Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-07-23
How Pig Caused IL War.

1t ali happened p this wise! Two citizens
Of Providence, r. /. fell into most upssem-
ly discussion on account of the lawless tres
passings Of pig owned by one of them The
aggrieved party possessed a very fne gar,
den, in which it was his custom TO spend his
hours of leisure, wedding, grating. and
transplenting the flowers and vegetables in
which he delighted. But often, as he enter.
ed his garden in the evening his ears would
be saluted with grunt and rustic, and the
fat form OF his neighbours pig might be seen
making hasty flight from :be garden in
which it had been plscidiy roofing ali Gay.
In high dudgeon the gardeper sought bis
neighbor and complained of the pigs ire
quent visits, declaring that & little time
spent in repairing the pig sty would restrain
the animals rowing propensities But to
this the owner OF the pig responded that if
his neighbor would keep his rickety fences
in proper repair the pig might take it's daily
airing without temptation, and the garden
would not be endangered. Repeated mis-
deeds on the part of the pig famed the
smolderipg fires of 9issension into the flames
of open hostility. At last the crisis came,
The owner of the garden, rising unusually
early one morning, GiecoVered the pig con
tentedly munching the Inst Of fine bed Of
tulip-bulbs. Flesh and blood could stand it
no longer. SeiZing pitch-forS which lay
near at hand, the outraged gardener pung-
ed its sharp tines into the hepless pig, and
bore the body, thus fatally impaied, TO the
sty, where it met the gazs Of its owner an
hour or two later. Thereafter it was war
to the knife between the two neighbors.
Now, what had all this to do with the
war of 1872? The answer is simple. The
two neighbcrs belonged 10 The political par
ty known as the federalists. Through all
the outrages that Great Britain inflicted up
on the United States, while sesmen were
being impressed, American vessels stopped
on the high seas, and while every possible
indignity was being committed against the
flag of the United States, the federal;sis re.
NAMED friendly to Great Britain, and con-
tested every proposition for the declaration
of war. But the democratic party was eager
for war, and az British oppression became
more unbearable the strength of the demo.
Gratis increased. 1t so happened that the
election district in which the two neighbors
lived Ind been about equally divided be-
tween democrats and tederalists, but the lat
ter party had always succeeded in carrying
the election. But in 1871 the owner of the
garden was candidate for the legislature
on the federalist ticket. His neighbor had
always voted that ticket; but now, with his
mind filed with the bitter recollection of the
death Of his pig, he cast his ballot for the
democrat. When the ballots were counted
the democrat was found to be elected by 8
msiority of one. When the newly elected
legislator took bis seat his frat duty was to
vote for United States Senator. He cast
his vote for the candidate of the democrats,
who was also elected by majority of one.
When this Sepator took his place in the
United States Senate he found the question
of war with Great Britain pending, and af-
ter q long and bitter discussion it came to
vote. The democrats voted for war and the
federalists against it. As aresult Of the vot-
ing war was deciared-agsin by majority
of one vote.-iSt. Nicholas for July.