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MEMBERS OF THE CALHOUN AND KALAMAZOO
COUNTY BARS BY A. D. P. VAN BUREN
The old whig party in this campaign tried to repeat the political coup d'etat of 1840, and carry the election by public parade and song. Kalamazoo county whigs outdid themselves in their efforts to get up a large delegation for Marshall on this occasion. The towns in the county seemed to vie with each other in their endeavor to muster the most men. The procession that left the "Burr Oak city" was one mile long, and took the banner for the largest delegation. But the Portage delegation, all tilings considered, took the banner for Kalamazoo county. A. K. Bur-son, of Prairie Ronde, drove a four horse team, tricked off with banners and bells in real Canestoga style. Richland furnished a four horse team, with whom went Giddings and Gilbert E. Reed. From the latter I got this reminiscence. Grand Prairie sent an eight horse team, gay with banners, and lively with music. An unique feature of the procession was a delegation of native Americans from Kalamazoo, led by Selkrig and Joy, bedizened in war paint and feathers, sitting in a monster canoe on "wheels, drawn by four horses. The procession stopped at Battle Creek and the orators. Mower, Giddings and Dr. Isaac Lamborn, made speeches from the old Battle Creek house balcony. The "old Doctor, " who spoke for an hour or more, in his whig enthusiasm made this remarkable declaration: "Fellow citizens, there are really but three great men in America. Daniel Webster is one, Henry Clay is another, and the third, modesty forbids me to mention!" At Marshall the great whig orators, Frank Granger, of New York, and Thayer, of Boston, and others, addressed this rousing whig mass meeting. Ossian E. Dodge, the famous singer, sang his most popular whig songs, and, among others, "Such a nominee, as Jimmy K. Polk, of Tennessee. " A misfortune met the procession at Battle Creek. Some unfriendly persons stole the canoe. Of course the whigs laid the theft to the democrats. The Richland delegation did not get back from Marshall under three or four days.
Michigan Bar
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