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TtiV. MV,SSV..\U\'.n.
TROM THE NASHVILLE GAZETTE.
POLITICAL NORSK RACING, &
PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST.
As racing lias become a fashionable
amusement of the day —whether it be
the racing of grooms, or o politicians,
1 have here undertaken to amuse the
lovers of sportwith the details ol a
splendid political sweepstakes, which I
recently witnessed.
It had been announced by tbe
■stewards of the turf, that agreeably
to tbe provisions of the constitution
of the Jocky Club, on a certain day
a Jocky Club Race would be iun
over tbe United States track free
for the entrance of any horse or
gelding, mares being excepted ;
said horse or gelding ‘ being a na
tive ot these United States, and
aged thirty-five years or over. 1 —
Ihe distance —once round the turf
■—the course embracing the whole
twenty four United States of Ame
rica. The weight to be carried by
the horses, nothing more than the
obloquy which the respective riders |
of each could throw upon the nags’
of the others. The entrance, gra
tis. The purse the reward of speed
and bottom, furnished by the jocky
club, was a Liberty Cap, which
invested the succesful candidate
with the Presidency of these Uni
ted States for the term of four years ,
from and after the 4 th of March
1825.
The magnificence of the prize,
produced great interest and ex
citement; and it was supposed
the turf would be crowded with the
distinguished racers of the contin
ent. Indeed for a long time pre
vious to the day of trial the public
prints were incessant at their annun
ciations of celebrated coursers, who
would be competitors in this con
test. But when the day of entrance
came, and the books were closed,
the following five candidates were
alone placed on the list—to wit: the
Adams the Jackson, the Clay, the
Calhoun and the Crawford. (N. B.
It is said the Dewitt Clinton of
New-York—a steed of no small
celebrity, would have also entered ,
had not some of the Jockies of that
state, last year, wilfully lamed
him !)
But to enable the reader to enter
fully into the interests which this
contest excited, I will add a brief
sketch of the pedigree and per
formances of the five nags which
were entered.
The Adams is a horse of illus
trious ancestry. He u r as begotten
by the celebrated John Adams who
ran with such distinguished ap
plause during the revolutionary
war ; and although his performan
ces in the latter part of his life de-
tracted much from that high and
deserved reputation which his
early success had acquired for him
—having been in old age, beaten
and distanced by the pride of Vir
ginia—that matchless courser Jef
ferson —still he was unquestionably
a horse of no mean prowess. The
friends of the old Adams however
attributed the defeat which he re-
ceived at the hands of the Jefferson ,
to bad keeping , and threw the
blame upon one of his grooms,
named Hamilton ; but wholly with
out authority, for the J efllcrson was
evidently his superior. But jockies,
you know are fruitful in excuses
when ill fortune attends their nags.
‘The high blood ol the Adams
seems to have been more sanguinely
xelied on than either his figure or
his previous performances ; for lie
is an obese, stout buttockcd animal,
and his excellence in racing par
takes not of downright turf running,
such as we now speak of, but ra
ther of the light, air y ambling of
the Pegasus breed. It is with
difficulty he can be kept in the track,
so much is he addicted to bolting.
He displayed his propensity in this
way in the year 1807. When run
ning against some horses called
Republicans over the course called
the Senate, he suddenly reared,
plunged and kicked up—threw oil
his rider, one Oris, whom he re
peatedly stamped, and forthwith
clashed into a rich green clover
lield that bordered the margin of
the course, where he has ever since
remained, grazing on the fat of the
land. His sire was also vehement
ly addicted to this practice of bol
ting.
The Adams has been frequently
sent, to Europe by’ the American
Jockies; but it is said the expenses
attending the outfits, £?’c. always
amounted to more than his v. in
nings. He was raised in Massa
chusetts ; or rather he was born
there, for he was trained in Europe,
having gone to that country when
but eleven years old, and remained
there many years, under the gui
dance of some royal grooms.
