The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-12-06
~ mite House.


This being Cabinet day, ncne but
the heads of Departments were grant
ed All interview with the President.
Were it not for the relief from dailv
annoyances, afforded byCabinet meet
lngs, on Tuesdays aad Fridays, no
physical constitution, however strong.
could endure the eXllausting labor
performed by the President of the
United States. There is no office of
the Government so hurdened with
responsibility and anxiety, and no
man living required to listen to such
an endless recital of private griefs
as unsophisticated visitors pour into
the Presidents ear at every public in
tervicw. President johnson has few
equals in industry. He rises at six,
and until breakfast, which is served
at half-past seven, looks over the
newspapers. Immediately after break
fast he goes to the Executive apart
ments and commences the labor Of
the day. First there are bundles of
letters to be read and the replies die
tated to the Secretaries. Applications
for appointments, promotions, dis
charges from the army and navy,
political advice, petitions for Execu-
tive clemency, and innumerable other
subjects are disposed of, but before
half completed, the visitors have
commenced to flock into the ante
rooms and thrust their cards upon
him. Pardon seekers swarm on every
hand. Former owners of confscated
property pace up and down before
l. of 40 T.
females, with indescribable effrontery,
insist upon immediate admittance.
After the most important business
OF the morning has been disposed of,
the visitors are admitted one by one,
and the President submits himself to
the artesiap process. This lasts till
about half-past one or two, sometimes
three o'clock, when the doors of his
apartment are opened, and the whole
crowd admitted. At such times Col.
johnson, son of the President, or
Col. Browning, the Private Secretary,
stands near the President, and takes
memoranda as dictated by him on the
cases of the visitors who succeed one
another with subjects for Executive
action, like the dense throng at the
post-of1ice window. The Presidents
manner at such times is alwa IS plea
SAINT, and gives confidence to the most
tlmld. His decisions are quick, and
each individual who lays his case be-
fore the President learns in half a
dozen courteous words the final de-
clslon. When ali nave been listened
to, and the halls are once more empty.
the President turns again to papers
on his table, until four o'clock, the
hour for dinner. After dining, he
returns to his Office, and there gene
rally remains until late hour, seldom
retiring before eleven o'clock.
In addition to all these duties, it
must be remembered that there are
distinguished visitors constantly pre-
sentlng themselves. Representatives
OF Foreign Courts, Governors, Sena-
tors, Generals, and hundreds Of lesser
magnitude must be received, each
having some important subject re-
qulring care and deiberat;on, while
over all towers the great and ever
present problem of reconstruction.
Cabinet days and the Sabbath afford
three days of rest from the petty and
eXhaustng annoyances that beset the
President, but at no time is he free
from the oppressive weight of ma
t1onal difficulties which now, more
than ever before, obscure the future.
Vushinoivn .Silu..
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