Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-07-10
THE ROYAL WHITE HOUSE.
OHiciaI Life at the National Capital.
some Queer streaizs Of Aristocraey
Veining fntOIt.

Omcial Life at the Matte oual CapttaA-
some Queer Streaks Of AristOcracy
Veining fntOIt.
The Washington correspondent of tht
Cincinnati Commercial writes as follows
Ifyou will watch our official life here
at Washington, you will perceive somt
queer streaks of aristocracy veining into
it. There is constant tendency to per.
forats plain republicanism with freaks O
foreign snobbishness.
The three or four members Of the cab.
met, who can stand the sun, have been
circling, kid gloved, round the city late>
ly to find some spot for new executive
mansion, more comfortable ard retired
ike, where his excellency can conyeni-
emily receive more at leisure few
choice visitors who come in carriages.
The presidential smelling committee,
it seems, has selected the site far out,
northwest of the city, mile or more
from the present White House, two miles
| from the Capitol. At that distance from
the capital, presidential royalty will be
more free from the intrusion Of the
popular mob constantly pouring into
Washington to bother him on public
business. The winter receptions at the
new White House will be more elegant
and 7djfnne, of course, as nobody, that
cannot afford a paltry ten dollars for a
hack, to draw him there, can attend. In
fact, the nobodies without money will
not come to this courtly Versailles as
now to the White House.
Our ignorant democracy made mis-
take, perhaps, in supposiDg that the
President was the nations servant, that
he should make himself convenient and
accessible to the people for the transac-
ton of public business. 1t will learn
better when the new White House is
built among the aristocratic shades OF
Kalorama Heights. The dignifed Sc
clusion of great Office will there be
preserved by the nature of circumN
taIces.
Is is said that the location of the
present presidential mansion is unh healthy.
The evidence of it is that Mr.. Lincoln,
the best of the Presidents, lost his life
while his residence was there, and Ans
drew johnson, the worst of them, as I'M
providentially preserved bis. So, the
committee Of the cabinet win recon-
mend or the new White House the site
of the city small pox hospital, or some
place thereabouts. That will be an im~
provement consistent as a syllogism.
The superior healthiness of the site is
established after peculiar fashion. 1t is
argued that had the spot been taken
sooner, johnson, a man of full habit and
thick blood, would have died of the
small pox, and that Grant would smoke
away the malaria, and live through it.
Any how, let US not, with our stupid no.
tions that President has anything to do
with receiving the people, oppose this res
moval of his dwelling from the accessible
centre of Washington.
At the small -pox vicinity, if he does
not get improved health-which is the
first object of the change-he will at least
get more retirement and time to devote
to his circle of select friends and to his
own business. Scenes like the following
will not be so frequent with his excel
lency's card-bearer.
Col. Hinton, good soldier, and one ol
our best journalists here, went the other
day to the White House, in company
with friend who had a fixed appoint>
ment with one of the Presidents secre>
taries. Card,bearer Dent was present;
the others were away. The Colonel
handed his own and his friends cards to
the malapert General, with an explana>
ton, and request that they should be
handed to the Secretary. Dent spurted
pompously: 81 carry cards to the Presi-
dent, sir; | do not carry cards to his Sec
rstaries." The Colonel turned his
back, saying aloud to his friend: "Gen.
Dent says his business is that of carrying
cards to the President; that gives him
no claim TO insult US, who are no mans
servant-not even his Excellency's."
Dent had sense enough to see that he
had cornered tartar, and stepped for
ward at once to repair the mistake by
taking the cards.