The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1890-08-08
Old DAYS in Tannessaa.

Your correspondent is in possession of
some interesting "reminiscences of events
that transpired in West Tennessee in ante
heilum DAYS. which were furnished by
former Jepnesseean, but now lives in
Forth Carolina. The first one mentionedan
incident ofJames K. Polk, which has never
before found its way into print. Previous
to his nomination as the Democratic can
didate for president Mr.. Polk was the De-
mocratic nominee for governor OF Tennes-
see, and il was then believed il he could
successfully carry the Democratic banner
to victory he would stand a good chance
to receive the presidential nomination.
These were exciting times In Tennessee,
he Wings and the Democrats being about
equally divided, In Landerdale County
there lived Tennesseean and prominent
Democrat named Gen. James Connor,
who was prevailed upon by Mr.. Polk to
make the race for State senator against the
Wing candid ate, whose name was Llvlngs-
tone. The district was hopeies7ly against
the Democracy, but it was thought that
Gen. Conner could, owing TO his great pop
ularity, reduce the Wing majority and
thereby elect Mr.. Polk governor, Gen.
Conner made the race, and II Is said to
in that senatorial district. Gen. Conner
was defeated, but he reduced the Wing
candidates majority about 1000 votes, and
his reduction brought about the election
of Mr. Polk, and the prominence Folks
success gave HIM caused the whole nation
to be turned toward him, and when the
Democratic National Convention subse-
quently met he was nominated for the
presidency. After Mr.. Polk was inau-
gaurated he wrote Gen. Connor a very
kind letter in which he acknowledged the
great service he had rendered him, and
Gen. Conner still has this letter in his pos
session and prizes it very highly.
In the days when "Davy" Crockett was
such powerful politician in West Ten
nessee he had for his intimate friend Gen.
James Common who had done so much to
elevate Mr.. Polk. Gen. Common, who
still lives at Ripley, in Laudurdale Coun-
ty, was then and is now great admirer
OF fine horses and always had several in
his large and commodious stables. When
! Crockett was making a canvass for Con-
gress in his district, he and Connor atten-
led public gathering of the yeomanry
! in one of the counteis. Crockett wore the
coon skin cap that day and made him
self decidedly agree able, but he had some
opposition, and in order to gain more
strength in that county he hit upon a
novel scheme for securing votes. He
went to Gen. Conner and asked him TO
loan him his fine horse. The general at
once consented, and Crockett mounted the
| fiery charged and galloped up and down
the road and in and out among the crowd,
| yelling at the top OF his voice, and occa-
siOnally hating and taking a drink of CT
der with the hardfsted sons of toll. He
would then gallop off again, waving his
coon skin cap and giving vent to more
loud and keen yells. He repeated the
antics several times and the crowd seemed
to enjoy them hugely When he return
ed the horse to Gen. Connor he was asked
what object he had in cond ucting him
self in that way, and he remarked that it
was way he had employed Of
gaining friends, and that he had made
200 or 500 votes that day.
1t is the general opinion that "Davy''
, Crockett was rough uncOuth man, but
Gen. ames Conner says that such was
not the case, but tn at he was quite Gull
tured and could adapt himself to any
kind of company, and it was this pecu-
| liarity in his composition that helped to
elect him to Congress. When he was at
last defeated he left Tennessee. He
was to all appearances crushed to the
earth never to rise again, but history
tells us OF his subsequent valor and brave
~ at Alamo. 1t has often been said that
"Davy" Crockett left Tennessee because
Van Buren, was elected president, and
that in SO doing he was only carrying out
determination previously settled upon.
| He had been heard to remark that if Van
Buren, was elected president he would no
| longer remain citizen OF the United
States, but Gen. Common is Of the opinion
that he left Tennessee because he could
not stand defeat.-Atlanta Constitution.