A PIG THAT CAUSED A WAR.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1807, 25 October 1888, Page 4

A PIG THAT CAUSED A WAR.

. Willis J. Abbott, in St, Nicholas for Julyj tellg the following remarkable story of the pig that brought about the war between England and the United States in 1812. It all happened in this wise ; Two citizens of Providence, R.I„ fell into a most unseemly discussion on account «if the lawless trespassings of a pig owned by one of them. .Repeated misdeeds on the part of the pig fanned the smouldering fires of dissension into the flames of open hostility. At last the crisis came. The owner of the garden, rising unusually early one morning, discovered the pig contentedly mnuching the last of a fine bed of tulip bulbs. Flesh and blood could stand it no longer, i Seizing a pitchfork : which lay near at hand, the outraged gardener plunged its sharp tines into the hapless pig, and bore the body, thus fatally impaled to the sty, where it met the gaze of its owner an hour or two later. Thereafter it was war .to the knife between the two neighbors. Now, what had all this to do with the war of 1812 ? The answer is simple. The two neighbors belonged to the political party known as the Federalists. Through all the outrages that Great Britain inflicted upon the United States, while seamen were being impressed, American vessels stepped on high seas, and while every possible indignity was being committed against the flag of the ’ United ' States, the’ Federalists continued friendly to Great Britain, 4 and contested every proposition for the declaration of war. But the Democratic party was eager for war, and, as British oppression became more unbearable, the strength of the Democrats increased. It so happened that the election district in which the'two neighbors lived had been about equally divided between the Democrats and Federalists —but tbe latter party had always succeeded in carrying the election. But in 1811 the owner of the garden was a candidate for the Legislature on, the Federalist ticket. His neighbor had always voted on that ticket, bjut now, with his mind ; filled with the bitter recollection of the death of his pig, he cast his ballot for the Democrats. When the ballots, wore counted the Democrats were found to be elected by a majority of one. When the newly-elected legislator took his seat, his first duty was to vote, for a United States senator. He cast his vote for the candidate of the Democrats, who was also elected by a majority of one. Whan this senator took his place in the United States Senate he found the question of war with Great; Britain pending, and after a long and bitter discussion jit came to a vote. The Domecrats voted for war, and the Federalists against it. As a result of the voting war was declared—again by a majority of one vote.