The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-09-03

atoms, during thu sane rsr'sd' iei Js,"'''s ''f
the Presidents House. -
At of I'd March, 1929. For fur.
r;sb;po the Presidents House un.
Az ,be direction of the President e14,O0O 90
All Of I'd March. 1881. For furni-
,nre and repairs of furniture $4,000 OO
Az Of Cd March, 1888. Furnishing
gradients House, in addition to
proceeds of such decayed furni-
tire a. he may direct to be sold 10000 w
ACT Of Goth June, 1884. For COM
PLETING the furniture of the
Presidents House S6,OOO w
Act Of Sd March, 1887. For furni- 40 -
turc ST the Presidents House $2o,Ouo OO
To these appropriations may be added the
proceeds, as before stated, made by the sale OF
deca yed and questionable furniture, $3.50 4O
and we have the gross sum Of SEVENTH THOU
SAND SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY DOLLARS AND FOR
TT CENTS, expended by the reformers for furni-
ture Cor tho Presidents House. And this, TOO,
sir, after the rcformers had themselves contend.
ed and insisted that the Presidents House mad
been furnished by John G. Adams IN styie OF
regal magni6cence.' But let US look little
closer at the matter. BY the 18th clause OF
the LIST section of the act of goth June, 1884,
six thousand dollars were appropriated 'for
SJJMHIE lNlJ INC IuIuituIc VI LNc lCSIuSut .
House The furniture was Therefore complete
after the expenditure of this S., 900.
Now, Mr. Chairman Gun you tell me how it
came to pass that Mr. Van Buren, expended
S24,l27 SO on the palace furniture during the
summer aud autumn of 1897? The last sum
1924, 1877 98) consists Of $4,000 appropriated
by the act of Sd of March, 1887, and "a, 1877 80,
the amount Of the FIVE bills already read, for
what are denominated repairs and alterations
IL it to be credited that the reformers have de-
stroyed, in the short space Of three years, 1ur-
niture worth S24, 1878? About g. 900 annually
wasted; larger sum by $4,000, than has been
invested in the furniture of the princely man.
sion on the north side of Franklin square, and
Immediately opposite the palace. If an expen-
diture of 5000 dollars is sufficient to provide
appropriate and suitable furniture for the most
elegant private mansion in the city Of Washing
ton, what will the plain republican farmers OF
the country say to the expenditure OF ~ ,6S0 Az
BY the REFoRMERs in COMPLETING the furniture
Of the Presidents House, which was crowded
with the richest furniture on the globe at the
time the REFoRMERs came into possession?
The Presidents House, from the time of it's
destruction in 1914, was not rc6nshed and &C.
cupied until September, 1917. 1t was then ia
ken possession of by Mr.. Monroe. The furni-
ture in the former building had been destroyed
with it, and the little that had been purchased
afterwards, for the accommodation of President
Madison, in the house which had been rented
for him, (the eastern end of the seven build
ings,) was only second.handed, and of tritling
value; there was not carpet in the house, the
floor having been covered with blue and green
baize, which was entirely worn out; indeed, il
is said that there was not single article of fur
niture used by Mr. Madison suited to the new
building. Mr. Monroe, however, had considera
BILE furniture, of good quality, most of which
he had procured abroad as American Minister
and the residue for his accommodation as Sec.
rotary of State. This furniture, including q
small service of plate, he placed in the Presi
dents House, at valuation (9,07l 224) ti1et
upon 1t by two of the most respectable citizens
Of the District. About the same period, an or
der, limited in amount to t,oelre thousand dollars
was transmitted by Mr. Monroe to the Messr
Russell and La Fargo at Havre, with instruc
tons to procure some articles of furniture
strong, massive and durable, to be manufactnr
ed for the rooms for which they were respective
ly intended. These gentlemen, acting unde
the erroneous impression that the house of Thu
President was to be furnished in the style of I
kings palace, deviated greatly from the instruc
tions Of Mr. Monroe, not only in the richncs
and splendor of the articles purchased, but &C
tually ran up their bills to 80, 085 IS francs, o
Sl6,4l7 II, being S6,4l7 II higher than tn
extent of the order which they had received
All this splendid French furniture was forth
with shipped to America, and Congress subse
quently granted the necessary appropriation t.
cover the deficit. Although Mr. Monroe wa
somewhat unfortunate in the selection of hi
agents, he was little to blame in the whole af
fair; for many of the articles deemed prope
for the Presidents House could not at that da'
have been procured in the United States; an
besides, the statute which directs that all fur
niture for the Presidents House shall be, a
far as practicable, of American or domesti
manufacture was not enucted until May q
1926. The furniture of the Presidents Hous
was further increased by the purchase Of arti
Giles in Philadel pbia and other Atlantic cities
from time to time, during the administration O
Mr. Monroe, amounting to $23 ,5ll 6O4. TIL
entire sum, therefore, invested in furniture b,
him was $50 1000, viz:
Private furniture, appraised at e9,O7l "
Bought in France l6,4l7 II
Purchased in Philadelphia, &c. 22,5ll GO
S5O,OVU Q
This sum was paid by three several appropr
alton bills passed by Congress, to wit:
March 8, 1917, for 800, 90
April go, 1918, for . 5000
April 20, 1878, for deficiency 1000
$4,000
To the rich stock bought by Mr. Monroe ,thcr
was added during the administration of job
@. Adams other furniture, including servic
of plate, taken from Mr. Crawford at the tim
he left Washington, upon retiring from tn
head of the Treasury Department; all Of whic
amounted to the sum of $50 900, and for whic
Congress had granted the necessary appropri
tions, viz:
February IS. 1926 S14,0i
March 9, 1897 COZ
The entire cost, therefore, of the furniture
the Presidents House on the day the reforme'