The J ackson is a tall,slim horse ;
but 44 of mighty bone and bold em
prise.” He is moreover exceed
ingly’ spirited and high mettled.—
In his own State, (Tennessee,) he
has ran with wonderful success;
never having lost a race there or
else where —but it is the splendid
victory which he obtained over the
noted British horse, the Packfn
ham on the Orleans Turf on the
Bth of January, 1815, which has
given him such distinguished repu
tation. The Packenham was a lull
blooded courser—a kin to the in
vincible Wellington, who beat the
far famed Napoleon on the field of
Waterloo. ‘The Packenham was
expressly picked bv the British
King,from amongst the whole stud,
and sent to the Orleans tort ex
pressly to encounter an American
horse ; vet the Jackson distanced
him the first round. It is univers
ally admitted, even by the knowing
ones of England, that the Jackson
ran that race in exceeding quick
time ! The Jackson has also
beaten the Creek , the Seminole and
the Florida , horses of some note.
As to the Calhoun, he is a mere
colt— scarcely bridlewise. His for
mer performances had given him no
reputation—and the knowing ones
were astonished at the rashness of
his keepers in placing him in com
petition with such tried speed and
bottom.
He is,’tis true, a sprightly, lively
looking colt, but he has not one of
the marks or points of a first rate.—
His hackers frequently indicated a
disposition to withdraw him, and
venture their funds on the Adams;
but in their councils 44 madness ru
led the hour,” and he appeared up
on the course a candidate for domi
nation.
The Clay is an airy supple joint
ed fellow, of bright and cheerful
countenance. Tie comes from the
backwoods of Kentucky, where he
has run with such success,at county
gatherings, that in that state he has
no competitor. In 1814 he ran at
Ghent, where some American Hor
ses, and amongst others the Adams,
yvere matched against the steeds of
old England; and success croyvned
the heels of the Americans. It is
thought by some that the Adams
did not on that occasion maintain
the interests of the yvhole American
sportsmen, but that he ran only for
the Cape Cod jockies. The western
sportsmen had liked to have lost
their all by him, and yvould, but lor
the Clay
The Crawford is a tall, majes
tic figure, with wonderful bone,
muscle and sinew.—His tread firm
and indicative of great strength and
activity’. He sprung from the old
Virginia stock of racers ; one of the
best strains in these United States.
(Vide the American racing calendar
titles, Washington , Jefferson, Mad
ison and Monroe .) —When young he
yvas taken to Georgia, and there oc
casionally ran a feyv cider races suc
cessfully, yvhen his oyvners, embol
dened at his success, ventured to
enter him in the State jocky club,
yvhere he defeated the favorite horse
of Georgia, although often opposed
by that dare devil the John Clark ,
a nag of some distinction in that
quarter, who has lately, hoyvever,
become spavined,splinted and string
halted.—lt is singular that the sup
porters of all the other nags vied in
their abuse of this horse and of his
performances.
Such are the characters of the
horses which paraded on the day of
trial. All of them had acquired re
putation in their provincial racing,
but how they yvould play their parts
yvhen opposed to each other on the
great theatre of the national turf,
yvas all “ doubt and darkness.”—
Bets were various—and the vocife
rations of praise by the friends of
the respective nags were boisterous
and constant. Ihe shrewd Yankee
yvas ready to risk his yvhole crop of
Onions, together yvith the fruits of
his year's toil in the Cod fishery,
on their favorite Adams.—Hun
dreds of the sons of old Kentucky
around the Clay, yvho made the
4 yvelkin ring’ yvith their shouts.—
They said 4 he yvas half Horse—half
Aligator, and tipped with the snap
ping Turtle.”—Nav, they avowed
he yvas a very Steam Boat! —a
1 Mississippi Sawyer !’ They swore
: he was the best horse on the turf,
and that they could out run, out
jump, out shoot, throw down or
whip any man or set of men who da
red to contradict them! 1
A faint uproar of approbation was
occasionally heard lrom the friends
of the Calhoun but it was 4 a dying
sound .’
The Georgians and Virginians
were loud in their plaudits —Ihev
ottered to stake piles of old Virgin
ia sweet scented and Georgia uplands
on the Crawford. The Yankees
looked with a yearning eye at the
hogsheads and bales and sinned most
heinouslv, in their hearts, against
that commandment, yvhich forbids
the coveting of thy neighbour s pro
perty.
