAS duu usefulness were at an end.
 - This speech made Corwin the idol of the Ohio whigs-indeed, he WAS the idol of the Whigs all over the Union-and one of the fa- vorite campaign songs contained this stanza
 Success to you. Tom OOrwin,
 Tom Corwin. our true hearts love you!
 Ohio has no nobler son,
 In worth there's none above you.
 When the Mexican war broke out, Corwin was conscientiously opposed to 1t, and he took decided ground in opposition to the &C., quisition of further territory that human slavery might be extended. Public opinion, which is generally in favor of Q war, no mat ter whether just or unjust, was against him, and MT. Corwin felt the breath of popularity, in which he had hoated and lived, departing from him. He made an able speech which showed how profoundly he regretted coming n conflict with his constituents and friends, but it was of no use, and one of his expres- sions, ''If were Mexican as am an Amer can, would welcome you with bloody hands ;o hoSpitable graves" was quoted by the in public speeches and in con- verRation, until it became as familiar to the public as household words.
 Soon after the war ended, Governor Cor win was retained as counsel for man 'harged with murder and who, he claimed, Icted in self defence. In his closing speech o the jury Corwin pictured the condition of lis client as endeavoring to avoid the diff ulty, portrayed the murdered man as forcing l | upon him, dogging his steps, denouneing l lin as 8 coward. and at last threatening to l trike him. ''What," he exclaimed, ''would l 'ou have done in such an emergency | What, sir," turning to the prosecuting at orney, ''what would you have done ?" Done" replied the attorney, with great | would have welcomed | lim with bloody hands to hospitable | rave" The jury was convuised with | aughter and Corwin lost his case.
 Governor Corwin used to tell a good | tory of a conversation which he held with | eff Davis after the future leader of the | onfederacy had made his first speech in | )ongress. It was on the slavery question. 1e dwelt at length on the account of Ham, Iagar and Onesimns, and to his own sstis- | action, at least, proved American slavery | ad divine sanction. Well, like myself, |