Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1889-03-23
A Renaissance of the Presidential
Election of 1870
--Boonville ('MO.l Advertiser

c. w. p, in March Wide Awake.
My first introduction to politics &C.
Cured during the famous Harrison
and Van Buren, campaign of 1910. l
was mere slip of girl living in
Marshall County, Virginia, on farm
lying in rich valley bordering the
Ohio river. My father was stanch
Jeffersonian Democrat, and many
were the fierce wordy battles fought
by him with any of his neighbors
who happened to be Wings or Zip
and Ty" men, as they were named.
Our house was one of the regulation
double-houses with an l. extension
wide porches ran along the side and
rear of the a." and large pertico
with seats each side occupied the
place of honor at the front of the main
house. When the sun was in a GER
tain quarter of the heavens the COM
bats would take place on the porch /;
when the sun had sunk to rest behind
the high hills on the "Ohio side" of
the river, the wordy disputes would
occur on the front portico.
OF course | sided with my father,
and thought William Henry Harrison
was decidedly the weakest and most
cowardly general that ever was nomi-
mated for President.
My ideas were considerably mixed
on the subject of running for the
White House," as to where the race"
was to be run, and how long the race
course was. ] had cousin who could
outrun all of his SchOolmates and |
wondered whether Harrison or Van
Buren, could run faster than he. /
was brought up on the good old plan
that children should be seen and not
heard and never ask questions" SO l
pondered the trace" question while
fashioned red petticoat and hung
it up at the front gate on the end of a
cane fish pole. can see it now as it
swung gaily to and fro, moved by the
gentle gales that usually in that re-
giOn blow from the south during the
summer months. A ''red petticoat"
frequently was hung out by the
Democrats in that campaign in deri-
sion of the claim of bravery made by
the friends of ieneral Harrison. They
said THAT instead of being a brave
and conquering hero at the battle of
Tippecanoe he disguised himself in
a red petticoat and hired a squaw to
take him over the river in her canoe;
and that he quaked so with fear that
the seuaw cautioned him:
"Sit still, Massa, or you'll tip-e-
Cdnoe.'"
Well, the election was held, and as
"every schoolboy knows" resulted in
the making General Harrison our
President. My father was as CORES.
pondingly disappointed as his Wing
friends were elated. / sorrowfully
took down the "red petticoat" and
consoled myself by putting it on
dOllmade out of pillow.
The smoke of the battle cleared
away, winter passed and toward the
last of April word came that Presi-
dent Harrison was coming up the
Ohio river on a steamboat, and that
guns would be fired at intervals to let
the loyal know when he would pass
so that they could flock to the banks
of the river and wave their hats as he
was borne along in triumph. Sure
enough, we heard the guns, and /
wanted to fling my cred petticoat'
to the breeze in defiance. But my
father said, "No! Harrison is now
our President and we must pay him
ell due respect" l was as much
"mixed" then as l had been about
the trace" l could see no difference
whether / Haunted red rag before or
after the defeat; but have long
since learned the justice of my faith
er's decision.
One of my fathers bitterest oppo.
nents, stanchest Wing among the
stanchest, heard the gun as the steam
boat came booming along and wish
ing to do especial honor to the Presi-
dent-elect, ran,to the house to put on
his best Sunday suit, forgetting that
it was doubtful whether the President
could even see him from the guards
OF the boat. In his haste he could not
dress with his usual dispatch, but the