The Jackson had about him some
staunch friends, though ieyv in num
ber. They talked of the ever glori
ous eighth, and swore “by the
deeds be had done,’ that he was 4 the
horse of horses!’
The Adams had been long in
training. He had been long under
the care of tyvo famous sporting as
sociations, called the 44 Essex Jun
to,” and “Hartford Convention,”[*]
yvhose system of training yvas fash
ioned after the English plan.
The Clay yvas trained chiefly in
Kentucky, amongst the people , and
rubbed doyvn occasionally 7 by the
I friends of the South American inde
pendence h the Mississippi boatmen.
Some Dutch yvaggoners in Penn
sylvania, had the keeping of the
Calhoun, who stuffed him with rye
straw and wheat bran ; a sort of food
th t merely tended to puff him up,
without invigorating him with any
real strength.
The Jackson might be said to be
yvithout keepers: at least he had
none of experienced professional
skill. His backers said he yvas al
ways at the service of the jocky
club—that be required no keeping ,
and that he was always ready if the
people should think ft to start him. —
No studied preparation had there
fore been made, and lie came upon
the ground full and rough—relying
on his native strength, unaided by
the skill of the jockies.
The Crawford was in famous
plight. He was at first managed
by some Georgia jockies. He yvas
thence taken to the old dominion ,
yvhere he was again looked after by
some of the old grooms of 98 ; the
same who had trained the Jefferson,
when he beat 4 t’other Adams.’—
JVtordecai Noah of Neyv-York also
4 ever and anon’ took him thro gh a
course of exercise.
The State of Maine yvas selected
as the starting post. There, on the
appointed day the candidates met;
and from thence they yvere to run
throughout the whole twenty-four
States.
The beating of the drums announ
ced that the hour for the riders to
mount had arrived. The rattling
of this instrument of yvar, electrified
Old Hickory. It was to the same
music he ran yvhen he tried his speed
yvith the Packenham. He pricked
up his ears, bowed his neck, cham
ped his bit, and carried lofty. But
this note of yvar greatly affrighted
the Adams, yvhose spirits are al
yvavs startled at 4 yvild war’s deadly
blasts ;’ and his friends yvere great
ly shocked at sounds so offensive to
the feelings of a peaceable and reli
gious people.
The Editor of the National Gazette
was selected as the rider of the Ad
ams, who has acquired some dis
tinction both in this country and in
Britain, as a rider. His system of
political horsemanship partakes
more of the English, than of the
American mode. And it is more
over said he is quite capricious in
relation to his tenets, alternately
the votary of 4 doctrines fashioned
to the varying hour ’ He mounted
his candidate for dominion : and the
richness and gaudiness of his dress
filled the people yvith amazement,
lie yvas clothed in purple; and on
his head he yvore a cap shaped like
a crown ; and attached to this crown
floated in the air tyvo ensigns, im
pressed with appropriate mottos. —
The one, however, yvas speedily tied
up; the other rattled in the yvind,
and displayed this inscription,
[*This insinuation yve do not wish
to go at more than its value. It is
yvell known by every man of informa
tion that Mr. Adams can in no way be
associated yvith the Hartford Conven
tion. We wish every candidate to be
treated fairly, and that the writer had
confined the display of his wit, in this,
as yvell as in some other cases, nearer
to the truth.]
■ i ’Ac arc all Federalist* ■•> e <.. a a
Republicans .'’—lt yvas, however,
whispered about, that this v.'as the
same flag yvhich the Adams carried
when he ran in Massachusets under
the fictitious name of Publicola;
and it yvas apparent that the ground
of the ensign had been r.eyvly re
painted; that the old inscription had
been brushed out, and this ney7 one
substituted in its stead.
