The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1895-04-20
District of Columbia.
By the w. c. I. u
MATTERS OF CURRENT INTEREST IN THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL

By the w. c. I. U.
MATTERS OF CURRENT INTEREST IN THE
| NATIONAL CAPITAL.
| Washington has been favored bv no
table gatherings of late. / would like to
mention three which have taken place
within two weeks all conducted wholly
by women.
| THE w. c. 7. U. CONVENTION.
lasted three days and was a grand sue
cess. The several meetings were usual
ly held in the Metropolitan NJ E. church
where the pew occupied by General
Grant while he was president of the
United States is still pointed out. Rev.
Hugh johnson, pastor of the church, was
present at all of the meetings, and at the
| close he dismissed the convocation with
| words of cheer and commendation. Sew
eral pulpits of the city were filled by our
white ribbon visitors which was an uplift
to our cause in the District of Columbia.
But the most important meeting was
held in Convention Music Hall on the
evening of February Is when the
PRESENTATION SPEECHES OF THE GREAT
PoLyGLoT PETITION
were made Several miles of the four
columned document was enrolled to the
gaze of thousands assembled to greet the
unique demonstration of the Worlds W.
CT. Q. The wide strips of muslin on
which the signatures were pasted were
festooned from the iron roof trusses back
and forth through the immense hall then
crosswise around the sides. yet larger
part renamed in roll on the platform or
coiled up in convenient places here and
there among the rafte1s.
In spite Of the disappointment caused
by the absence of our leaders, Miss Will
lard and Lady Henry Somerset, the meet
ing was
A SPLENDID SUCCESS.
The eloquent addresses of Mrs. Hoff-
man Mrs. Barker Miss Kearney and
others were received with enthusiasm,
Mrs. Stevenson presented it in
prayer before the throne of God. A few
days afterward
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND
granted an audience to six Of our leaders,
who met him at the White House. This
meeting took place after Miss Willard
and Lady Henry Somerset had arrived.
Miss Willard acted as speaker for the de-
legation. She gave to the President a
parchment copy of the text of the Petition,
andln graceful speech of only five min
utes' duration told interesting things
about it, and mentioned the fact that he
was the only chief magistrate that had
ever said anything in favor of prohibiting
the rum traffic, even in Africa The Presi-
dent responded graciously. He expressed
their ideas and methods might differ,
ought in their respective spheres do what
they could to advance the cause of tenn
perance. Ie said that he had done what
he could in the past and should continue
to do SO in the future under his official
limitations. He referred to the mammoth
Petition as the evidence Of the effect of
persistent work by good women for a
good cause The ladies were then inyi-
ted into the red parlor to meet Mrs. Gle
veland. When the great petition was
finally taken down and packed away in
its five strong boxes and the accounts all
balanced, it was found to have been a
profitable affair financially also Mrs.
Wescott, our District treasurer, acted as
treasurer for the convocation and
Mrs. Barker as auditor There was
found to be a clear profit of S2S167. |
This was divided between the World
National and District unions and gave
1913. 81 to each. There WIS still another
gain which is all our own-the inspira-
tion our sisters presence, the uplift to the
cause locally. the generous sympathy
that sprarg from heart, to heart and
the large number of new members secur-
ed.
May choicest blessings ever follow thee |
dear Poly Pet"
Mrs. CLINTON B. SMITH.
District Reporter.
72O 10Th ST., n. W, Washington, D. C,