The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1881-03-29
ASTORIA. OREGON:
Bourbon in the White House
DIroRUNL CoRREsPoNDENCE

unique and touching ceremony. |
The large picture rested against
the paneled wall near the front of
the east parlor, on the east side of
the room, and in a diagonal line
facing it were the lady delegates
OF the National Christian Temper
-ance Union and the Mrs. Hayes
Memorial Committee, with Miss
Frances Z. Willard, the president,
as their spokesman. President.
Garfield stepped forward and Miss
Willard addressed him in ferveht
and beautiful appeal, to which no
gallant man could listen unmoyed.
With great tact she avoided di-
rectly asking him to forbid the use
of wine at the White house; she
only intimated the thought and
prayer that was in their hearts.
At the conclusion of her remarks
she quoted with infinite pathos the
stanzas beginning:
Ring out the old. ring in the new;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
The Presidents face was a study.
1t was gravely courteous-the face
of a man whose mind is made up,
but who deprecates the pang his
decision may bring to sensitive
human hearts. His eyes were bent
upon the floor in a listening atti-
tude. He replied in his customary
eloquent way, not more kind than
firm. He said:
have observed the significance
which you have given this portrait
from the standpoint you occupy,
and in connection with the work
in which you are engaged. First,
/ approve most heartily what you
have said In reference 10 the free
dom of individual judgment and
action symbolized in this portrait
There are several sovereignties ia
this country; l. the sovereignty o
the American people; ,. the SOW
ereignty nearest 10 us of all-thC
sovereignty of the family; the alb
solute right of each family to con
troll its affairs In accordance Will
the convictions of both the head.
of the family. In the picture tha
is before US that is bravely sym
bolized. / have no doubt the
American people will always ten
derly regard the household sover
eighty, and however household
NAV differ in their views and con
nections, ] believe that those diff
ferences will be respected. Eacl
household, by following its owl
convictions and holding itself re
sponsible to God, will, / think, b,
respected by the American people
What you have said concernin,
the evils of intemperance meet
my most hearty concurrence.
have been, in my way and accord
ing to nv own convictions, a
earnest advocate of temperance
not in so narrow a sense as some
but in a very definite and practice
sense. These convictions are dee
and will be maintained. Whethe
shall be able to meet the view
Of all people in regard to all tn
phases of that question remain t
be seen, but / shall do what / ca
TO abate the great evils of intem
perance. shall be glad to hav
this picture upon these walls, an
shall be glad to remember you
kind expressions to me and m
family, and in your efforts to bette
mankind by your work l hope ths
you will be guided, by wisdom
and that you will achieve a worth
success.
President Gar6eld's reply had
point of quiet emphasis in it IN h
assertion that the head of eac
family was the proper person {
decide the customs and usages
that family. Whatever course ii
management of the White houi
shall take on the wine question,
therein assumed the responsible
upon his own broad shoulder
determined that the world sh;
lay no jot of it upon his wife.
left them no doubt of his purpOs
but he softened it by the me
delicate language, and afterwa
by bringing forward his wife to I
side to join him in the individu
presentation of thes ladies. Ho'
ever one may depreciate the i'd
that the chief citizen of the Matt,