The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-12
MIR. BEECHER IN ENGL AND.
The Arrival at Liverpool and the voyag



The Arrival at Liverpool and the Voyage
Over.
Liverpool Letter in London Daily News.
Only once. it is said. has bigger shipful of
saloon passengers been brought across the At
lantic than that which was landed here last
night from the Cunard steamship Etruria
There were 55S souls. as the expressive phrase
of the mariner has it, on board, and the trans
ference of such number to the Cunard tender,
the Skirmisher, was business that could not be
conveniently carried on with any large number
of non passengers in the way. Hence plan that
had occurred to several gentlemen to organize a
welcome to one of the EtrEria's passengers was
cruelty. frustrated by remorseless business
considerations, and only one or two persons
sailed down the Mersey to give to this voyager
their welcome. The voyager so distinguished
was Henry Ward Beecher. He was accompanied
by his wife, who sat at his side in the saloon-a
silver-hair gentle hammered, patient-looking
lady who smiled with singular sweetness in ac-
acknowledgement of salutatlons, and spoke pleas
antly OF being near home" Mr.. Beechers
manager" or business agent, was close at hand
"a tall, dark. stalwart man, whose black eyes
beamed with satisfaction at having brought his
charge safely in sight of the sphere of another
anticipated success.
AtQueeDetown the pastor of Plymouth Church
was inurk tied with letters and kilograms of in.
vtation cofmake appointments forthwith, but
these have not been acquiesced in. In the holi-
day interval Mr.. Beecher does not decline to
preach for the personal friends who are expect
ing him to appear in their pulpits: but he de-
clares he cannot initiate the Rev. Newman Hall,
whose industry in Sunday discoursing in the
States appalled, him. He will plead exemption, at
the age of seventy three years, from anything
like an attempt at preaching three times in one
day, and he looks to the numerous correspond
ehts who have already prayed his services in aid
of charitable institutions to spare him the labor
of answering otherwise than by postcard.
The Cunard company acted with consideration
and wisdom after all in debarring deputations
from boarding the steam tender Skirmsher, for
Mr. Beecher was not looking forward to any
formal reception, and had indeed begged some
friends by telegraph from Queenstown not to
make one. The thing about England that inter-
ested him most at that moment he confessed to
be the inside of the room in his hotel He was
moderately content with his sea trip. II con-
trasted happily with his last excursion to Eng
land, when the voyage from Boston occupied
seventeen days The present voyage has Deen
completed on the eighth day. the Etruria keep
ing up her reputation for not failing to land her
passengers on Saturday But early in the week
she had run through a storm about which Mr..
Beeher's friends were more communicative than
himself The sea he declared to be detestable.
There is nothing in it that like except fish"
Mr. Beecher wears his age remarkably well,
carries portly frame upright. and reads letters
the twilight His voice gives him no
trouble. while his friends declare it
gives them as much delight as ever. Mr..
Beecher has vivid recollection of his memora-
BILE visit to England, twenty-three years ago. 'I
was on my high horse then, he said, "and would
accept no hospitality from any man who had
sympathy with the South" He we'll remem
bered Liverpool. where he spoke as he said at
the time himself, for an hour and half against
storm" the storm being the wild interrup.
tions of Southern sympathizers. He had to get
out his points by degrees against the will of his
oppoaents. II once saw man trying to chase
an express train" he said on that occasion; ''he
didn't catch il. If you going to stop this
meeting You have got to stop it before speak,
for after have got things out you may chase as
long as you please, you will not catch them"
All this Liverpool treatment he had forgiven
long ago. as indeed he had done at the farewell
meeting where he had spoken of never seeing
England again. 1t was, in fact, great surprise
to himself to find that he was again seeing this
country. There were some cheers for Mr..
Beecher when he reached the landing stage last
night. but his wish for quiet landing was 9th
erwiSe respected.