BIOGRAPHICAL 49 



at the meetings. The main issues that year were the 

 Mills bill and the question of free trade. Mr. Lacey used 

 the argument so common in that campaign that the Mills 

 bill was in the interest of the English manufacturer and 

 against the American workman. At Newton, Iowa, the 

 speakers stood under the court-house portico with a vast 

 throng in front of them. The Sackville-West affair had 

 just occurred, in which the British minister had written 

 a letter advising all naturalized Englishmen to vote the 

 Democratic ticket. Mr. Lacey of course made good use 

 of this incident. General Weaver closed the debate that 

 day, and just as he was nearing the last part of his very 

 eloquent and beautiful peroration two birds fluttered 

 down in front of him from the portico above and hung 

 balanced in the air a few feet in front of his breast. They 

 fluttered playfully against each other and remained in the 

 same position for perhaps thirty seconds. The General 

 caught the inspiration of the situation and throwing up 

 his hands and raising his eyes towards heaven, said in 

 earnest tones, 'The very birds in the air bring happy 

 omens of our victory.' Quick as a flash Major Lacey 

 spoiled all this oratorical effect by rising and crying out, 

 ' Beware of them, General! They are English spar- 

 rows.' 



"Here the General's time expired and the crowd dis- 

 persed laughing and shouting. Until the end of the cam- 

 paign everyone talked of the pestiferous English spar- 

 rows nestling in the bosom of the eloquent general. Gen- 

 eral Weaver in accounting for his defeat always gave 

 considerable weight to this incident." 



