The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1884-02-20
OLD.TIME POLITICS.
RccoIIections of the Great Harrison Cam
paign OF 1910.

Rccollections of the Great Harrison Gam
pnign of 1910.
uIarvy watterson, In Louisville Courer-Jour-
nall
need not tell the reader, for it Is o
historical fact, that Henry Clay was
cheated out of the nomination by some
trlcksters who prOfessed to be ms
friends, and who got control OF the
National Wing Convention at Harris
burg, Pa, in December, 1889. The
triumph Of Gen. Harrison over him fell
like cold shOwer-bath upon his friends
in Congress and throughout the Union.
/ do not think that / exaggerate the
number when say that heard score
Of Wing members in Congress (princi-
pally from the South declare, in posi-
tive terms, that they would not support
the nomnee-sQme of them character
izing him as an "old granny" j was
then green enough to believe in their
sticking qualities, and thought that Mr.
Van Buren, would have walk over the
track. should have known that Mr.
Clay could not do otherwise than sus-
tain the ticket, and of course these
gentlemen would follow him.
In conformity to n resolution adopted
by the Harrisburg Convention before its
adjournment, n young mems ratification
convention was held in Baltimore on
the first Monday OF May. This con-
vcntion walked me up, for the first time,
to the breakers ahead. Large delega-
tons from nearly every State in the
Union were there 1t was the grandest
political show that had ever before been
witnessed in this country. Its numbers
could only be counted by the acre. Clay,
Webster, Crittenden and scores OF 9th
er Wing orators addressed the people.
The enthusiasm they created spread all
over the country. / must not forget
to mention that the Ohio delegates
rolled huge ball all the way from
their State to Baltimore. 1t was III
tended to symbolic the ball that was
rolling on for "Tippecanoe and Tyler,
too" They called it "old Tips taw.
| Thousands of similar balls soon made
their appearance. Here / must tell
what ! saw with my own eyes and heard
with my own ears. Gen. Jackson was
going from Columbia TO Nashville il
his carriage. Between Spring Hill and
Franklin lac met a procession OF Whlg'
with mammoth ball on wheels in front
which completely blocked up the turn
pike road. The driver was necessarily
forced TO wend his way aronndit. Ther
| it was that an enthusiastic Wing cric(
ont by George, boys, old Tips taw
has knocked ont the middle mani"
1t really ,hd seem that the Wings hat
dropped everything else and taken t.
clcctioncering. In addition to thei
monster assemblages they built loi
cabins in all the cities and in nearl,
every town. Some Of them were larg
enough TO hold crowds of people TIN
smaller ones, decorated with coonskins
were often mounted on wheels and usc'
in professions. Live coOns on the tol
of these cabins, and barrels of hare
cider within them, formed part Of tn
display. The Wing songsters, too, wor
numerous; they made the Welkln RIM
with their music. The following vcrs
] shall never forget:
Have you heard the great commotion, motion
| motion,
Our country through?
| II Is the ball a-rOllng on
| For TippCCanOc and Tyler too
Van, Van IL n uscd-up man,
And with them We will beat little Van.
IT may be asked, what were the Dem
ocrats doing all this time? Ianswc
that they were doing their level best
but all in vain. The sober secon
thought that many confidently relic
upon never came to our aid. Out c
the 29I electoral votes cast, Mr. Va
Buren, received only 60. ] went t
Washington directly after the election
and found him AS tranquil as could b
expected under the circumstances.