The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-05-11

ExpOstulates ON the Drunkenness
of Greatness, beginning with
that of Alexander and Coming
Down TO Andy Johnson
Correspondence of the Herald.

Correspondence of the Herald.
WASHINGTON, ID, u, May s, 30.
went down the Potomac yesterday TO a
clam-bake and shad.roasting. The fish were
spread upon johnnycake boards set up before
"log heap fires" While baking Virginia
African "basted' them with butter and con-
diments. Odors most delicious in the nos
,rils of hungry men went up to heaven, and
we ate ravenously the table was burdened
with steamng, odorous shad beneath great
oaks. We looked down upon the Fl, 1t of
fshingsmacks, their masters spreading nets
or drawing them ashore in the sunlight. 1t
was busy day, when tons of herring and
shsd were dragged up and boats hastily
treghted went careering away, all sails set
toward Washington and Baltimore. The
home Of Washington was visited ard the
broad bosom of the Potomac, bright and
beautiful beneath radiant sun in cloud.
less sky. Returning late in the afternoon
the shining, majestic dome Of the capitol
mfny miles away, slowly rose up out Of the
mists of the dim distance. 1t sprahg from
among the homes of the city and out of
the plain, and over'topped the hills end
lowered above the clouds, and seemed, in its
beauty snd splendor, suspended by angels
with golden cords from the heavens to de-
light mankind with one blsstul vision of that
"home not made with hands eternal
in the heavens The sun was setting when
the steamer drew near, the city yelled in mis-
ty shadows of coming night; but brilliant
rays of light still gilded the lofty dome and
ilumined with glowing fires every pane of
gl,'s in the vast pile OF spotleis marble, and
the mighty structure was ailame with gorge
Gus splenC ors. 1t was vision of dream
land, giving anchorage to filth and the vague
immagining of our race a stronger hold on
the possibilities of blessed fu.ur
STEPHENS on GRANT.
Hon. A. Ii. Stephens health is such that
he neither reads nor writes ut night. lie be-
gins to look Cd, and is wen and thin snd
pale but his kindness and singular
good temper never fail him. and each even
ing men and women, especially the young,
ere accustomed to sit about the fascinating
talker while be discus! es events Of to-day or
o. the long ago. He occupies the apart
ments irequented by Henry Clay, and in
which the marvellous kentuckian died. lie
commonly sits in his wheeled chair Mt the
whist table until visitors become too numer.
Gus. When he csn no longer entertain them
and play skillhlly. the game is abandoned,
and taking hold of the wheels of his chair
that move him about, he withdraws to the
doorway of his bedroom and in his peculiar
voice answers questions and leads in the most
interesting colloquies.
WHAT HE THINKS OF GRANT.
He is much inclined to believe that Grant
will be nominated on the first ballot at
Chicago, and SAYS il We do not make pc.
tent ticket Mt Cincinnati, Grant viii be el,c-
ted by an overwhelming majority. Tilden
would have no chance in such contest,
YET Mr.. Stephens, inferred from his sug-
gestons last night, despite his high
tRtimate of Grants personal virtues, would
vote fer Tilden. There were straight Demo-
Gratis present. who said that in the contin-
gency contemplated, they would not. Mr..
Stephens laughs at the opposition TO Grant
because the next would be his third-term. He
said that Grants fitness for the place was
only heightened by his experience, and that
he had vet to see Senator or member of the
Lower House whose usefulness was con-
fessedly improved by successive terms Of SER
vice.
GRANTS DRUNKENNESS.
"But," said fare dame. "Grant's habits are
fearfully bad and his example is worse 81
am not sure, answered Mr.. Stephens, "that
your objection to the man has the force you
ascribe to it, have been in public life near
ly forty years and seen much Of the great 1t
and wisest ofmy countrymen, and the best
and wlsest madly intoxicated. 1t is a disease
ofgenuine and, must confess, now and then
ofinordinate BUotion stupidity"
GEORGE WASHINGTON ON TEMPERANCE.
~ have read" continued Mr.. Stephens,
''the story that Washington entered into
formal contract with his Irish gardener--in
fact have read the contract itself--in which
II is provided that Patrick might properly
get drunk thrice each vesr, during Christ.
mas, on the Fourth Of July, ard on St. Pat
rick's Day in the Morning. There was no
restriction as to the duration or violence of
these debauches. Daniel Webster's highest
developments Of generosity were discovered
when he happened to drink too deeply. You
have heard how, when he pra'id;d at
the festival given Louis kossuth,
the Hungarian orator, Mr.. Webster, was
boosting in his dinner-table speech of the
riches of America. and said that our public
debt was "a mere trifle--a bagatelle
"What does it amount to?" Webster asked.
Some one answered "S65000,000." "Hic,
yes, sirs," responded the god.like Daniel,
thrusting his hands deep down into his pock-
cts. Its q trife siri' by Cd IN lust
nav IL mvselfr Tho fun Of tho ;ncidant rar