The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-09-30
JACKSoN's VISIT TO HARVARD

| 1t Is Recalled by Candidate Bry@n's kssr
| cent Experience at Yale.
The recent occurrence at Yale, which
The Post of Saturday treats most al
mirably, had almost a precedent in the
visit of Gen. Jackson to Massachusetts
| in 1888. There, in Massachusetts, WAS
| the most violent opposition to Gen.
jackson. The Wings of that State were
| Wings par excellence, and their prejH-
dice and bitterness against him greater
than in any other part of the country
Mr.. Josiah Quincy relates the cir
! cumstances of that visit in his book,
| Figures of the Past" He had been
| appointed aid-de-camp by Gov. Lin
| coin, and was deputed to meet Gen.
! jackson and his suite and take charge
+, of them during their stay. He was not
| without some of the general prejudice,
but very brief intercourse with the
President removed it. He arrang-
ed all the details the recep-
ton, which was, of course, very
/ handsome one, though a Beacon street
abode of the Four Hundred was con-
spicuous by it's absence. He relates am
incident of one of the famed merchant
millionaires of the day, who refused
to do honors to the trough soldier,
! but when the procession passed his
house curiosity induced him to look
out. and on seeing Gen. Jackson he
shouted to his family, Come, quick,
and salute the grand old man."
/ There was considerable opposition to
! the reception of the President at Har
I ward, and particularly to the comforting
| of the degree of doctor of laws upon
him. The opposition said, ''Why confer
| the degree of laws upon man who was
credited with caring for no law which
! eonhicted with his will?" John Quincy
| Adams was especially disturbed, and
actually, Mr.. Quincy says, asked my
| father whether there was no way of
! avoiding it," why, mol" said my
father, President of Harvard. "As the
people have twice decided this man
knows enough law TO be their ruler, it
: is not for Harvard College to maintain
they are mistaken" Mr. Adams was
not satisfied, however. and very many
] of the Wings of that day ridiculed the
idea of such AN honor being bestowed.
!, They thought it the height of absurdi-
/ ty to bestow literary degree upon
jackson.
"The chapel at Cambridge was crowd
ed when Gen. Jackson entered leaning
on the arm of President Quincy. The
greatest emotion was felt by the crowd
ed assembly at the sight which notably
produced in them a liberation, and
| which quickly emerged into something
like admiration and respect. He
wrought a mysterious charm on ALL
old and young. The exercises within
the chapel were for the most part in
! r. Il he
dent in that language, repeating II
composition~upon which he somewhat
prided himself, for DR.. Beck, after
making two verbal corrections in his
manuscript, had declared it to be as
good Latin as man need write.
'sThen we had more Latin from
Young Mr.. Francis Bowen, of the senior
class. a gentleman whose name has
been since then associated with so
much fine and weighty English. There
was also a few modest words, presum-
ably in the vernacular, though scarce
ly audible, from the recipient Of the
doctorate. The college fellows chuck
led over his supposed humiliation. The
Shakespearian modicum of small Lat
in was all old Hickory possessed, as
they supposed and hoped, but they
were met by man who was not to be
caught in the classical trap they had
set for him.
Rising to his feet at the proper mo-
ment, the new doctor of laws astonish-
ed the assembly with Latin address
in which even DIR. Beck himself was
unable to discover a single error.
''After the exercises in the chapel
Gen. Jackson held hevee. He stood at
the end of the low parlor of the Presi-
dents house, and greeted the students
as they passed him. I am most happy
to see you, gentlemen; ] wish you
much happiness. Gentlemen, I hearth
ly wish YOU success in life And so con-
stantly varying the phrase, which was
always full of feeling. He began by
offering is hand to all, but he found
this would soon drain the small
strength which must carry him
through the day. He afterwards made
an exception in favor of two pretty lit
tie children of DIR. Palfrey's. He took
the hands of these little maidens, then
lifted them up and kissed them. 1t
was a pleasant sight-one not to be
| omitted when. the events of the day
were put ON paper. This rough soldier,
exposed all his life to those tempta-
! Sions which have conquered public
men. whom we call good, could kiss
little children with lips as pure as their
own"
/ Mr.. Quincy says the General con-
! ouered all prejudice before he left
Massachusetts T. Coyle in Wash
ington Post.
BE SURE YOU ARE RIGHT
I r II ic,