The New York herald., 1868-12-06

/
ing Advent Of Mrs. General Grant.
While the interested politicians are specu-
lating, proposing and intriguing in reference to
the Cabinet of General Grant, the ladies, far
and near, are beginning to inquire what sort of
person is Mrs. General Grant, and what are
her qualifications for the honors of the White
House? Here we have the interesting theme
of the ladies of the White House broadly sug-
gested, from Mrs. George Washington down
to Mrs. Andy Johnson. It is theme for a
heavy volume, gilt-edged and copiously illus
trated with steel engravings; but for our
present purpose few passing remarks will do.
| Our republican court" under Mrs.
Washington, was originally located at No. 8
Cherry street. Franklin square-at that time
the Washington Heights of New York city
The members of the Cabinet and Of Congress
were scattered about in their private resi-
dences or boarding houses, between Franklin
square and Water street and thence along to
the Battery. The administration of the honors
Of the Executive Mansion by Mrs. Washington
was substantially a reproduction of the eti-
quette, costumes and ceremonies of st. James
and St. Cloud. A learned historian on the
subject says that her levees were numerously
attended by the fashionable, elegant
and refined that the rabble, the coarse
and boisterous partisan and impu-
dent place hunter were vigorously ex-
cluded; that full dress was required of all
her visitors, and that there was no admission
for interlopers with boots, frockcoats and
roundabouts, or with patched knees and holes
at both elbows" Her receptions were select,
elegant and courtly.
From New York the general government was
removed to Philadelphia, where the same sys-
tenn was maintained, and thence to the newly
laid out but almost invisible city of Washing
ton, as the permanent national capital, under
President John Adams, In 1900. Mrs. Adams
was a highly accomplished woman of the
colonial aristocracy and Of the federal school,
and she maintained as far as practicable the
| courtly forms and ceremonies Of Mrs. Wash
ington. But in very interesting letter on
| her new house in the hamlet of Washington she
has left upon record the primitive expedients
to which she was driven to make things passa-
bly, comfortabls-expedients aud makeshifts
which seem to have given her much amuse
ment. In this we have sufficient evidence of
her admirable qualities for the position, the
time and the place.
| President jefferson came to Washington a
| widower He was free from the power behind
the throne, and, being thoroughgoing radical
of the French school, in society as in politics,
his advent marked radical revolution-yes, a
revolution in dress aud manners only less
marked than the change in France itself
with the overthrow Of the monarchy.
the clipping of the fine feathers of
the Bourbons and the proclamation of the
republic. Jefferson would have no courtly
ceremonies about him. His own dress, even
at his receptions, being that of plain farmer,
he had no objections to boots, frockcoats or
sleeves out at both elbows. Everywhere the
new philosophy of life was received with accla-
nations and thus, from 1901, we may date
not only the downfall of the stately politics,
but general decay Of the stately society Of
the old federal party.
Under the plump and rosy, sprightly and
charming Dolly Madison new dispensation
OF social Life was introduced in the White
House, especially after the peace with England
OF 1915. Her receptions we're gay, sparkling
and delightful, and her popularity was un-
bounded, and she reigned in Washington to the
end Of her long and happy life. Under Mrs.
Monroe and Mrs. John Quincy Adams we had
in the social reunions of tho Erecutive Man
sion happy blending Of dignity, refinement
and republican simplicity. Mrs. J. Q, Adams