Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1889-08-31
HE WAS THE ORIGINAL "oBJEcroR."
JOHN Grammar. One of the EARLY Mem

HE WAS THE ORIGINAL "oBJEcToR."
John Grammar. One of the Fairly Nom
beers OF tho Illinois Legislature.
In the early history of Illinois ono
of its southern counties again and
sagain elected TO the Legislature man
with the suggestive name OF Gram
mar. With such Il name one natural.
" associates education, culture and
some degree of refinement, but John
Grammar, whose long period Of SER
vice in the Illinois legislature tcrml-
mated more than half Il century ago,
could neither read nor write, while
his manners correspondent with his
rough, pioneer surroundings. lc
was elected to the first territorial legls-
lature of Illinois in 1912, but unior.
tunatcly, in the then new, unsettled
state of the country. this honor found
him without u suit Of clothes lit for Il
lawElal:er-cect to appear III. But
whatever may have been lacking III
John GrantnEir's make up he was GER
tain!y not deficient i'll Il peculiar kind
of energy, and to overcome the one
obstacle that Stood between him and
his entrance upon public life he. with
the aid o. his stalwart boys gathered
: large quantity of hazelnutS, and
took them on Il long journey to the
Ohio saline. where they were eX-
changed for kind of blue cloth, call
cd Slrouding." that was chiefly used
by the Indians for brecchcloutS. I'M
mctliately upon iiranlnlars return
with his hard earned purchase tie
neighbor women were called upon TO
assist in making the new garments,
but. to the disappointment OF all con
cerned. the discovery was made that
the pattern WAS prvvoSinGly scant.
The amateur tailorcsses measured the
the cloth first lengthwiSc. then cross
wise. and finally cornerwise, but IN
no way could enough be found for
coat and pantaloons. There was no
time to repair the mischief, SO the wo-
men, presumably at the suggestion OF
Grammar, whose subsequent history
proved linn to be full OF eXpedients,
finally decided to make what i'll his
lay was called Il sbobtsiled coat, 10
be worn ovcra long pair OF "leggins,
- IlC atISO
Accordingly. with coat shortened
below, and leggins. which corresponds
ed 10 pantaloonS. shortened above.
and nndergarEentS m;:>!c from the
skins OF wild ANIMALS, Grammar first
appeared III kask;sGia, the original
capital OF Illinois. Whatever the rcla-
tive importance OF Illinois capital city
in lSl1 iIs hotel accommodations
must have been extremely limited. as
the honorable members OF the lrgisla-
ture wercall conipelled to sl2epia one
room. True. both branches OF the
legislature at the period referred TO
contained q total Of but twelve lnc,n-
beers; nevertheless twelve persons IN
one sleeping room must have made Il
nights rest anything but refreshing.
john Grammar, while unable to
read and write, was nevertheless the
posseSsor Of much native shrewdnesS,
and soon developed into genuine
politician With a burning desire to
continue in public life. This desire he
chose to crafty by remaining in the
legislature rs long as possible. But to
remain in the legislature the one thing
licediul above all else was to retain IA
vor with his constituents. To retain
this favor John Grammar early III his
Legislative career adopted the plan OF
opposing every new measure propos-
cd. He shrewdly reasoned that if the
measured passed and became Il popu-
lar law 10 one would take the trouble
TO inquire who opposed it. II, how
ever, the measure after its passage be-
came for any reason unpopular the
people would be sure to find out what
members supported it and refuse long
or TO give them their suiflagcs. In
the event OF bin failing to pass and
subsequently finding favor with his
constituents. Grammar, when candi-
date for reelection. excused himself
by saying that had he known their
wishes il the matter his vote would
lave been cast in support of the meas
ure instead OF against it; finally he
promised. If reelected. TO give the
1aatter his hearty Endorsement should
it again come up for consideration.
This general plan Of opposing all new
measures in little time came to be
the usual practice Of many legislators,
but the originator of this method,
hence the first ''objector," was John
Grmnar-Chicago Tribune.