St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-10-27

I
the Chief Magistrate. The President
was plainly but handsomely dressed,
his hair in full powder and wearing q
dress sword. He was attended bv
his principal secretary, Mr.. Lear, by
Major jackson, and other gentlemen
of his family. He addressed . lew
words OF courtesy to the visitors as
they were presented. The company
then formed i'll groups for conversation.
and on the stroke of four o'clock re.
tired, the levee being at an end.
THE DRAWING ROOM.
When Mrs. Washington received
company it was on Friday commenc.
ing about seven and ending about ten
o'clock. Two rooms were thrown
open. The furniture that was thought
handsome in those days would be con-
sidered barely decent in modern times.
The principal ornament was glass
chandelier in the largest room, burn.
ing wax lights. The chair of the lady
OF the President was plain arm chair,
lined with green morocco leather.
The ladies visiting the drawingroom
were always attended by gentlemen.
1t was not the habit for very young
girls to be present at the drawing
room, but only those of the age when
it is proper for ladies to GO into com.
pany. Upon the ladies' being intro
duced they were seated, and the Pres
ident who always attended the draw,
ing rooms, passed around the circle,
paying his respects to each one in
succession, and it was common re-
mark among the chit chat of the draw
ing room, that the Chief was no incon-
siderable judge Of female beauty,
since he was observed to tarry longer
than usual when paying his compli,
mcnts to Miss Sophia Chew, a charm
ing belle of Philapelphia in that time.
Refreshments were handed round
by servants in livery, and about that
period first appeared the luxury, now
SD universal, Of ice cream. lntroduc-
tions to eminent personages and con-
vcrsation formed the entertainments
of the drawing room. Cards we're al,
together unknown.
But the leading and most imposing
feature Of the drawing room was the
men Of mark, the Rcvolutionaries,n
both civil and military, who were to
be seen there. The old officers de-
lighted to pay their respects to the
wife Of Washington, and to call up
the "reminiscences of the head quarters
and Of the times that tried mems
souls These glorious old chevaliers
were the greatest bcaux of the age,
and the recollection Of their gallant
achievements, together with their ele-
giant manners, made them acceptable
to the ladies everywhere.
They formed the elite of the drawing
room. Gen. Wayne, the renowned
Mad Anthony" with his aids-de camp
Lewis and Dc Butts frequently attend
ed, with Miiilin, Walter Stewart, Col.
Hartley and many others. Indeed,
there was often to be met with at tho
mansion Of the first President an as
scmbiagc of intellect and honor, pub
lie virtue and private worth, exalted
merit and illustrious services, such as
the world will never see again.
Among the foreign officers Of dis,
tinctiou, visitors Of the drawing room,
were the Niscomptc de Noailles, of the
French, and Maj. Bcckwith, of the
British armies.
There was no etiquette in the draw.
ing room: simplicity with dignity pre-
vailed. There all was aflability, with
the polite and elegant manners of
thrt distinguished age. One privi-
lege alone existed. The seat next to
the Presidents lady was always occu7
pied by Mrs Robert Morris. This was
no matter Of arrangement, but was
yielded to the excellent lady by COM
mon consent. In those earl y days of
the Republic a great mans merits
were pretty generally graduated by
the estimation in which he was held
by the beloved Chief
Now, it was perfectly well known
in ancient days that, of all our Revo,
lutionary worthless, none-no, not one,
was nearer and dearcr to the heart of
the Chief than Robert Morris. His
invaluable services to the cause of
American independence, at periods
when we had neither coin in our
treasury nor credit to obtain one,
were freshly remembered in the olden
time, and claimed for the financicr Of
the Revolution the title of public ben.
cfactor.
Such was the Republican Court in
the days of Washington. Dignifed
in its simplicity, imposing from tho
grandeur Of its associations it shed q
lustre upon the renowned era of our
early history, when America, having
consummated the great experiment Of
self government, gave her example to
other nations and an empire TO tha
world.-Nati0aat Htelligencer.