y plain, unvarnished ways, which
may seem strange to you here. I never had but six months' schooling in
all my life. And I confess, I consider myself a poor tyke to be here
addressing the most intelligent people in the world. But I think it the
duty of every representative of the people, when he is called upon, to
give his opinions. And I have tried to give you a little touch of mine."

Every reader will be interested in the perusal of the following serious
speech, which he made in Boston. It is a fair specimen of his best
efforts, and will give one a very correct idea of his trains of
thought, and modes of expression. It also clearly shows the great
questions which agitated the country at that time. It can easily be
perceived that, as a stump orator in the far West, Crockett might have
exercised very considerable power. This phase of his peculiar character
is as worthy of consideration as any other.

"GENTLEMEN:

"By the entire friendship of the citizens of Boston, as well as the
particular friendship with which you have received me this evening, I
have been brought to reflect on times that have gone by, and review a
prejudice that has grown up with me, as well as thousands of my Western
and Southern friends. We have always been taught to look upon the
people of New England as a selfish, cunning set of fellows, that was
fed on fox-ears and thistle-tops; that cut their wisdom-teeth as soon
as they were born; that made money by their wits, and held on to it by
nature; that called cheatery mother-wit; that hung on to political
power because they had numbers; that raised up manufactures to keep
down the South and West; and, in fact, had so much of the devil in all
their machinery, that they would neither lead nor drive, unless the
load was going into their own cribs. But I assure you, gentlemen, I
begin to think different of you, and I think I see a good many good
reasons for so doing.

"I don't mean that because I eat your bread and drink your liquor, that
I feel so. No; that don't make me see clearer than I did. It is your
habits, and manners, and customs; your industry; your proud,
independent spirits; your hanging on to the eternal principles of right
and wrong; your liberality in prosperity, and your patience when you
are ground down by legislation, which, instead of crushing you, whets
your invention to strike a path without a blaze on a tree to guide you;
and above all, your never-dying, deathless grip to our gl