The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-06-05
BY W. A. CROFFUT,

The other day they held memorial
meeting in Washington in honor of the
life and work of the late Professor Jo-
seph Henry, chief of the Smithsonian In
stitution. This country has, I suppose,
produced few men who have lived lives
of severer self-denial for the pursuit Of
scientific knowledge. Because he has
gone from us at last, widely known and
full Of fame among scholars, it may in
terest your readers TO hear a short story
of war times which somewhat closely in
cluded him.
/ attended, in the fall of 1861, meet
ing at the residence of Louis Clenhane,
in Washington, called for the purpose OF
organizing a course of lectures there,
having for their object the creation of a
sentiment favorable to the abolition of
slavery as a war measure. Just as the
meeting composed of dozen young
clerks in the Departments) was called to
order, the door opened and a white hair
ed, bean-eyed man, six feet high and
straight as a wild Indian, entered. s'Mr
Chairman" he said, 81 saw call to
roung aboiitionists in the paper this
morning, and looking within my heart |
found that [ answered to tho descrip-
ton 1t was the old poet, John Pier
pont, and he was then seventy-eight
years old and had been campaigning in
Virginia mud as chaplain of Massa-
chusetts regiment. We received him
with enthusiasm, and elected him our
president.
We determined to invite thither such
men as Horace Greeley, Wendell Phil
lips, William Goodell, Garrison, Freder-
ick Douglas, George William Curtis, and
dozen others, who had never before
spoken below Mason and Dixon's line,
and that purpose was completely carried
out during that memorable winter.
The first question was, Gould we get
the right sort of hali?"
1--WE will have the Smithsonian Hall, -
said our president.
"Can We get it?" was the next ques-
ton.
Mr. Pierpont and were committee
to present the case to Secretary Henry.
We found him in, and he comes to my
memory now SIS a wonderfully suaye man,
with an armor of the old-school dignity
of demeanor-above the ordinary size
gray hair, pair of keen and inquisitivt
gray eyes, head broad at the base, ful
perceptives, practical and business-like ii
conversation, speech direct and unadorn
| ed.
"BIess me, no; it would excite great
animosity to turn this hall into an aboli
ton school. l think it might almost
break mp our work here. 1t would gel
the Regents by the ears"
"Who are the Regents?' quietly asked
Ir. Pierpont.
Professor Henry counted them ovel
and found that several of them were be
low the picket lines.
They can be counted out, suggested
Mr.. Pierpont, with merry twinkle Of
his eye; they viii never trouble yor
any more!"
As Henry was pro-sIavery man, ever
of a mild type, he looked grave at this
Being urged to consider the point, how
ever, he made another count and fount
that majority of the Regents who coulC
report themselves ''present for duty
were republicans. He was apparently
little chagriued at this, but his refusal o
the ball was persistent. ''Such thinI
could not be thought of. -
At last we gave itup and retired for re
Inducements.
''He's an old fool!'' exclaimed Owe
Lovejoy, next morning, when the fact
were reciteI to him. ''Get the Recen;
to ovelrule him, and if they don't, W
will give you the hall of the House