Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1885-06-25
"reminiscences OF Public Men.

L
"reminiscences OF Public Men.
The admirable manner in which the
state dinners at the White House are
now purveyed and served is the work
of the Presidents steward. Mr.. Howard
nj. Williams, who is the legal custodian
of the plate, tableware, linen, etc. Mr.
Williams enjoyed the training of the
late Mr.. Sam Hooper, whose steward
he was for several years, and whose din
ners have never been equaled. The
table was never overloaded, and there
was no straining after gastronomic effect
by the serving of dishes having long
the delicacies of the season, fish, flesh
and fowl, were served in the old-fash-
ioned styles, and the host did his own
carving. There was rarely day on
which Mr.. Hooper did not have one,
two, or three guests, rarely more, and
a~thuS -lTas- alba to AxArt ss~Aat -
When Mr.. Hooper went home to
Boston, or to Cotuit, in the summer
recess, he generally invited some
| friends who had to remain at the capi-
tai to occupy his house and use his
carriage. On one occasion when Mr..
Fessenden, then Secretary OF State,
was left in possession of the Washington
house, Mr.. Hooper wrote to him asking
why he did not use the carriage and
horses placed at his disposal. "To me, I"
wrote the solid man of Boston, "they
are of very little use. 1 am not fond
of driving and walk much for my
health. / rather keep my carriages on
| hot MI
joined the Episcopal Church when he
came into his property-because he
thought it more respectable for q man
of wealth to be an Episcopalian."
Mr.. Hooper was not only the dis
penser of elegant hospitality among his
friends, and liRsGaAI eQntriRRat9S ia All
campaign fund, but he was generous to
the poor. Unlike most wealthy men,
he took pleasure in relieving want,
although he disliked being imposed
on. During the last years of the war,
and after its conclusion, he used fire.
quently to send men who were, or who
pretended to- be, soldiers IN distress,
with request that I would investigate
their stories, and, if they were not inn
posters, relieve their wants, calling on
him for the amount afterward. He
used jokingly to call me his Lord High
Almoner," and among other pleasing
duties was the distribution of turkeys
and groceries among poor families,
white and black, at Thanksgiving and
| Christmas.
Mr.. Hooper's remains should grace
Mount Auburn, and be there honored
by a stately monument, but they rest
in peace in the Oak Hill Cemetery,
donated by Mr.. Corcoran to his native
city of Georgetown.
Simon Camaron's report as Secretary
OF War, in December, 1862, as originally
prepared, printed and sent over the
country for publication, took advanced
ground on the subject of slaves as prop
erty. 1t went as far in that direction
as did John Cochrane's speech to his
regiment, and went farther than did
Gen. Fremont's famous proclamation
in Missouri. When Secretary Cameron
indorsed the sentiments of Col. Coch-
rane's address, he did so understanding
fully its import. There was no mental
reservation in his expression of ap-
proval. The same views, understand,
he put forth in an official and clearly
expressed form in the report which he
had prepared to be submitted to Con-
gress, and which was to have accom-
panied the Presidents message. He
there enunciated the policy of the
emancipation of the slaves in the rebel
States, of the converting to the use of
the National Government all property,
whether slave or otherwise, belonging
to rebels, or resorting to every military
means to put down the rebellion, and
even of placing arms in the hands of
the negroes for that purpose.
President Lincoln, at the instance, it
was said, of Secretary Seward and Gen.
Mcclellan, declined to accept these
anti-slavery views from his subordinate,
and he ordered the return of the adj
vanced copies distributed for revision
and amendment. 1t happened, how
ever, that the Chicago Journal, the
| New York Tribune and the st. Louis
papers published the report as it was
originally written. AS the report, as
modified, was also published, the pub
lie had the benefit of both versions
The President struck out all that Cam
eron had written on the slavery question,
and substituted q single paragraph,
which was self-evidently from the Pres
idential pen. The speculations of the
Secretary as to the propriety of arming
the negroes were stricken out, and we
we're simply told that it would be inn
polite for the escaped slaves of rebels
to be returned again to be used against
us. Secretary Chase sustained Sec
retary Cameron, but Secretary Seward,
the former champion of higher-law
abolitionism, was so conservative at
this crisis of the great struggle between
freedom and slavery as to disgruntle the
ardent supporters Of the principles
which he had once assumed to be the
champion of.-Be1l: PerleU Poore.
1T is good to be unselfsh and gener-
GUS, but don't carry that too far. IL
will not do to give yourself to be melt
ed down for the benefit of the tallow
trade; you must know where to find
yourself. George Eliot.
TKERE is no lane without a turn
| in0