Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-01-06
TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 8, 1901
HEROIC DAVY CROCKETT.
INCIDENTS IN THE CAREER or A MOST
REMARKABLE MAN.

A Private Pension BiIl-The Siege of
the Alamo-HEs Record OF the stirring
Events which Occurred There.
Colonel David Crockett was a most
remarkable character. man far in adj
vance of the times in which he lived.
Reared in the humber walks of life, but
endowed with a strong will power, an
unremitting perseverance,. and brave
heart, he rose to distinction and renown.
He was born at Limestone, on the
1 Nolachucky River, in eastern Tennessee,
on August IL, 1886 His father, soldier
in the Revolutionary war. was the
| owner of a tavern on the road from
Abingdon to Knoxville, where David
passed his boyhood. Colonel Crockett's
education consisted of exactly two
months and four days schooling, he
I being otherwise self educated. In the
Creek war of 1894 he was found
lighting in the ranks as a private soldier
under General jackson. When peace was
declared he settled on Shoal Greek, a
desolate region of the State. A COM
munity of reckless characters having
flocked together at this place, it was
necessary to establish temporary gov
ernment, and Colonel Crockett was
elected magistrate. He was soon after
! ward a candidate for the legislature,
and made a successful race by shooting
at matches and reciting amusing stories.
He was twice reelected. but devoted
himself principally to bear hunting. un
til. in the year 1927. when he was elected
to Congress by the party OF Andrew
Jackson. AT Washington he obtained
notoriety for the eccentricity of his
manners and language. OF his life
while at the capital many amusing sto-
ries are told.
On one occasion he was in conversa-
with fellow member from Massachu-
sets, when drove of mules were seen
TO pass.
"There goes some of your constitu-
ents, remarked his companion. "Yes,
replied Colonel Crockett. "they are
going to Massachusetts, TO teach school.
This incident is typical of the man.
Gifted with an exhaustless fund of
humor, he was always ready to turn a
joke to his own account.
In 1929 he was again elected to Con-
gress, but soon afterward changed from
partisan to an opponent of Jackson's
administration.
For this course he encountered the
most bitter opposition from the admin
istration in his next race, but in spite Of
all honorable means and the dishonor-
able method of gerrymandering he was
triumphantly reelected in 1881.
The dime novelist and catch penny
writers have so exaggerated the doings
and sayings of Colonel Crockett that
great numbers of people have come to
regard him more as mythical than a
real character But their statements
have been entirely misleading. and it is
only necessary to read his public utter
ances in order to be convinced that he
was a man of marked ability.
During Colonel Crockett's term in the
House a bill was brought forward APP
propriating several thousand dollars for
the benefit of widow Of certain
naval officer. There seemed to be a
unanimous opinion in favor of the meas
ure, and the Speaker was about to put
the question when Crockett arose.
Every one expected to hear one of his
characteristic speeches in support of the
bill He commenced:
@Mr. Speaker have as much respect
for the memory of the deceased, and as
much sympathy for the sufferings of the
living, as any man in this House, but we
must not permit our respect for the dead,
nor our sympathy for part of the liv-
ing, to lead us to an act of injustice to
the balance of the living Mr.. Speaker,
/ 81. Al. II
of the war; he was in Office to the day
of his death, and / have never heard
that this Government was in arrears to
him. This Government can owe no
J debts but for services rendered, and at a
stipulated price If it is a debt, how
much is it? If it is a debt, we owe
more than we can ever hope to pay for.
We owe the widow of every soldier who
fought in the war of 1912 precisely the
same amount There is woman in my
neighborhood, the widow of as gallant a
soldier as ever shouldered musket He
fell in battle. She is as good in every
respect as this lady, and just as poor.
Sic is earning her daily bread by her
.iaily labor, and if were to introduce a
Till to appropriate S.. 900 or SO, 900 for
her benefit / should be laughed at, and
my bill would not get five votes in this
House. There are thousands Of widows
; in this country just such as the one
have spoken of, but we never hear Of
these large debts that we owe them.
We can not, without the grossest cor
ruption, appropriate this money as the
: payment Of debt We have not the
semblance Of authority to appropriate il
rs charity Mr.. Speaker, have said
that we have the right to give az much
r money of our own as we please. am
. the poorest man on this floor. ! can
: not vote on this bill, but / viii give one
weeks pay to the object. and If every
; member viii do the same it viii amount
10 more than the bill asks
Tie bill was lost by large majority.
After finishing his third term in Con
gress Crockett sought q new life and
: career in Texas then in revolt against
: 7texico, and it was at the sublime de-
f.nse Of the Alamo that he met hi
death.
Tic story Of that dreadful siege Is toC
familiar to need any repetition. Not Z
defender lived to tell the tale of thai
terrible battle
! Neither ancient nor modern history
affords grander exhibition than wal