Noah , one of the Craw lord Jock
ies, a keen lynx-eyed felloyv, yvas
seen to gaze slyly, yet intently, at
this ancient banner, and hinted that
vestiges of the ancient yvritings
vr ere visible ; a transcript of which
being submitted to that burrower
after antiquities, Doctor Mitchill,
he produced the true and original
reading to be thus:— 4 Huzza for
the Alien and Sedition Laws !’—
44 Standing Armies and Direct Pax
es.”—The rider carried in his hand
a yvhip, made of a certain timber
called 4 direct taxes,’ admirably cal
culated for scourging. The Adams
carried heavy weight fastened upon
him by the opposing grooms, con
sisting of huge masses of Federalism
and Aristocracy. It was thought
those burthens yvould not greatly
impede his progress in passing over
the dry sandy soil of the Neyv En
gland Slates; but it was believed
they yvould cause him to stick fast
in the deep rich and loamy grounds
of the West.
He yvas led to the starting post by a
federalist of the Boston turf.
The Clay was mounted by one of the
people; a rough, hardy Kentuckian,
dressed in a linsy woolsy hunting shirt
fastened around him, a coarse leathern
belt, with deer skin mockasons, yvith a
“ blue and white cotton handkerchief”
tied round his head. He curried a
whip, a mere tyvig, cut from the tree
persuasion. His bridle reins were
made of the people's will. He too un
furled an ensign, which bore “ The
Western States and the Mississippi!”
The only extra weight which the 6'lay
carried consisted in an old dirty pack
of cards, heretofore much used, but ap
parently long since throyvn bv, which
the Jldams jockies sneakingly thrust
into the girdle of his rider.
A“ Western Citizen” conducted the
Clay to the polls yvho merrily chanted
as he led him up,
My bonny brave Horse has come out of
the West,
And in all the great valley this steed is
the best.
A square built mynheer of Penn
sylvania, led the Calhoun to the charge
yvho pitched upon his back a mere catch
(the Editor of the Franklin Gazette)
as his rider. The little groom yvas al
most weighed doyvn yvith epaulettes,
sashes, lace, buttons, embroidery and
plumes, lie yvore a fierce chapeau to
yvhich was affixed, a golden plate, with
this inscription, “ The Army Candid
ate.” ’Tvvas cruel to oppress this year
ling yvith additional weight; but an un
feeling Crawford jockey thrust into
the knapsack of the rider a huge Rip
Rap Rock, yvhich almost prostrated the
frisky racer.
The Gallant War Horse Jackson
was led to the poles—'The Editor of
the Columbian Observer, officiating as
his principal attendant, though his as
sistance had previously been given to
the Clay.—lie was rode by the Editor
of the Nashville Gazette, who owing
to the spirit of his steed, was mounted
without yvhip or spur. He yvore an
old Continental three cornered cocked
hat, with ensigns pendant, in yvhich
were inscribed “Camden, Tahoopka,
Neyv-Orleans.” The Clay folks un
generously endeavored to fasten to his
croup a heavy southern mineral called
Arbuthnot, yvhich however the noble
animal shook off entirely, before lie
started.
Next “ in gallant trim” yvas mar
shalled at the polls the lofty Crawford
—His undaunted air, perfect figure,
and agile tread, called forth the plau
dits of the great assemblage—The Ed
itor of the National Advocate, the fa
mous New-York keeper, the same yvho
last year lamed and pecked the Clin
ton ; led the Crawford to the polls—
The Editor of the Enquirer, a lad bred
in the best Virginia stables, yvas seat
ed on Ilia back. In his dress were
blended the fashions of the yvhite man
and of the Indian. On his flag glared
in large Capitals, STATE RIG (I l’S
—ECONOMY—REPUBLICANISM
OF NINETY-EIGHT ”—and in the
hack ground a painting ; a representa
tion of an encounter, in which the how
•f Cupid overcomes the scalping knife
of the Savage, designed as an emblem
of the new mode of inculcating civili
zation by means of the pleasant process
of intermarriages.
lie carried neither scourge nor goad.
His enemies thrust under hri saddle
large bundles of mis-stated Treasury
Reports—Suppressed Documents, &c.
but his rider with the slight of hocus
pocus, freed himself from these encum
brances. Thev attempted too to point
* * K
l Oii £> >)[ I g(1 c* . t\i . Ali i V
said had attached itself to him, 1
was bedizzened by the respler
dapples of Republicanism which pen',
ded his whole body.
The competitors yvere at l<> r „,|
marshalled at the post. The Jj.;’
gave the word—GO ! A hurra !\,
shouted by the multitude ami < ;
dashed the gallants; an empire tL
prize.
