"Swingin round the cirkle" : $b His ideas of men, politics, and things, as set forth in his letters to the public press, during the year 1866.
John Locke · en
Noticin that the titles I hed heerd wuz mostly tacked to Southern men, I
asked Giddy Welles, who wuz standin by, why it wuz thus, and he sed that
Northners wuzn't reely fit for it. We wuz, he said, a low, grovlin race,
and coodent adapt ourselves to the habits uv nobility. The South wuz
shivelrus, and cood do it. They wuz given to tournaments and sich--they
hed got accustomed to cirkus clothes, and cood wear a sword without its
gettin awkwardly between the legs. Northern men, sich ez were faithful,
wuz allowed to barsk in the smiles uv royalty, but it wuz in sich
positions ez sooted their capacity. He, for instance, hed charge uv the
royal poultry yard, a position which he bleved he filled to the entire
satisfaction uv his beloved and royal master. He hed now four hens a
settin, each on four eggs, and he hoped in the course uv two years, ef
there wuz no adverse circumstances, to hev fresh eggs for the royal
table. It wuz a position uv great responsibility, and one wich weighed
upon him. Seward wuz privy counsler, Doolittle wuz steward uv the
household, and Thurlow Weed wuz Keeper uv the King's revenue, and wuz a
doin very well indeed.
By this time the company assembled. His Highness wuz in a merry mood,
and unbendid hisself. Ther wuz a knot uv the nobility gathered in a
corner, and after a earnest interview uv a minnit, Count Von Cowan
advanced to the foot uv the throne, and on bendid knee demanded a boon.
"What, my faithful servitor, dost thou most desire?" sed His Highness.
"We wood, Your Majesty, hev the prisoners uv state brot into the
presence, that we may make merry over 'em."
"It shel be done," sed His Majesty, and forthwith Baron von Steedman,
who hed command uv the King's Household Body Guard, wuz sent for them.
In a moment they wuz brot in. They wuz a mizable lookin set. Forney and
Wendell Phillips wuz chained together, Fred Douglass and Anna Dickinson,
Dick Yates and Gov. Morton, Ben Butler and Carl Shurz, Kelly and Covode,
while Chase wuz tied to Horis Greely, onto whose back wuz a placard,
inscribed, "The last uv the Tribunes;" at wich Raymond, who left the
Radikels and declared for the empire at precisely the rite time, and wuz
now editor of the _Court Journal_, laffed immodritly. Some one
exclaimed, "Bring in Thad Stevens!" at wich His Majesty turned pale, and
his knees smote together. "Don't, don't!" sez he; "he's strength enuff
left to wag his tongue. Keep him away! keep him away!" and he showed ez
much fear ez men do in delirum tremens when they see snakes.