New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-16
MIR. WHITTIER'S OPINIONS
WHAT HE THINKS OF HARRISON AND BLAINE
HE WOULD NOT PLEAD FOR THE ANAiohi'i"-
EIGHTY.oNE YEARS OLD TOMORROW

Boston. Dec 12.-Just upon tho poruers Vi .o
busy world, but far enough removed ifoHi i'' ~
and contentious rests In dIgnifcd repose tho p.' Va
the peope. surrounded by loving relatives and loyal
friends with clear. unclouded Intellect hca't i'oo
from guile, n form not bowed down by inc "oIs", ,
years or racked by torturng palms, tue oua"er
| poet serenely notes the passing days ana wiz"
| kindly smile he grcets those who visit NM
On Monday next John GreeDeaf whittier VIII 90
eighty-one years old. His homo at Oah nhoi'' ~
| the town of Danvcrs, has often been deScr'ooo ~
| Is an IDEAL home. Its surroundings are rurai anu
| peaceful I'm harmony with the life ana charao'' Va
the poct suggestive at once Of content and plenty
Even the old dog whose voice greets us as we soep
| upon the piazza seems imbued with the gente sp'r'
| of his master. and amIably accepts friendly greet
| ing. ,, xoo,
Mr. Whittier steps into the parlor. duicRs creos
and dIenlfed and invites 10 his study Just aoro''
tho hall which divides the big house In haif "er'
| in his workshop surrounded by his books win MS
hest loved pIctres on the wall. open CRATE WIN
It's load of fuel ready for the match ana ali III,
| surroundings speaking Of neatness' slmphc''S a'
comfort, tho poet makes us welcome. his oSo' %
he looks straight at you. has lost but ht'io Vi ITO
| oId-time keenness, and wrinkles with merrimeh. vi
| snaps with fire as the varying moods suggested oy
our conversation affect him. He IS somewhat aoSi'
but Il IS not difficult TO mako him hear; his memory
IS seemingly unImpared. his voice is firm, and his
| " age is as a lusty winter frosty but kindly
| Mr., Whittier touched upon tne OutSuo ""i" az"
upon the political revolution In the Nation ard IN me
old CITY Of BOSTON He said that the Republican victory
! I'm the Presidential campaign was a very agreeable
| surprise 10 him. He had not expected such good
results. but welcomed the change lie had never
wavered In his loyalty to the Republican party. and
| believed I'm the wisdom of a protective policy. Mr.
| Whittier had never met General Harrison, but had
read his speeches with interest and admiration, for
he had not made a mistake he had not said foolish
or indiscreet word since the opening Of the campaign
| Harrison may rot be brilliant man. said Mr. Whittier
but he is a wise, discreet man, and that Is better
And what can you tell me about the Cabinet"
asked the poet for have not read my Tribune Tor
| a few days and have not heard the latest gossip
| mfr blaine is most talked VI for Secretary OF
! State'
"Yess replied Mr. whittier. "and very Justly,
very properly Tor he is the foremost American cru
| zen In my poor opinion, Mr. Harrison should ouer
| Mr. Blaine that portfolio, and Mr. Blaine ought 10
decline #. lie is greater man to-day than II nc
| had accepted the Presidency lie has shown great
| wisdom great discretion, and now II no were to
| decline a seat In Uarrson's Cabinet he would be
| regarded by the people as An unsclhsh nooie man.
| have long admired Mr. Blaine"
If the place were offered to Mr. Blaine and declined,
| Mr.. Whittier said it then ought to be rendered 10
Senator Sherman. Mr.. Whittier spoke with snthisi-
asm OF Mr. Blanes ability and generosity, ana
| said Mr.. Blaine had always reminded him OF henry
Clay, but that he ADLER man than Clay.
| On being asked his Views TO other men who
had mentioned for the Cabinet, Mr. Whittier sad
| that Warner Miller who had stood In the gap ana
in his opinion saved New-York ought certainly 10
he one OF President Harrson's advisers. He thought
Mr. Depew would make admirable Minister TO the
Court OF st. James, and would sustain the dignity Oh
| the position. OF Minister Phelps Mr. Whittier spoke
| briefly He had discharged the duties Of his Office
creditaby he believed, but his political antecedents
| were unpleasant recollections for the poet, whose
| LOYALTY to the cause Of freedom has long been a
| household word.
OF the recent political revolution In Boston Mr.
Whittier spoke briefly He was glad change had
come one feature of the election. gra' flied him eX-
| ceelincly This election TAI demons rated woman 5
fitness to be entrusted with the ballot she had shown
all the zeal and enthusiasm that had manifested
| in dischargIng her duties the polls "And why,
I'm the name Of common sense,' said Mr. Whittier
should we permit every scalawag who wears trousers
| TO vote and yet deny that privilege to woman9 -
| Mr. Whittier was interested in the movements OF
the Anarchists at the West, and asked If there had
been any new acts OF violence by those fellows.
His eyes twinkled merrily when told him that the
Anarchists styled their Sunday meetings sunday
srhool classes, He said that Mr.. Howes wrote
him before the execution Of those Chicago assaSSins
and asked him unite with him in protesting against
their execution; "bu' said the pet, 1 could not
do that OF course you know | am opposed on
General principles TO capital punishment but 1t has
always been my settled principle not 70 interfere
in specific cases, where men had been given a fair
trial Then in this particular case, felt that the
crime was so a,rocous that tho prisoners were not
entitled 10 sympathy"
Mr. Whittier said he supposed that Mr.. Howells
he'd nv his admiration for Tolsto and his writings
become more interested than the majority of the people
IN the fate Of those creatures. For his part he
admired TostoPs talents, but many of the characters
introduced IN his novels were so disagreable ana
depressing that he could not say he really enjoyed
ta,Ih nuv thn Ana
| might be inspired TO wicked acts ia Russia, where
freedom of Speech and the right protest were denied
| the people But here In America where every one.
however humble, could speak freely, the resort 10
violence was utterly inexcusable and indefensiblc'
We asked Mr. Whittier If he were engaged IN any
remarked that he had just done what he thought no
other person had ever done before ana perhaps be
had ever written for publication, revising his poems
for the new edition which MeSsrs Houshton Mlhlin
II have written enough already; TOO much.
nld il s time , to give up active mental work Oh
am able to go about these grounds and split wood
pretty we'll. have never attempted to initiate Glad,
Stone and chop down trees but like 10 split wood. y
lettering to his first editorial work at Hartford
, Mr. Whittier said he went there to succeed George
d. Prentice, and he thought he was a very green
young man But said the poet VIII smile c,So
, and wiser men. Whom | arrived at Hartford and
DS 5s %%fs Oh and asa %Rs
kept very quiet and when they babe me good bye
/ thought they seemed better pleased with me than
when they first met me for | very boyish I'm ap-
pearance. My salary was less than $500 ear, but
that pretty good compensation IN those days
barnard. Of Columbia College, and we have remained
ON friendly terms ever SINCE
Mr. Whttier's attention was called to the lines from
, his snow Bound:
~ Our father rode again his ride
On Memiphremagog's wooded side'
! SAT down again 10 moose and samp
In trappcls hut and Indian camp"
We asked him If he had ever visited that beautiful
lake and ne said he Lad not, for he not muci
~
thar Mary land further West than Pennsyl vania an6
not so far North Canada. His alluslon 10 Lak
In In AM