otent
influence, then and there, to secure an election.

"So I was able," writes Crockett, "to buy a little of the 'creature,'
to put my friends in a good humor, as well as the other gentlemen, for
they all treat in that country; not to get elected, of course, for that
would be against the law, but just to make themselves and their friends
feel their keeping a little."

The contest was, as usual, made up of drinking, feasting, and speeches.
Colonel Alexander was an intelligent and worthy man, who had been
public surveyor. General Arnold was a lawyer of very respectable
attainments. Neither of these men considered Crockett a candidate in
the slightest degree to be feared. They only feared each other, and
tried to circumvent each other.

On one occasion there was a large gathering, where all three of the
candidates were present, and each one was expected to make a speech. It
came Crockett's lot to speak first. He knew nothing of Congressional
affairs, and had sense enough to be aware that it was not best for him
to attempt to speak upon subjects of which he was entirely ignorant. He
made one of his funny speeches, very short and entirely non-committal.
Colonel Alexander followed, endeavoring to grapple with the great
questions of tariffs, finance, and internal improvements, which were
then agitating the nation.

General Arnold then, in his turn, took the stump, opposing the measures
which Colonel Alexander had left. He seemed entirely to ignore the fact
that Crockett was a candidate. Not the slightest allusion was made to
him in his speech. The nervous temperament predominated in the man, and
he was easily annoyed. While speaking, a large flock of guinea-hens
came along, whose peculiar and noisy cry all will remember who have
ever heard it. Arnold was greatly disturbed, and at last requested some
one to drive the fowls away. As soon as he had finished his speech,
Crockett again mounted the stump, and ostensibly addressing Arnold, but
really addressing the crowd, said, in a loud voice, but very jocosely:

"Well, General, you are the first man I ever saw that understood the
language of fowls. You had not the politeness even to allude to me in
your speech. But when my little friends the guinea-hens came up, and
began to holler 'Crockett, Crockett, Crockett,' you were ungenerous
enough to drive them all away."

This raised such a universal laugh that even Crockett's opponents
feared that he was getting the best of them