The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-06-15
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER,


tary Evarts to Governor Stone, of Mis-
sissippi, giving in very decided language
the opinion of the administration in
regard to the recent murder of Judge
Chisholm and his family, is deemed
here as eminently wise. The letter will
enlighten the people of the Southern
States in regard to the Presidents posi-
tion upon the question of protection for
all classes of citizens in the South, and
also interpret to them his Southern pol
icy, which they seem unable to eompre-
hend in the right light. Their miseon-
struction seems to be willful when we
read of the Chisholm affair being so
closely followed by the assassination of
James Laws, of Louisiana, whose action
in conducting political meeting dur
ing the late campaign, also in testifying
before the Senate and House committee,
seems to have incurred vendetta. We
hope in the list of recent events our
good President may follow the old farm
er's example, when the boys were
astride his best apple tree filling their
pockets, of throwing grass at them till,
finding they didn't mean to come down,
he tried stones. We are aware that
first reports are exaggerated, and that
troubles in Mississippi should not be
saddled upon the President as a result
OF his policy, and further, that family
feuds everywhere South are as deadly
as political. Vendettas are not confined
to political opponents, for they extend
to people of nearest kin. Yet, as the
political murders come within the prov
ince of the executive, we trust an end
will be put to them in so far as the laws
will permit.
If the olive branch fails, Mr.. Presi-
dent, the .. S. bayonet never will.
Among those received by the Presl-
dent recently were Uncle Lewis Taylor,
of Virginia, aged ITO years, genuine
centenarian, and Mrs. Sprey, of Balti-
more, aged SO. This venerable lady
made the curtains for the White House
when President Jefferson occupied it.
She has full possession of all her facul-
ties, and critically examined the cur
tains now hung in the White House
parlors, and said that these now in use
are not half as fine and costly as those
she made.
APROPoS OF OLD AGE.
L. is surprising the number of cente-
narians in this portion of the country,
and so frequently do they appear in
public that all novelty is lost at seeing
them. A long residence South satisfied
US that its climate is more suitable for
the aged than Northern latitudes, and
that when men or women have bridged
over the critical periods of life and are
on the decline, our mild weather is less
trying and more calculated to lengthen
out their days than more Northern
places with more rigorous winters. A
friend recently buried his father who
had passed his ninety-ninth year. Con-
nected with the deceased is an interest
ing incident. He was born of Dutch
parents, but on his marriage and shortly
after the birth of his first child ceased
to speak Dutch, his native tongue in
his family, and for many years prior to
his last illness had wholly forgotten
every word of it. Yet in this sickness
he forgot his English and spoke only
his Dutch, and that fiuently up to his
last dying moments. None of his chill
dren could speak it, hence an interpre-
ter was constantly required to convey
his wishes. 1t is interesting to inquire
by what process of mind could the ma
tive language be so suddenly restored
with the entire loss of the acquired,
and that after so many years of obliv-
ion. Where was the old language dur
ing all this time? Was it stored up in
the brain, needing only the purifying
processes of death to remove the acqui-
sitions or secretions rather, of life from
it? If so, why did it Danish these addi-
tions so summarily and completely.
That Southern latitudes are more try
ing to the young than Northern is per-
haps fact. Yet in its elevated regions
where deadly malaria and epidemics
are not found, it does seem more aged
are to be seen, and with their age more
vigor and strength and freedom from
disease than in your climate.
Every few weeks Mr.. Minor calls
on US, and he is as full of life and clear
headed sense at eighty-five as hundreds
we have met in the North are at three
score. He walks everywhere, and be-
ing Virginian, of course he chews to-
bacco, though is exceptionally moder-
ate in its use. He is but one of many
of our acquaintance, and we cannot es-
cape the pernicious effects of over-heated |
rooms, and to take exercise at nearly |
all times of the winter is most condu-
Give to longevity, and we attribute the
great numbers of octogenarians more
to our mild weather than to any other
cause.
The President yesterday received
delegation of ministers and lay dele |
gates of the recently united Methodist
Protestant Churches, and was addressed |
by several of them, among whom we
noted Chas. w. Button, of Lynchburg,
Virginia. II sounded odd to hear him