The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-07-28

ngd laws OF fashionable life bound 10 do issued his
roy a mandate-on the first day Of july in the Year Of
Ford one thousand eight hundred and thirty nine
that the paper Of the lemon color with rich cloth
border should be forthwith taken OF the broad walls
Of the Eastern room, and that " q rich ctaste and
beautiful paper" should be substituted in its stead -
That the first clause Of this royal ordinance was faith
fully executed will distinctly appear from the follow
ing voucher
Presidents House to Henry Snowden d.
10 taking of the paper Of the East Rooom
teen dollars, -" SIC 90
July i, 1889
Received raymen, Of WIN holland Esq
HENRY sNoWD DEN, his mark
Witness b Rocker,
Certified by Charles F Wood
Endorsed-"C Completing special repairs Of the Pre-
sidents House, sc SIC Henry Snowden's receipt
for woGk the East Room Of the Presidents House
July ] 1889 No ~
An official voucher in my hands will also show
that sixty pieces Of paper at 70 each, making $500
gust, 1889 for the East Room, and that the further
sum of $50 paid to that gentleman for hanging
the same. And thus sir, il is made manifest that not
less than three hundred and foy-six dollars Of the
money of your constituents and Of my constituents
have been expended during last for the graft
fcatioa Of womansh but costly whlm IN substitu-
ting "a rich, choste and beautiful sfirer paper, t1lt
godsd borders for the Questionable lemon color,
with rich cloth border" But suitable recon-
hpfd-handed democracy Of the country have been
officially advised that tho East Room in the Presi-
dents mansion has been greatly improved They
must therefore be content
Mr. Chairman there is notable historical incident
associated with this East Room 10 which may with
propriety whilst within the room itself,
and before pass through the massive apanned doors
into the magnificent Elptical Saloon, where next
purpose conduct you That historical refers
the celebrated " East Room Letter. addressed TO the
editor of the 'RichHond Enquirer, and dated al
Washington, January / 1927 Here is the letter
" This being the day on which the Presidents
House is thrown open to all visiters, went among
others 10 pay my respects to hun, or rather should
fairly confess, went 10 the EAST RooM for the
furnishing Of which We had voted twenty-five thou
sand dollars at the last session Of Congress was
ANXIOUS 10 see how that amount Of furniture could be
slowed away in single room and my curiosity
fully satisfied Ii was truly gorgeous sight be-
hold buthad too much the look OF regal magnifeencs
TO be perfectly agreeable to my old republican feelings
% establish the falsy of this celebrated letter,
Will refer you to extracts from two distinguished pub
lie journals, one of them the official organ Of Ce-
neral Jackson Administration and the other at that
period in full communion with the party.
" 1t is well known that through Mr. Adamss ar.g-
focratc PRIDE, this elegant room ( the East Rom
in the Presidents House was left rNFuRssHGp '-U.
> Iaegraph, Aug. l. 1929
The New York Courier and Enquirer Of Noyem.
Der s29, states as follows
going tobc furnished This at the best, is bad autho
rty but, if il l.c rue we are happy 10 hear it, The
manner in which Mr. Clay's President kept the East
Room disespectful 70 the office OF President ofthe
United States Instead Gifts looking neat and clean
and tidy and being dsceaty Furnished as the mansion
Of the President Of great republic ought TO be- II was
f If c0blrebs felc old chairs, numbering benches
broken glass; and looked exactly like of the apart
ments Of Windsor Castle Hollywood Palace, or the
Tower Of London, those appendages to kngs and
monarchs The head Of republic ought to give an
erample Of ne hrttness and rirtuoas habits Of the
people who put him there EVERY PLAls REPuBLIcAs
when visiting Washington, will now find chair 70
SIT down upon in the East Room They wont DC
kept standing upon their legs they do before kings
and emperors and practised by Mr. Clay's Presi
dent till they tired scarcely to know whether
they have any legs TO stand upon Ontess General
jackson aGooDi SOUND stBsTa:,rist re- SiTgaE into
the Ea ROOM The RFroM is not complete in that
quarter and the People wont forgive him for neglect
ing it.
What strange commentary do the gorgeous and
dazzling garnishmenis Of the East Room" afford in
regard to the remarks Of the Courier and Enquirer"
which have jus, been read by the Clerk EVERY
pLHs RfPpRLrcAS forsooh, when visiting Wash
ington will now find CHAIR to sit down upon in the
East Room Az sir, EVERY PLAIN REPUBLICAN
viii now find Of chairs in that splendid and royal
saloon which took the round sum OF SIX inbred DOL
LARS Of the PEOPLES CASH to pay for Is not
that sitting down With vengeance Mr. CLAYs
President Mr. ADAAis} through aristocratle Pride"
=
iumteriHF benches, and brohen giaast On the other
hand Martin Van Buren, plain repubican-hard-
handed democratic loco foco Martin Van Buren,
has il now garnshed with gold framed mirrors
" as big as a barn door behold his plain repub
tran SELF in. What need he care If those mirrors
have taken TwESTY-rorR HUNDRED poLLLRs
Of the PEOPLES CASH TO pay for them -
l. not such democracy burlesque on common sense
and common deccncy But Mr. Chairman am
not done with the celebrated East Room letter -
That letter not only false but was Immediately
after It's publication known throughout the whole
country have been sheer fabrication from be
ginning end For the sake of the authors reputa-
therefore became necessary that his should
he withheld from the People The editor of the
Richmond Enquirer, instead Of exposing the base
colncr Of alsehood maintained the deep silence Of
the grave in regard 10 the writer of the letter during
period Of almost four months; and was not until
after repeated goadngs that he became rcstive and
sore and began TO manifest proper disposition to
clear his skirts of the forgery He accordingly
announced in the Richmond Enquirer Of the 9th of
April, 1927 in reply to an article in some other
paper the subject Of the letter, that " the account
which the writer refers respecting the EAST RooM
forwarded TO u.s. IT purports by Of the most
tnteHi rent and distnglashed membera Of Congress-"
This nost intelligent, and distinguished member OF
Congress turned out to be THoM4s HART Benton,
who subsequently, became still more distinguished
the author Of the " Gold Humbug." ! said that his
East Room letter was false throughout and that il
made up of the whole piece OF cloth forit appears
the very time (ist January, 1927 that letter
written describing the furniture Of the East Room
gorgeous 10 degree Of regal magnifcence" the
room had no furniture, excepting few old chairs,
numbering benches, broken glass and divers fraerni-
ties OF cobwebs Sir 70 for these old "reminiscences
and hold thst when of the most intelligent
and distinguished members Of Congress" will delibc-
rately sit down his chair and fabrcae for publica-
ton ,nfi lie for the purpose Of deceiving the Peo
pie he ought TO be kept in fresh remembrance
His title should be branded deeply bis forehead as
ever was the letter felons check Sir Thomas
II Benton bsgot that falsehood-it was proved upon
him; and though other matters account OF youth