National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-28
THE PRESIDENTS KISS.
The JackaIs' Pursuit of General Garfield
and the Little White. Haired MOthcr.

The JacIKaIs' Pursuit of General CART cid
and the Little White-Haired Mother.
One or two brutes, in writing about
the Inauguration ceremonies, have taken occa-
sion to attack President Garfield, in such language
might be expected from their class. for turning
after he had taken the oath of Office to his
mother and wife and kissing them. To afford
GTSund for attack the act was described one per
formed before the gaze of the great crowd of Off
cials and multitude of the spectators Promising
that this is true, of these writers in the Nation,
in a communication which could hardly have
passed under the editors eye, questions
whether this act of the President was
not "the exhibition of a sentimental
ity as false as 1t was obtrusiYe." Much
more of this general character appears in the
course of this remarkable article-most remark
able, however. from the fact that 1t was allowed
admission to the journal which printed it. The
attack, though couched in decent language
was in spirit, coarse, brutal, and vulgar. 1t
was based on a falsehood, in that it
assumed the act of the President to
have been one paraded before all eyes The
exact fact about the matter is this: At
the outer edge and in the centre of the great plat
form erected at the east front of the Capitol for the
Inauguration ceremonies there was small one
rising few inches above the floor. Along theeen-
tire of this three chairs; General Garfield sat in
the middle one, with President Hayes at his left and
the Chief Justice at hisrght Mrs Hayes sat back of
the Chief Justice with General Garfield's mother
next her the left and Mrs. Garfield next to her
The balustrading along the front, heavily draped
as it was with flags almost entirely if it did not
wholly, conceal these ladies from the vast audi
ence in front, while those who stood back of
them shut them in from the sight of the mass
of officials on the platform. few of the
(9OrrpSOOn0pDtS h0 hoe Oiyn
close to the presidential party, and a few of
those near General Garfield as he turned from the
platform, in common with all the rest saw that he
stopped to kiss his old mother and then his wife
who sat next to her. It was an act as
far removed as possible from the spec
tacular, and there was scarcely dry eye in the
whole circle which noticed this beautiful
act of fflial and manly devotion. There had been
81 multitude ofmOist eyes in the Senate chamber
as one after another of the great crowd there
recognized the white haired mother of the
President. There had been many more as
she was helped down the steps of the east
porch and forward to a seat near her son. Her
presence was the one touching feature in the
magnificent pageant American manhood and
the representatives of the foreign nations I'M
covered as she passed 10 do her honor To
every one, while the tears started, there evil
IDENTIFY rose up q vision of the long road from
Wluowhood ana poverty over which she had
struggled with her boy, seeing him rise step by
step from one success and honor to another,
up to this position of browning triumph 1t
was the subject of general mention in all the
crowds throughout the day and to the honor of
ALL rough and cultivated, the act was referred to
IN tones that indicated deep feeling and with eyes
which told how strongly the incident appealed to
The most sacred feeling in the heart of man.
What memories must have rushed through his
mind as turning from that platform President
his eyes first rested upon that aged, white
haired mother, and under these circum-
stances he stopped and kissed his mother and
the wife who was supporting her, while tears stood
IN the eyes of the little company of witnesses
And IN thus honoring his mother he surely hon
oTed both himself and the high Office he holds
The brutal writing, even if smuggled into respect
able prints, will not cause the great mass of his
countTymen TO forget their manhood and decry
that of the President himself-WdsAiRgtoa CORE
Sl'53deRce Cincinnati Gazette