The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-02-23
A SententiOus Interview Between Two
Great Men.

A SenUenuOuS interview Between Two
Great Men.
ONE day last week Secretary Evarts,
who had been confined to his room sew
eral days by severe indisposition, was
walking out for little air and exercise,
when he met Alex. H. Stephens, lean
ing on the arm of an attendant and
walking very slowly and painfully
along. He was evidently very weak
Mr.. Evarts paused and grasped the old
mans hand.
my dear Mr.. Stephens" he ex-
claimed, warmly, permit me to ex-
tend the salutations of the day, the ex-
hilarating atmosphere and warm reful-
gent, glowing sunshine of which, ma
ture's own unmedicated tonic, l have
no reasonable doubt must infuse into
your own life and vital forces, as in
deed feel that it does into my own
shaken and perturbed system, that new
ness of life, that spontaneous renewal
of mental vigor and physical activity,
that revivifying of the forces, that glow
and warmth of second youth as it
were, a rejuvenating of the mental
man, which, at our time of life, when
the burdens of public bear all too heav-
ily upon us, and the cares of public
service strain both the body and brain,
is grateful relief, a heavenly invigor-
ant, a"
Excuse me, faltered Mr.. Stephens,
SHUT before you begin, allow me
intrinsic difference of natural i'm
pressions and organic diffusions, per-
meating the entire realm of protoplas-
mic and developed life, does not. and
in the very nature and order, and, in
fact, in the very eternal fitness, of
things cannot, acting either separately
or in the closest and most harmonious
conjunction with each other, bring
about, independently of exterior and
apparently irrelevant causes, natural or
artificial, developed, as one may say,
from nature by art, science and the
tireless investigation of man, prompted
by that restless intelligence that from
the foundation of the world has pene-
trated the mysteries of the mine, the
forest, the mountain, the air, the pri-
meval rock itself, that from the limit
less realm of natures world, all that
has been concealed in her boundless
stores of reserved force, that is, its
natural state, or is in itself, or by proper
manipulation, ambition or treatment in
the forge, the lathe, the crucible, be
made, of good to man, either for his
physical protection, comfort or REIN
vigoration, can effect, in equal degree
or even in similar quality or manner,
the various organisms or constitutions
which, although under precisely identi-
cal conditions, are, or, rather, may be-,
subjected to the same impressions, or
series Of"
pardon me-" explained the Secre-
tary, but was about to remark that it
had often occurred to me, for this is not
by any means new subject of thought
or investigation with me, but indeed
one which in my leisure moments, when
| have thrown off the cares of state
and given myself up to the higher pleas
ures of scientific recreation and philo-
sophical research, have subjected to
the minutest, carefulest, detailed dis
section, viewing it in every mental light
in which it could be placed, establish
ing my theories upon all the various
groundwork of hypothesis that any in
vestigation could suggest, probing, in
deed, to the very core of the matter in
my anxious effort to get at the real,
definite, physical and abstract truth, so
that | feel prepared, amply and logical
ly prepared, to say with all confidence,
and believing that l can fully sustain
my position, that these very definite
forces to which you refer, the very spe-
citic influences of natural causes which
you have mentioned, upon the organic
conditions which yourself have cited,
not only can, but especially in cases of
direct contact, most assuredly and
pointedly, and indeed, almost invaria-
bly, and infallibly do, create, effect and
produce the most sensible and appre-
ciative-n
But, my dear Mr.. Evarts, said Mr.
Stephens, ''you must surely admit t."
My venerable friend" exclaimed
the Secretary, in a tone of gentle re-
monstrance, "do you not see that"
But" protested Mr.. Stephens, 1" it
must be apparent to you that"
At this critical moment the Supervis-
ing Architect came along, and informed
Mr.. Evarts that the scatfolding was all
up and ready for the construction of
the first sentence in a special message
which was to be completed in time for
the next Congress, and, hastily excusing
himself in few hurried words, the
Secretary withdrew, and Mr.. Stephens
went into a short executive session and
shortly after adjourned. - Burlington