They started in the State of Maine
through yvhich state there were tsi
tracts, viz. the Missouri Tract and tin
Maine Tract. The Crawford prom],:
ly selected the Missouri route, wi llC ;
he steadily pursued, and at the onset
ran far ahead of the Adams, who Eg
much time in temporising, in first trv.
ing the advantages of one track, and
then of the other, to catch the more |y>
pular breeze. At length having gotten
into the current, lie spread all Ins car.,
vuss, and then ensued a vigorous coo.
test hetyveen the Crawford and the
Adams, yvhich however resulted in the
supremacy of the latter. Throughout
New Hampshire the Adams continued
to lead the van. The same success
continued to attend him as lie onwards
passed over Vermont; but as they dasli
ed along the Green Mountains, the old
W arriors of the Revolution shout'd
zealously for Old Hickory, yvho made
a run at the Adams under this cheer
ing, but ineflectunllv. Massachusetts
was next entered, the Adams tar ahead
Here the rider ot the Adams unfurled
his heretofore concealed banner winch,
displayed 4 * The Hartford Convention
and the “ Universal Yankee Nation!”
and amongst those people yvho have so
long cried “ England is the Bulwark
of our Religion,” the efleet which these
talismanic yvords produced was prodi
gious. Faneuil Hall resounded with
cheers. Throughout the Adams led the
way.
Once hoyveverhe yvas suddenly check
ed in the career, on the plains of Lex
ington, by the shades of those wings,
yvhose bones are bleaching on those
fields. They essayed to tear from the
broyv of his rider the traitorous ensign
yvhich he had just unfurled.
The state of the turf in this State
seemed happily fitted for the success
ful progress of the Adams ; whilst the
other nags trodc on a soil peculiarly
heavy to republican hoots.
No change yvas noticed in their pro
gress through Rhode Island, hut as they
readied the confines of Connecticut,
the Adams evidently flagged, notwith
standing the vehement application of
the spur, whilst the others seemed to
acquire new vigour.
At Stonington the wind c field pass
ed the Adams, yvho yvas at that period
terribly frightened at the carousals of
the people of that village yvho yvere just
then celebrating the anniversary of
their victory over commodore Hardy.
“ The Gentleman ot Philadelphia,”
yvho rode the Adams yvas much vexed
at this accident, and declared it “ un
becoming a religious and moral people
to rejoice at their victories over their
enemies.”
This accident brought the com
petitors together, and in a pretty
well started line all entered the State
of Neyv-York. In this State there
yvas no sham riding. It yvas deem
ed by all an important stage in the
contest. The struggle was vehe
ment on the part of each. The
Crawford led the way, pressed how
ever frequently, up to the girth, by
the Adams. In this state the rider
of the Adams douced his 44 Hartford
Convention” flag ; but not so com
pletely as to obscure entirely a
glimmering of the ancient inscrip
tion. The times had changed—New
York 44 yvas herself again.” The ri
der of the Adams tried each art
to urge the dull delay ot his beast.
A volatile genius, he had been
44 every thing by starts and nothing
long.” He rode some times in
federal style, sometimes in English
style and sometimes in the republi
can way, tho av.’kwardly enough it
is true, but to no advantageous end
'The Crawford led the yvay; and
this excited no astonishment in
those yvho yvere appraized that No
ah had taught Ritchie how to avail
himself of all the near cuts in that
mighty state. The course of the
Adams in that state, yvas too devi
ous for one yvhohad but little time
to spare. ‘The poor Calhoun yvas
greatly distressed. The Clay made
a vigorous, but unsuccessful effort.
—The Jackson yvas doing well, but
yvhen he leaped across the great ca
nal. his rider shouted, 44 Huzza lor
Dewitt Clinton !” which so vexed
the Tammanies that they threyv eve
ry sort of rubbish and obstruction
in his path New-Jersey. also became
the arena of a vigorous contest, and
it i*-difficult to say yvhich acquired
the victory. But it is believed the
Adams maintained a general supe
riority in that state ; though as they
I bounded across the fields of Prince -
I ton and Tent on the Jackson gained