Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-01-03

The Expression Started by Battery A Of
the Louisville Legion.
During the recent presidential cam
palgn great deal of talent in the in
yention of slang phrases was displayed
by the partisans OF the different can
didates, and number OF those already
In use were adopted and accentuated
according to circumstances. As usual,
the newspaper writer's have been given
the history Of as many OF these express
sions as possible, and have in many
cases probably been correct; but there
is one, used by the Democrats perhaps
more than the Republicans, which has
never yet been assigned its proper
origin. That prase is What's the
matter with Cleveland" and its answer,
He's all right" OF course the SUBJ
stitution of any name for Cleveland
can be made, thus rendering 1t avail
able for any occasion. This, the most
popular and universal of all the slang,
did not have Its origin during the
campaign, but owes Its birth to Bat
terry A of the Louisville Legion Of
this city.
In 1881 there was big military af-
fair held in st. Louis. There we're
competitive drills for infantry, cavalry
and artillery companies, and large
number of each arm entered the lists.
The famous Chickasaw Guards, Of
Memphis, were there, as we'll as crack
companies and artillery sections from
all over the coGiEt;g- A section of the
Louisville Battery was there's and 1t
may not be amiss to say that 1t ac-
quilted itself honorably, The boys
composing that particular section
which afterward became famous all
over the United States--were pretty
lively set Among them was George
Clark. George is living in this city
yet, though he is no longer member
of Battery A. The boys had great
deal OF fun among themselves. and one
of their jokes was to lay every
thing that occurred on George.
One night, when they had been ac-
eusing him OF something. not now re-
membered, though 1t is thought 1t was
for capturing big dog while passing
through Indiana, one Of the boys yelled
out: Whats the matter with George
Clarkpn And the answer came in
stanter; Hes all right" The ques-
ton and answer were Immediately
taken up by the Chickasaw Guards and
other companies In the immediate Vi
cinity, and the night was not far gone
before the city had spread throughout
the entire camp. The thing seemed to
strike every body's fancy. In using the
phrases they all stuck to George Clark's
name, however, and 1t was several
days before they began to substitute
other names. In the meantime the
battery boys began TO concertize, as 1t
were. One man would ask the question
at the top of his voice, and dozen 9TH
ers would shout the answer In unison.
This idea. too, caught the other soldiers.
and It could be heard Ia every COM
pany's quarters. When the encamp-
ment broke up, the troops carried the
cry to their homes, but II was suffered
TO fall somewhat into disuse until Che
Louisville Legion went to Washington
In May, 1887. At that encampment
there we're many men who had been at
st. Louis six years before. including
some OF the Louisville boys, who loss
no time In reviving their old war-cry.
The legion marched down Pennsyl-
vania avenue Sunday afternoon, and
went into camp at the base OF the
Washington monument, and by the
next afternoon the famous old shout
was ringing all around that historic
shaft 1t spread all over Washington.
From the Washington encampment it
spread further than ever until, by the
time the presidential campaign opened,
1t had become universal. --Louisvill |
Courier-Journol.