Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1837-10-28

From the North american.

From the North .ameriean.
IA nsw paper just eommsncsd Phiiadelphia.
ORIGINAL REnIxlscENsEs-The following mr.
ticlc contributed to our columns by an aged cits.
zen is Of great interest. The domestic manners
and traits vi such a man Washington are ILL
teresting cven in their minutesf detail. and we
deem ourselves peculiarly fortunate in having &C.
cured the all Of valuable writer as our re-
minisccnt. The source from whence the recol-
lected Of by-gonc DAYS cnanafe, are guarantee
Of their sMsenficify, and they will be continued
At short Intervals tor time TO come, our read
ess will have spread before 'acm tho personal
knowledge of one of The olden time, who moved
and mixed among the great and good OF our rev.
olutionasy fathers.
REMINJgCENCEs OF wAsHINCTOS,
.4sS Of GAe C,.sres uiea satin Ps.ladeiia Whi1 he
Pfcsid>nt.
After great deal Of talking and writing, and
controversy, about the permanent seat Of Con-
gross under the present constitution, it was deter
mined that Philadelphia should be honored with
its presence for years, and that afterwards its
permanent location should be in the city ofWash-
ington, where it now is. In the mean time, the
federal city was in building, and the legislature Of
Penns ylvania voted a SUM OF money to build
house for the President, perhaps with some hope
that this might help tokeep the seat OF the gen
eral government in the capital-for Philadelphia
was then considered the capital of the state.
What lately the University Of Pennsylvania,
was the structure erected for this purpose. But
soon rs General Washington saw ITS dimensions,
and a good while before IT was finished, be let II
be known that he would not occupy it-:hat he
should not certainly go to the expense OF Purchas
ing furniture for such n dwelling. For 1t IS TO be
understood, that in those days Of stern republi-
canism, nobody thought Of Congress furnishing
the Presidents house; or ii perchancc such
thought did enter into SONIC arIstocratic head, it
was too unpopular TO be uttered.
President Washington, therefore, rented n
house Of Mr.. Robert Morris, in Market street,
between Fifth and Sixth street, on the South side,
and furnished it handsomely, but not gorgeousy.
There he lived with Mrs. Washington, Mr.. Lear
his private Secretary and his wife, and Mrs.
Washingson's grandson, Curtis, making part OF
the family. Young Curtis had a private tutor
employed by the President, who was engaged to
attend on his pupil one hour in the winter NOR
nin0s. before breakfast; and who then commonly
breakfastcd with he President and his family.
The President ate Indian cakes for breakfast after
tho Virginia fashion; although buck-wheat cakes
were generally the table.
Washington's dinner parties were entertained
in a very handsome style. His weekly dining
day for company Thursday, and his dining
hour was four O'clock in the afternoon. His rule
was to allow five minutes for the variation Of
clocks and watches, and then go to the table, be
resent or absent whoever might He kept his
rcncy. N,uhcrc' is the attachment 10 ,he In."n
UOOr, ana always cxaCty GeyulatcO. WHICH ID!
ging members Of Congress came in, as they o
ten did after the guests had sat down to Dime
the Presidents only apology was, 'Gentlenen,
sir we arc too punctuai for you. have acoo
who mover asks whether tho company has conn
but whether the hour has come"
Tho company usually assembled IN the drawn
room. about fifteen twenty minutes bcfol
dinner and the President spoke to every que
personally entering the room lie a,wa.
dressed in a suit Of black, his hair powdered, al
vx-n.
dress sword, which he wore with inimitablc grac
Mrs. Washington often, but not always, DIN
with the company, sat at the head OF the tab
and IT, as was occasionally the case, there we
other ladies' present, they sat on each side OF %
The private secretary sat at the 1901 OF the tao
and was expected to be specially attentive TO
tho cucs,s The President himself sat hall W.
Srop, the head to the foot of the table, and on tn
side which would place Mrs Washngto", thou
distant from him, the right hand: lie ai"a,
unless, a clergyman was Pfcsent' asked p'csS ~
n, his own table :a standing posture. II
.,a.,yu,,r :. as present, he was requested to- a
. h,e-slng before and return thanks after dime
The centre of the table contained five
large silver or plated walters, those ut the en-
circular, or rather al ut one side, so as to ma
the arrangement correspond with the oval sha
Of tho table. The walters between the end PIC
es were in the form of paralleilograms, the CT
about One-third part OF the length OF the sid'
and the whole OF these walters were filled "
alabaSter figures about TWO 1cct hiyn, TAKEN lr'
the ancient anthology. but none of them such
10 offend in the smallct degree against delica'
On tho outside Of the oval formed by the waite
were placed the various dishes, always witho
covers, and outside the dishes werc the plat
A small roll Of bread, enclosed in a napkin, "
laid on the side Of each plate
The President, ii Is believed, generally din
ON one dish, and that Of very simple kind.
offered something, either in the first or seco
course, which was very rich, his usual reply W
"that is to good tor me- He had silver p
cup or mug Of beer placed by his Plute, VIII
he drank out Of while dining. He took one gil
Of wine during dinner, and commonly one aft
He then retired Uhc ladies having gone lit
before hirn.) and lett his secretary 10 supcrinte
the table, till the winc-bibbcrs Of Congress
satisfied themselves with drinking. His viii
wore always the best that could be obtained.
Nothing could exceed the order with which
table was serycd--cvcry servant knew what
was to do, and did it in the must quiet and use
manner. The dishes and plates were remov
and changed with silence and speed that see
cd like cnchantmcnt.
I~,,~.,.s lall he buildiny OccuO