Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1888-09-14
How Pig Caused the War of 1879

nun Il IL NHuScu tHc war OF lSlS.
1t Nil happened in this wise: Two
citizens of Providence, II. l., fell into
n most unseemly discussion on account
Of the lawless trespassings of pig
owned by one of them. The aggrieved
party possessed a very fine garden, in
which it was his custom to spend his
hours of leisure, wedding, grating. and
transplanting the flowers and vegetables
in which he delighted. But often, as he
entered his garden in the evening, his
ears would be saluted with grunt and
a rustic, and the fat form of his nc 'ch-
Dor's pig might be seen making hasty
flight from the garden in which it had
been placidly roofing all day.
In high dudgeon the gardener sought
his ue'ghbor and complained of the pigs
frequent visits, declaring that a little
time spent in repairing the pig-sty would
restrain tho animals rowing propcnsitics.
But TO this the owner OF the pig re-
sponded that if his ncighbor would keep
his rickcty fences in proper repair, the
pig might take its daily airing without
temptations, and the garden would not
be endangered.
Repeated misdccds on the part of the
pig famed the smoldering fires of dis
sension into the flames of open hostility.
At last the crisis came. The owner Of
the garden, rising unusually early one
morning, discovered the pig coptcnted-
~ munch'ng the last of fine bed of
tulip-bulbs. Flesh and blood could
stand it no longer. Selling pitchfork
which lay near Mt hand, the outrae ed
gardener plunged its sharp tines into
the haplcss pig, and bore the body, thus
fatally impaled, to the sly, where it met
the gaze of its owner an hour or two
later. Thereafter it was war to the
knife between the two ncighbors.
Now, what had all this to do with the
war Of 1912! The answer is simple.
The two neighbors belonged 10 the
political party known us the Federalists.
Through all the outrages that Great
Britain inflicted upon the United States,
while seamcn were being impressed,
American vessels stopped on the high
SEAS aud while every possible indionitv
was being committed against tho flag of
the United States, the. Fcderalists re-
manned friendly TO Great Britain, and
contested every proposition for the
declaration of war.
~ Wv iShioSlutiC purity was eager
for war, and as British oppression be.
came more unbearable the strength of
the Democrats increased. 1t so han
pcncd that the election district in which
the two neighbors lived had been about
equally divided between Democrats and
Fedcralists, but the latter party had al.
ways succeeded in carrying the election.
But in 1911 the owner of the garden was
candidate for the Legislature on the
Fedcralist ticket. His neighbor had al
ways voted that ticket; but now. with
his mind filled with the bitter rccollec-
ton of the death of his pig, he cast his
ballot for the Democrat. When the bal
lots were counted the Democrat was
found to be elected by majority Of
one.
When the newly elected legislator took
his seat, his first duty was to vote for n
United States Senator. lie cast his vote
for the candidate of the Democrats. who
was also elected by majority of cae.
When this Senator took his place in the
United States Senate he found the cues
ton of war with Great Britain pending.
and after long and bitter discussion it
came to vote. The Democrats voted
for war, and the Fedcralists against it.
As result of the voting. war was dc.
clared-again by majority of one vote.
81 NJcIoLos