The sun., 1898-02-20
Abraham lincoln, and then touch more at
length upon tho connection Of the Hutehinsons
with Brook Farm.

| ionBtn upon Jno conn0ctiOn on tno uutcnhnsun'
It was in 1si5 that the Hutohlnsons saw
| Horny Clay. He was then the whig candidate
for President. They had been giving concerts
| In the vicinity Of Boston. and had departed fol
| Now York. On their way they heard that Henry
Clay was to be tho guest Of the latter city, and
| the news incited Jesse Hutchinson, who was the
song writer Of the family, TO compose his Harry
Of tho West" John Hutchinson supplied an
appropriate melody, but thoy had no thought Of
singing Il in public until in New York. one
Capt. Knight. Of tho ship Henry Clay. In
vitod them 10 20 on board tho vessel In
the Captains cabin they struck up the song,
and had hardly finished when those pres
ent insisted that they must sing 1t to
Horny Clay that afternoon. They consented
to go, and presently arrived Mt tho hotel.
whore q reception was taking place. The Mayor
and his guests had reached tho toastgiving
stage. and. as the Hutchinsons were at the time
very popular in New York, thoy were invited to
sing. They gave Harry Of the West" at tho
close Of which Mr. Clay rose and, coming to
thcm, said: what can / do to repay You for
this great honori" John Hutchinson relatos
that Instantly the response came to my mind.
'Liberate your slaves. and we'll make you Pros
ident of the United States 1t did not seem ap-
propriate. however, to soy such thing under
tho circumstance, and We simply made some
response of thanks for his expression OF
gratitude. Subsequently. ho sent wine down
to us, but we sent back word that We were
teetotalers. and could not drink with him.
Thereupon he left his seat. came up to us. and
said: II were o young man like yourselves
would be a teetotaler, too.'" 1t seems that this
song made trouble for tho Hutchinsons, for.
being printed in the Now York Tribune. 1t went
to Boston. where 1t was read by Garrison. Tho
neHt week tho Liberator came out. and in q
scathing article, attacked them for betraying
their principles by doing honor to Clay. tho
compromiser.
There are several re erences to Daniel Web
ster. but the longest of them will DO found on
page 100. John Hutchinson recounts that, after
concert given In Washington, he and his
brothers went to n social reunion opposite tho
hall, where, for the first time, they shook tho
hand Of Daniel Webster. when Webster came
in. before being introduced to the company. he
stepped to the table, poured out glass of cham
pagnc and swallowed 1t. Then he poured out
another and gulped 1t down. This started his
conversational powers; and as he lifted another
glass. he paused and inquired of his host, Doc
tor. what makes this wine sparkle rof Itwas
poser for the man of pills, scientist though ho
.
whom here met for tho first time in many years.
at once Joined the group, and explained to
Webster. for whom he acted as private secre-
tary, the entire phenomenon. The 'godlike
Daniel quito satisfied, then turned to his
social duties Webster was then some IS years
old. His appearance was impressive. His whole
harmonious figure, face. form. carriage, was
superbly grand. Men in public station rarely
appreciate how much influence q little act will
exert, or what will bo the impression Of their
acts. 1t wounded us deeply. teetotalers as we
were. to see this much admired and almost
worshipped man partaking SO freely Of wine
but wecould not forget that 1t was Webster,
and listened and looked with respect and ave."
John Hutchinson tells us that he heard Lin
coins inaugural address. which was delivered
on March L. 1861. in the midst of gathering of
twenty thousand people. He says that he could
observe on the platform the familiar form of
Stephen A. Douglas. who. few years before.
had discussed great national questions with
Lincoln on the stump in Illinois, 1t was good
omen that. as Lincoln removed his hat Douglas
stopped forward politely took 1t, and hold IL
during the delivery Of the inaugural. Hutchin-
son goes on to say that, "as the oath was ad-
minstered, q colored man, who stood at ono
corner Of the platform by q Flagstaff, seemingly
inspired by the momentous act, seized the
peak. AS 1t floated proudly in tho breeze over
their heads the incident seemed prophetic to
me. The negro seemed to be helping
in tho ceremonies that were to pave the way to
his own emancipation. After a few sentences
uttered by Lincoln. was panied to hear his de-
liberate statement that he would prove true to
the Constitution, and would carry out the law
of the land in regard to the return of fugitive
slaves. The remark nlled me with oonsterna
tion. but did not then consider. as afterward.
certain facts. He was surrounded by the bit
terest traitors, who had dogRed his steps from
his home in Illinois to the capital. putting him
all the time In danger of assassination. was
later convinced that his announcement Of the
obligation resting upon him rendered him COM
paratively safe. and enabled him to take the oath
Of Office" Later In the year. and not long
after the first battle of Bull Run, the Hutch
insons sang at the White House. "The occa-
sion," writes John Hutchinson, " was a levee.
President Lincoln at once recognized me.
Both he and Mrs. Lincoln treated us with great
kindness. and In the course OF the evening
asked us to sing. We sang The War Drums
Are Beating-Up, Soldiers. and Fight We
suffered under slight Inconvenience in singing.
The key Of the piano could not be found. AS a
contemporary writer put It, The instrument
belonged to the mansion, and, possibly in the
discord than harmony prevailed in the Presi.
dental dwelling When the key was discov-
cred. it was found that the piano was in shock.
ingly bad tune. No music stool could be found,
and. altogether II was evident that Mr. Lin
coin and his family were thinking Of something
else than music in those days. Tho same
writer says: There's nae luck aboot the
house. might perhaps havo been played
upon tho rattlinR old keys. but 1t would
have been little less than treason TO have at
tempted Yankee Doodle on such rIckety box
of wires. AT President Lincolns request sent
for my melodeon and sang the Ship on Fire.
he having hoard mo sing it before at Springfield,
III. can seem to see our martyred President
now. as he stood, only few feet from me, hold
ing his sweet boy. Tad. by the hand"
1t was apparently in ls43 that the Hutchin.
son family became interested In the Brook
Farm Experiment" 1t is well known that this
famous farm was situated In West Roxbury