Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1892-09-15
OLD TIME POLITICS
In East Tennessee-A Small Dele
cation Royalty Welcomed.
The Cannon ROared and the Crowd
Cheered Heartily.

The Ashevllle North Carolina) Citi.
zen publishes an interview with Major
s. B. Erwin, of that city, giving an ex.
perience he once had on trip to at.
tend great Whig mass convention at
Elizabethton. Here is the narrative
In the year 1874, during the Clay Polk
Presidential campaign, monster Clay
meeting was proposed for the 4th of Oc-
tOber, to be held in Elizabethton, Tenn.
Major Erwin was at that time living in
Mcdowell County. The meeting was
extensively advertised, and the Major
and number of prominent citizens of
Mcdowell agreed to go to the meeting
in body.
Every preparation was made by Ma
jor Erwin to start on the morning of
the I'd of October. But when the day
rolled around he was astonished to find
that all who promised to go backed out
for some reason or other.
The people of East Tennessee had
been apprised of the intended attend
ance of the North Carolina delegation,
and Major Erwin saw at once that it
would never do to allow it to be said
that North Carolina would not live up
to her promises, 80 he set out on horse
back alone.
The trip was made in safety, the dele
gate arriving at small farmhouse out
of Elizabethton ON the evening of the
Sd. While at this house the next morn
ing Major Erwin was called on by H.
7. Gillespie, another Mcdowell County
man. AS they talked they saw body
of horsemen ride by, and Gillespie re-
marked to Major Erwin that the COM
pany was sent out to escort the North
Carolina delegation that was expected
to arrive that day.
The horsemen soon returned and halt
ed at the farmhouse. The peculiar sit
uation was made clear to all, but it was
agreed that it would never do to let the
facts be known. So plan was soon
settled upon that worked admirably.
In Major Erwin 8 saddle pockets was
large flag. This was taken out and
fastened to a staff, and with banner
flying, the march into the town was
taken up, the two North Carolinians
being SO placed as that the exceedingly
small number would not be noticed.
Soon the town was reached. The
streets were packed-everybody had
come to town and brought all their
families and friends. Gustavus A.
Henry was speaking when the caval-
cade hove in sight. The speaker stop
ped in the middle of his speech, and
"Parson" Brownlow, who was on the
stand, announced in his stentorian
tOnes-"The North Carolina delegation
has arrived, three cheers for the North
Carolina delegation"
The excitement was high. Hats were
thrown into the air, and amid the deaf
ening roar of cannon the mighty crowd
sent up three cheers and tiger for the
North Carolina delegation" that had
just arrived-composed of perhaps fifty
Tennesseeans as escort, and two North
Carolinians.
The crowd did not catch on, however.
The horsemen rode up within short
distance amid continuousc cheering and
Brownlow spoke to the delegation"
again: "The North Carolina delegation
will come forward, stack their flags
and take seats upon the platform.
But that was rather more than the
delegates" desired to do, and they
took seats among the crowd, near the
stand, and the speaking proceeded to
the thorough entertainment of the en-
tire delegation.
Major Erwin says that on tie North
Carolina side of Iron Mountain at that
time the settlers scarcely knew who
were the nominees. On the other hand,