Delaware gazette and peninsula advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1814-1820, 1817-12-31
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the National Register.
The Drawing Room.

| Inc opening oi iuc ~ WIZ '"""'
and the course which Mrs. Monror
means 10 Adopt in receiving the ladies
Of the District and strangers has, tori
some time past. been the subject o.
much inquiry and debate, il we arr
nat misinfarncd. am0ag the fashiona-
hies Of Washington. We have our
selves repeatedly witnessed the intro
|durtion Of this subject upon the tapls.
and i, has never failed to excite con-
siderable interest and various opinions,
and 0llate the sensation has been con
siderable, on learning that Mrs. NJ.
loes not mean to return visits, but
j merely to receive company.
i Wr must in truth! admit that the
prepon,leranre Of opinion, as far as
!, we have heard il expressed, seems to
set mare against than in favor OF the
adoption Of this eeasnre. but. perhaps
this is ewing TO the want nf giving thu
!, subject dH- reflection, and from the
! warmth which il excited in the dis
cussion OF a question in which female
I pride and prerngative hears so great
! an interest. We are lar from aivO-
4 eating the introduction Of cGurtly ct
\ QUOTES ami unne' essary ceremonies
4. in our republican institutions. but we
{ shall always uphold and contend FOR
{ proprirty Of hehaviols and respectful
{ conduct. We are fa' from wishing;
$, to decorate or encirrlc Mrs. Monroe,
e or any ether Prcsiitntcss With royal
! insignia. but at the same time We hope
! 10 have too much justice to ask srom
' the lady OF oar chief magistrate. a
r conIueI and sacrifice which We
t should consider as cruel tc exact from
: the wife Of any ether citizen.
n g" What" exclaimed a lady in the
: height of irritation, " ani is Mrs.
. Monroe about TO pursue roursr so
: opposite TO that of her predecessor /.
E course which made her so believed by
y us all, and which rendered her SO a.
: miable in the eyes Of every yisitant az
u Washington. II such I've her plans. |
S answer for one, she will no. hold her
lpejniarity long"
nj keilertiDg on this speech. and moi
wishing that eiti,rr bar chief n,agis
. ltrhte or his consort should loose their
popularity uoiustly, We gave some
consideration 10 the subject, and We
began first by tracing in ear H,ind,
the origin Of lhe drawing-room which
led us back to the days Of Washington.
whun al attempts DIT Introducing n
court etiquette fr Tue hoHse OF the
leIncf magistrate was ridiculcd on re
pnhiican principles, and on the ground
:, that Ilr respect we should entertain
:, for the man OF tic proples choic,
would in all eases govern our deport.
nent to-, ,rtis him, and every individ
uai II his FAMILY MISUNDERSTANDING
however, tina, this sui,je had teet
,, fully discussed and onrlusions draw,
tiereironl, IA few persons acted in "Nn.
:, tradiction thereto, and in fart 10 the
very spirit Of our 2oyernnI nj, and AZ
tempted 10 make c0mparisons betwepi
The upper and lower houses, and be
tween the wives Of senators ana thos,
T., inI Representatives. and between then
'aud the wives Of the lieads Of tlepar,
aent, and hcsweea them and tl,,
wives 0i citizcrS. sscn. Washington
ito put an e'nl TO all these intrigues AN,
r,,n J.. established q lrvee for hia,scii
30 Ms. Washington was instructed
l." visit 'he ladies Of all the senat. rs
uem;nrs nf the lower honse and t,.os,
of respectable citizens without des
!. lnrtIon. This WAS the origin Of til,
'rasiug room.
I When Mr.. Adams succeeded TO IN,
Ipresi'euc. the sane arrangement
we're observed, with the difference
thai strict atteniioa was paid that q,
|aent'tman sil0aid BE admitted 10 ia,
drawing ro"n', who had not been Drc
\ yiodsl.y introduced 70 the president Al
{" his letee. Prizes running i.igh a
!, lthat tire. soHe Of the persons abou
president Adams and his lady CAV.
s'ic'' decided narksof ,iisapprol,ation
when certain members OF tie opnosi
tion appeared, that they soon dcsertc.
T. the drawing room and lryees, and rem
!" - derc'i both arrangements unpopular,
" This probably Introduced the idea tha
l. they savorrh 80 much of ar;stncr,.,
y that when thn sage of Monticello cam,
into o!iice b. iI,0iistct hutt, aud wit,
" all the ''+irreace and rcspec, whit
u we shall eyAr retain Cor the art I,
. that sliusiriou, statesman. went. i
- laur nitiuiou. r.shrr uo thn ot,,ar