Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-30
GEN. HARRIsON'S CHARACTER.
An Interesting Talk with DR.. Bartlett
About the President-elect.

GEN. HARRISON'S CHARACTER Z.
An Interesting Talk with DR.. Bartlett
About the President-elect.
Rev. Dr.. Bartlett, Of the New York Avenue
Presbyterian church, has been Gen. Harrison's
pastor in two cities, and has enjoyed his friend
ship for more than - years. Speaking Of his
relations with the President-elect to Q SrAn
reporter, Dr.. Bartlett said: Mr.. Harrison is a
sincere, honest church-goer, and an upright
man. There is nothing puritanical about him,
but he believes in churches in prayer meetings
and in doing what his conscience informs him
is right and just. He is domestic in his habits,
and his home is one of the best types of the
virtuous Christian American home. Gen. Har-
rison represents the highest type Of purely
American manhood. He believes in respect
ing the Sabbath. There will be no political
caucuses held at the White House on Sunday
while he IL there. Both the General and Mrs.
Harrison were leaders in our Sunday
school in indianapolis, and they were
regular attendants upon our weekly prayer
meetings When the general came to the Sem
ate he could always be found on Thursday
evenings at our prayer meeting on New York
avenue. 1t is hardly probable that we shall see
as much of him when he is President; there
will be so many matters of national import
ance to which he will be compelled to give his
attention. There was but one President of the
United States who used to attend prayer meet
ings, and that was Franklin Pierce. He wor-
shipped at the New York Avenue church"
us the general peculiar man in any sense?'
"He is not a man who has any eccentricities
or peculiarities." replied the doctor. HE is
warm and kind toward his friends. He has
been depicted as cold and unsociable; he is not
80. Different men have different dispositions,
and Gen. Harrisons disposition is careful one.
You cannot become his bosom friend in fifteen
minutes He must know you thoroughly and
You him before there can be any intimacy.
"In the course OF all my acquaintance with
the general" continued the doctor. Il never
once heard him mention his grandfather. He
does not stand on the pedestal of his grand
fathers greatness. Most men who had grand
father who was President Of the United States
would at some time or other make mention Of
the fact, but the general never did. remem-
Der that at literary club which we organized
and of which Gen. Harrison. Judge Gresham,
Gov. Porter and Gov. Hendricks were mem
bers. illusions would frequently be made to the
generals grandfather, but the grandson never
noticed them. At these meetings the members
read papers on all sorts Of subjects and Gen.
Harrison took an active part and showed him.
self to be thoroughly well informed. He
reads great deal, but / don't suppose he has
lately had much time for light literature. His
law practice is very extensive. and what time
he could save from that was doubtless used up
in reading political literature. The rumor
has been industriously circulated" continued
the doctor" that the general would not be the
real President. That is an error. There will
be no power behind the throne. The general
will not, on the other hand, be 'bullheaded;'
he will consult his party friends This admin
istration will, / think, be harmonious. He will
give the country clean, careful conservative
administration. devoid Of crusades."
us his temperament such as to allow the Of
hce-seekers to worry him?"
Gen. Harrison is man in good health" re-
piled the doctor, with emphasis, land when the
ofhce-seekers press him too hard they will
know it. His physique is good and he has no
bad habits. He smokes great deal and his
cigars are good ones. 1t is not likely, though
that they will come from Connecticut" the
doctor added smilingly as the recollection Of
how Connecticut had voted occurred to his
mind
DO you expect to number President and
Mrs. Harrison among your parishioners after
March 4?''
II have not heard directly from the general
since his election, but am almost certain that
neither myself nor any other pastor will be
able to claim him altogether. Indirectly
have been informed, and my authority is good
that the President will attend more than one
church. He will thus avoid the crowd Of in
quisitiye people who now make DR.. Sunder-
lands life burden to him. When Gen. Har-
rison was Senator he attended our church for
q time. All our pews are leased, and the good
ones have to be spoken for long time in adj
vance before they can be secured, SO the gen.
eral and Mrs. Harrison had to sit back near the
door. There were no screens there then, and
the wind blew in and made the seats in that
vicinity very uncomfortable. When the Church
OF the Covenant was built Git is one of our off
shoots) Gen. Harrison was invited to take
pew and he accepted the offer"
IF the President has no regular church :"
continued the doctor, lit will be q good thing.
DR.. Sunderland is very sick of having the
Presidents church. 1t brings a lot of people
who occupy other peoples pews, give nothing
to the contribution plate, and take the places
Of the regular parishioners. They pay no at
tention TO the services, and are q continual an
noyance to the minister. If Gen. Harrison
should, however, desire to attend our church,
have no doubt whatever that there are many
OF our members who would readily prefer him
pew"