Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-02-07
WHOLE NUMBER, zoos.
HEROIC DAVY CROCKETT.
INCIDENTS IN THE CAREER OF A MOST
REMARKABLE MAN.

n EpeeCn HI oppOSlIlOn TO
Private Pensi N Bill-The Siege of
the Alamo-His ecord of the Stirring
Events Which Occurred There
Colonel David Crockett was a most
remarkable charac er, a man far in adj
vance of the times in which he lived.
Reared in the hum Ter walks of life, but
endowed with a strong will power, an
unremitting perseverance,, and Il brave
heart, he rose todistinction and renown.
He was born at Limestone, on the
Nolachucky River. in eastern Tennessee,
on August II, 1856. His father, soldier
in the Revolutionary war, was tie
owner of tavern on the road from
Abingdon to Knoxville, where David
passed his boyhood. Colonel Crocketts
education consisted of exactly two
months and four days schoo ing, he
being otherwise self educated. In the
Creek war of 1813-14 he was found
fighting i'll the ranks as a private soldier
under General jackson. When peace was
declared he settled on Shoal Creek, a
desolate region of the State. A COM
munity of reckless characters having
flocked together at this place, it was
necessary to establish a temporary gov
ernment, and Colonel Crockett was
elected Il magistrate. He was soon after
ward candidate for the legislature,
and made a successful race by shooting
at mat tches and recitirg amusing stories.
He was twice reelected, but devoted
himself principally to bear hunting, I'M
til, in the year 1927, when he was elected
to Congress by the party Of Andrew
jackson. At Washington he obtained
a notoriety for the eccentricity of his
manners and language. OF his life
while at the capital many amusing sto-
rieS are told.
O,l one occasion he was in conversa-
with a fellow member from Massachu-
Setts, 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
joke to his own account
In 1929 he was again elected to Con-
gress, but soon afterward changed from
Il 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 a mythical than u
real character. But their statements
have been entirely misleading, and it is
only necessary to read his public utter
Rnces in order to he convinced that he
was Il man of marked ability.
During Colonel Crockett's term i'll the
House bill was brought forward ap-
propriating several thousand dollars for
the benefit of q widow of a certain
naval officer. There seemed to be
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 Spea aker-I 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,
the deceased lived long after the close
of the war; he was in office to the day
of his DEATH and l have never heard
that this Government was in arrears to
him. This Government can owe no
debts but for services rendered, and at q
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
soldier as ever shouldered q musket. He
fell in battle. She is as good in every
respect as this lady, and just as poor.
She is earning her daily bread by her
daily labor, and if | were to introduce a
bill to appropriate $1,000 OF $4,000 for
her benefit l 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 l
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 it
as a charity. Mr.. Speaker, have said
that we have the right to give as much
money of our own as we please. l am
the poorest man on this floor. l can
not vote on this bill, but will give one
weeks pay to the object and if every
member will do the same it will amount
to more than the bill asks
The bill was lost by large majority.
After finishing his third term in Con-
gress Crockett sought new life and
career in Texas, then in revolt against
Mexico, and it was at the sublime de-
fense of the Alamo that he met his
death.
The story of that dreadful siege is too
familiar to need any repetition. Not
defender lived to tell the tale of that
terrible battle.
Neither ancient nor modern history
affords grander exhibition than was
shown on that crimson day, when the
blood of the Spartan band became the
seed from which sprung Texan inde-