Year: 1865




visited President johnson. in WASHINGTON
on Monday last and were addressed bv
him. After urging the children to pay
honor to merit rather than display, and to
endeavor to elevate themselves and all
around them, he-said:


My little daughters and sons, give me
your attention while ! say, honestly and
truly, that if | could inform you of some
thing, and put that into immediate effect,
which would tend to the elevation of YOU
all, L would be prouder of it than TO be
President forty times Here is the Ex-
ecutive Mansion, and yonder is the Capitol
| of great nation, and you look TO those
who make and execute the laws as persons
sublime and grand But just think for
| moment You are the crop behind US
All those buildings, all of this Govern
ment will one day pass under your control
and become your property, and you viii
have to put in force and control the prin-
clples of Government, of religion and
humanity. and let all boys consider
every mothers son of them-that each
one is born candidate for the Presiden-
cy. Why not then commence at once to
educate yourselves for the Presidency &?
And he would say to the little girls, that
while they could not be Presidents, they
are born candidates for the wives of
Presidents. While each little boy NAV
feel he is candidate fer the Presidencv.
each little girl may feel she is a candidate
for n Presidents wife; and each should
commence at once to qualify himself and
herself morally, intellectually and social Y
for such high positions. While upon this
subject he would say that teachers occupy
most responsible positions. 1t is the
teacher who fashions, to a great degree
the mind Of child, and consequently
the great Importance of having good
teachers, especially for the very young, in
order to instill into their minds the founda
ton of good education


When we look at these boys and girls
at the banners which they carry-~at the
flags, with stripes and stars upon them.
which they bear aloft; when we look upon
the brave men and ga lant officers around
us, and remember what they have Lan.,
ooi,,cntIng Ior-we teel that we can best
preserve this Government if we rear up
our people property, and make this, as we
can, the most intelligent portion of Gods
habitable globe. The stars and stripes is
not an unmeaning symbol when we look
back through the din of battle and see
what it has cost to perpetuate this Govern
ment; and should we rot then use every
effort TO bring up properly these children,
whose cause has been sustained by strong
arms on the field Of battle2 1t was but
the other day. when the stern voices oil
our commanders we're heard tfpun the field
of battle, and when men were hravelv
rushing to death, that TIE Goddess of
Liberty made a glorious fight and in
thunder tones proclaimed victory. Victory
has perehed upon our standard, and the
speaker said he trusted the childrcn's lit
tie song of victory would be heard far up
above and that the angels standing upon
the battlcments of Heaven, would take
up the tune and make a response.


Then, my little sons and daughters fsaid
the President, talking rs father to his
children), let fhe say to you. educate your
selves; be industrious and perscverinc;
store your minds with al that is good
put all things worthy of preservation in

your brain, aud your intellects will ex-
pand and grow And. in conclusion,
say again, may your little song of victory
be heard in heaven God bless you.