The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1837-10-14
From the No,ih American.
"a new paper jus, commenced at Philadelphia


minutest detail and we deem ourselves peculiarly for
tunate IN having secured the aid Of valuable writer
| reminiscent. The source from whence the re-
collection Of bygone days emanate, guarantee oil
their authenticity, aud they will be continued at short
Intervals for time 10 come, readers viii have
spread before them the personal knowledge Of one Of
the olden time, who moved and mixed among the great
aud good OF our revolutionary fathers.
"REMINISCENCES OF GEN. WASHINGTON.
Aad Of The Congress trhich sal IN Philadelphia lohie
he was President. \.
After great deal Of talking, and writing and contro
yersy about the permanent seat OF Congress under the
present constitution, II determined that Phllade-
pha should be honored with It's presence for ten years
and that afterwards its permanent location should be IN
the city Of Washington, where it is. Ia the mean
time, the federal city IN building, and the leglsla-
ture of Pcnnsy wanna voted OF money to build
house for tho President perhaps with hopes that
this might help keep the seat OF the general govern
IN the captal-ior Philadelphia then consider
cd the capital Of the state What lately the Uni
yersy Of Pennsylvania, the structure erected for
| this purpose, But General Washington
| saw is dimensions, and good while before II was
finished be let il be known that he would not occupy
itthat he should not certainly 20 10 the expense Of
purchasing furniture for such dwelling For 1t Is to
he understood, that in those days Of republican,
ism, nobody thought Of Congress furnishing the Presi-
dents house; If perchance such thought did en-
into aristocalc head. it too unpopular to
| be uttered ..... .....
| President Washington therefore, rented house Of
Mr., Robert Morris IN Market street, between Fifth and
Sixth streets, the South side, and furnished it hand
sotnely but gorgeously There he lived with Mrs.
Washington, Mr.. Lear his private Secretary and his
wife, and Mrs Washlngtons grandson, Curtis, making
part Of the family Young Curtis had private tutor
employed by the President, who engaged to attend
on his pupil hour in the winter mornings before
breakfast aud who then commonly hreakfased with
the President and his family. The President ate In
dian cakes for breakfast after the Virginia fashion, al
though buckwheat cakes were generally on the table.
Washngton's dinner parties were entertained III a
very handsome style. HIS weekly dining day for com
pany was Thursday and his dining hour four
o'clock in the afternoon His rule TO allow five
for the of clocks and waches and then
&" to the table, be present absent whoever might
lie kept his clock Ia the hall, just within the out
ward door, and always exactly regulated When lag
gng members OF Congress came in. they often did
after the guests had sat down to dinner the Presidents
only apology was, "Gentlemen, sir, too pune
tnal for you ] have cook who never asks whether
the company has come, but whether the hour has
come
The company usually assembled in the drawing room,
about fifteen twenty minutes before dinner, and the
President spoke TO every guest personally on enter
irg the He always dressed in suit OF black,
his hair powdered, aud tied in black bag behind, with
very elegant dress sword, which he with inlmi
table grace. I
Mrs Washington often but not always, dned with
the company, at the head Of the table and it,
occasionally the case there other ladies' present,
they sat each side Of her The private secretary
sat at the foot Of the table, and was expected to be spe
ciay attentive to all the guests. The President him
self half way from the head the foot Of the table,
and on that side which would place Mrs Washington,
though distant from him. The right hand. He always,
unless, clergyman was present, asked blessing at
his own table in a standing posture. i clergyman
present, he requested TO ask blessing before,
and return thanks after dinner.
The centre of the table contained FIVE SIX large
silver plated waersihose the ends circular, or
rather oval at side. TO make the arrangement
correspond with the oval shape Of the table The wait
between the end pieces in the form Of parallel
lograms, the ends about onehrd part of the length of
the sides and the whole of these waters filled
with aabaser figures about two feet high, taken from
the ancient anthology, but of them such as to Of
fend IN the smallest degree against dclcacy On the
outside Of the oval formed by the waters, placed
the dishes always without and outside
the dishes the plates small roll Of bread, EN-
closed in napkin, laid on the side Of each plate.
The President, il Is believed, generally dined
DISH and that Of very supple kind If offered
thing, either in the first second course which was
very rich, his usual reply that Is too good for
me" He had silver pint cup mug of beer placed
by his plate which he drank out Of while dining He
took glass Of wine during dinner, and commonly
one after He then retired (the ladies' having gone
little before hm,) and left his secretary to superntend
the table, I'LL the bibbcrs Of Congress had satisfied
themselves with drinking. His wines were always the
best that could he obtained.
Nothing could exceed the order with which his table
was scrvcd--evey servant knew what he to do,
and did il in the most quiet and useful manner. The
dishes aud plates removed and changed with ST.
lcnce and speed that seemed like enchantment.
Congress Hall the building occupied as a
Court house, at the corner Of Chestnut and Sixth
streets Except yestibule, about Is feet wide on
Chestnut street. the whole OF the ground floor of this
building formed into Hall or Chamber for the
House Of Representatives There was no door open
ing into Sixth street. and the Speakers chair with two
deskshc the right hand OF the Speaker for the
clerk Of the House. and the the left for the chap
lan placed directly opposite to where the door of
entrance from Sixth street placed The chair OF
| the Speaker platform Of two steps elevation
the seats for the members three the form
a Of large circle behind another all front
ing the Speakers chair and those back Of the front tier
raised, the first step, and the back tier two
steps. The chairs for the members mahogany, |
with stuffed seats and arms and mahogany desk, |
with drawer aud key stood before each chair There
was canister round the whole segment OF the circle
behind the last tier Of seats aud the wall Of the house
The chamber warmed BY large open stoves CON-
monty called Franklin stoves, two adjoining the wall on
Sixth street and two on the opposite wall The fuel
used was always Of the best hickory wood There
but one gallery the Representatives. ehanbcrenter-
ing the side OF the house Chestnut street CO.
yerng the whole Of the yesbule, and few feet within
the chamber The house was always entered by one /
door in Ches,nut-al the other end Of the chamber
there was door leading INTO the State House yard
and when the weather temperate and pleasant, aud
duh speaker was che aoor, large proportion Of the
members passed through this door into the yard. AMI
there talked aud walked I'll they either tired,
the tedious orator had flushed hrs speech @-.
The Scnat. chamber directly that Of the /
House Of Representatives oil star ~sy COMMENCING
in the vcstbne o( the building led 10 The door Of tns
chah., which was bat little than hafas large ~
that OF the other hoasche part toary one halt1 TO.
wards Chcstnui street hcipg parloaed OIL aud dNld
cd INTO committee ICONS tor ihr Of The larmbcfs al
hlh I,nar. and orc rsln lnI thor elefks Ihc cnaT