The Irish standard., 1899-09-30
ANECDOTES OF PETROLEUM v. NASBY
Genial Riley's Practical Joke
On the Farmer.
CURIOUS PIECE OF INTERVIEWING
The Journey of Mark Twain in
A Wheelbarrow.

"A t" "AO0Ab01xVWs
In recent number Of the Saturday
Evening Post, OF Philadelphia, Major ].
B. Pond writes an interesting contribu-
ton on Famous Humorists l Have
Known" from which, the following is
selected:
Next to the cartoons of Thomas Mast
III their influence in inspiring the peo-
pie with enthusiasm in the cause of the
Union, the historian will undoubtedly
give credit to the letters of Petroleum
V. Nasby. Indeed, member of Mr..
Lincoln's cabinet, the secretary of the
treasury, Mr.. Boutwell,, said in a public
speech shortly after the war:
"The rebellion was put down by three
forces: the army and navy of the United
States, and the letters of Petroleum V,
Nasby."
Petroleum V. Nasby was the nom de
plume of David R. Locke, of Ohio.
At the beginning of the civil war he was
young and obscure man, editing lit
tie country paper in the interior OF Ohio.
1t occurred to him that it would be a
good idea to write series of letters, one
a~week, exposing and ridicufine the
Democratic party. The letters pretend
ed to be written in earnest by Con-
federate War ofice-seeker. They sue
ceeded in deceiving even the county
Democrats for time.
One meeting of the faithful framed a
resolution commenting the fidelity to
Democratic principles shown in the
Nasby letters, but urging Mr.. Nasby
for the sake of policy, not to be so out
spoken. The sarcasm was so broad that
it is difficult, if one reads them to-day
for the first time, to understand how the
most illiterate partisans could mistake
them. But at time when mems pas
sions were red hot, and their prejudices
volcanic, they we're universally applaud
ed by the unllolders of the Union.
The circulation of Locke's paper rose
rapidly, and he became one of the most
famous men in America in less than a
year. He soon bought an interest in the
Toledo Blade, then in dying state.
He moved to Toledo, supervised the
paper, and its circulation increased until
it rivaled the most popular journals of
the continent both in its sale and its
influence. When he died-in 1888-the
Blade for several years had had a cir
culation of over 100000.
From being a poor country editor,
Locke had become one of the wealth.
est men in the West, and died mil
lionaire.
Of course, as soon as he had won a
national reputation he was invited to
lecture. He used to beast that he made.
during his first lecture season, the long
est and most lucrative lecture tour re-
corded in the annals OF the Lyceum.
He lcctured every secular night for
nine or ten months, and made over
100000 by the tour. His lectures until
some time after the war were very pop-
ular; but as he had none of the graccs
OF the orator, and as the war fever
abated, he gradually lost his hold and
retired from the field.
His intense Republicanism made him
hate the Irish and Americans, and
as he afterward said:
IF l ever missed chance to get
dig at the Irish for twenty years before
| went to Ireland, l can't remember it,"
He used to snecr at the Irish for
clamoring for freedom at home, and
supporting the pro-slavery party when
they came to America. A few years be-
fore his death he made tour OF Europe,
and in coming back reached Belfast and
got among the Orangemen OF the north.
These men intensified his prejudiccs,
and when he reached Dublin he had
made up his mind to write series OF
Nasby letters ridiculing Parncll and the
Irish movement for home rule. Mr..
Redpath happened to meet him there,
but found it impossible to convince him
that the Irish were wholly in the right
in their struggle for home rule. Final
ly, finding that he could not make Nasby
understand the tyranny OF the Irish
landlords, he offered to make a bet to
convert him. And curious bet it was.
Rcdpath said:
"Take map of ireland and pitch
sixpence on any part of the West, and
whether have been there or not, if
you and Bob (his sony will 20 there