The times., 1901-03-24
FIGURES IN PUBLIC LIFE.
"Reminiscences of Events That Hap
pcned Many Years Ago.
lFTom the Kansas City Star. }


Did you ever think" said Governor
Crittenden. how little II sometimes takes
TO knock an orator Off his feet2 Some
thing less than fifty years ago George q.
Vest went from Frankfort TO some lit
tie town between that place and Shelby
vile to make his first political speech. In
detailing the matter to me he said he
thought he was ready for any emergency
or opponent was loaded with facts. fig
ures and rhetoric. Quite d crowd had
gathered before q small store to hear the
young man. some sitting on boxes, some
on Kegs and many on their launches.
Vest said he felt in first rate order just
in the right spirit TO knock out everything
and anybody who might oppose him on
that occasion, that he had prepared a
few candy sticks in sentences to catch
the ears OF the groundlings. AS he was
sailing on IN one Of his best flights
long, lank, freckle-faced fellow bout six
doubled-up position and exclaimed as
! he walked from the crowd, Go it, my
| peckerwood. This. said Vest. came upon
| him so unexpectedly il completely knock
| ed from his mind his line of thought He
| was unable TO proceed any further, at
| once sitting down in the profoundest sor-
| row. He made vow he would never re-
| turn 10 that village again. II is well
I known 10 Vests old friends that his hair
] in those early days was as red as the
fOpkHOt of a DeckerWood, and that made
the remark peculiarly fitting TO him.
once saw General Butler knocked al
! most speechess on the floor of Congress
! by Simeon b. Chittenden, a member from
Brooklyn. by saying to the General when
| he was addressing Congress: The gen
| ueman from Massachusetts has been oc-
| cupying much time in trying 10 persuade
| this body that he is right and ii is
wrong, which reminds me of the little
bull that planted itself on the track of a
railroad, TO knock the locomotive into the
ditch. In a few moments, Ii is SAID, the
little animal gathered its bruised rem
nants up in the ditch as best IL could, say
ing as IL hobbed of: Much bravery. but
damn poor judgment. Butler receiving
the remarks in good humor, took his seat
almost breathless, and the lower he got
down into his seat. the more he laughed
Few orators could get the advantage Of
old Ben, anywhere. or in any kind of a
'scrimmage' in words. He was always
strong, aggressive. and cool
4 think Gen. Ben Butler was the best
posted man on all questions before Con
gress ] ever saw Now and then some
Congressman inferior TO him in brains
and information, got the advantage of
him. bat he more often came off victori-
GUS in that arena He and Sam Cox once
got into one OF those long running de-
bates on the floor Of Congress, each often
putting questions to the other In the most
pertinent and brilliant way. 1t was
Damascus blade against Damascus blade
AT last Cox put some worrying questions
to him. leaving his seat to do So with a
CLEAN i'm bis eye as IL saying. Now, old
fellow. ] We got you where you must con-
Tess or surrender Butler, being tired Of
the badgeri~g, turned on him as q lion
does on its ey. and said. Shoe fly, don't
bodder me- From the very manner in
which il was said. and coming upon the
House so unexpectedly. the House burst
into one prolonged laugh. Right there
and then, as Uncle Remus says. Cox lost
his money bag. and he wilted as IL an ice
shower bath had fallen suddenly on his
little person. Butler walked over and
congratulated him upon his defeat Both
had a good laugh over il and both retired
at once, as If hunting some place that
Mrs Nation would smash with a
hatchet."
This reference to Cox reminds me of
an incident told 10y that gentleman him
self Senator Baysrd and myself said
Mr. Cox were 80 speak at Albany. We