The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-01-17

OLD TINE HlPtBLiCANiSM.
When the general appropriation bill nj is4l was
under consideration IN Committee OF ths " hole OF
the Home OF K personalities, the Hon. Charles
O9ie thea Wing Representative from PennsIvd-
mia, objected to item ~ $3.50 " Tor aei atoms
and repairs OF the Presidcnt's house aud furniture
Tor purchasing trees, shrubs, and compost and for
snpcrintCn lcncc OF the grounds" Tor the general
that the regal splendor sought TO he adopled
a. tne White House was Inconsistent with tao sun
plei'y otrepublean principles lie argued his OBJ
jccnon AZ great length, going into the wiuutia NJ Mr.
Van Buren's eXtrAVlgances and Displays. His re-
marks seem apt nc the present day we cannot
refrain from quoting from them.
rBs EAST ROOM IN ITS PRIMITIVE SIMPLICITY.
Thus in speaking OF the furnishing OF the East
Room, then just fully completed, though ccmmonc.
ed under the administration OF Of Mr. Van
Burcu's predecessors Mr.. Ogle quotes an account
III now, and asks, :" no can deny that tils room.
INTENDED Tor tic comfort Of OUT democratic CHER
magistrate, IA adorned with regal splendor iIr above
any OF the grand saloons at buckingham Palace.
Carlton House, or Windsor Castle ask You, sir,
he continued, whether In furnishing the East
Room with all liz gded eagles. gildcd sars, gilded
rays, golden slabs, gorgeous drip ~ aud ia zlinR
foreign ornaments, due REGARD mas been pad to
the simplicity and purity Of our institutions, or TO
the frugal, plau unostentaiious and republican
character OF our people who arc represented in 1t
On the contrary, does not all this gttering dsDla
OF costly hneTy, this binding our eyes with the
ba1e Of royal magnihceDce, Approximate too closely
the prde, po,np, and grandeur Of those govern.
meats In which stars and garters aud shining corO-
nets confer no. only the means oil luxurious enjoy
mept, but OF Ciyi superiority"
DENTON oDJHcTS To ITS REGAL hAGNIFTcFsCs.
On the day the East Room was Hrs, opened &, Oh
public. Jan l. 1s27, the VI II, Thomas IT, Benton was
among the visitors. He subsequently wrote ol the
VISIT ~ follow this beng the day on which the
Presidents House II thrown open To all visitors 1
went, among others TO p1y my respects 10 HIM. or
TathCr,I should airy confess went u see tn L II
Room, for the furnishing Of which we had voted
$4,000 at the last session OF Congress | VAS anK.
ious TO see how that amount Of furniture could be
slowed away IN u single room and my curiosity was
fully satisfied. II was truly gorgeous sght to
behold, but had too much the look of r. gal nngnn.
cencr To be perfectly agreeable 10 my old republican
iCelnp."
suNrruous PARLoRe FOR SERVANT
Mr. Van, Buren, spent the sum of 81 sO5 b IN i'm.
vehemcntly denounced by Mr.. Oclc. Tell me- he
said, whether this sumptuousy Gurnishcd saloon
bears the characteristics OF an apartment Intended
Tor tho nmodatOn of the chief servants OF a
plain, economical, hardy and republican people, or
whether u docs not more resemble the audience
room Of monarch, In which he receives his sleek
and ocked courliers they .prcsent them
selves with their humblcst scnulleyions and pro =
trauons, crouchng like la"nlng spaniols TO The
bune"
rnosR GOLD SPOONS.
But Mr. osle only reached the height OF HE lndIr.
nation when alinding to the stats dining room and
its furniture. In his opinion 1t was time the
people should know that their money went
TO buy Tor their PLAIN, LRTd.handed demo
cratic President knives, forks. ana spoons OF
gold. IL may well be wondered what these old time
honest, economical republics statesmen woald say
modern rresldent fcasts. Bnt lhn sarcasm uttered
At that DAY may be accepted Us IN indication. "On.
SIR said Mr. osle, how delgh,lul 1t must be 10 a
real g'nnine Loco oeo to oat his pate do roS Qy,S
dihde dtlofse, and satqds u polGNs rom silver
plate with golden knit and fork And how tx
gnslte 10 sip with golden spoon his soVIc Ia R.ine
from o silver tureen IL almost makes my mouth
water 70 talk about IT,"
vAs BuRES's AnnrIcIAL FLOWERS.
In his investigation Of White House expenditures
Mr.. Ogie'hit upon 4 voucher loT 100 Tor set Of
artIncal flowers tor the Presidents table at which
I've waved eloquent IN denunclltnn. " | am wilhnR
10 ooneede, he laid, "that the expenditure of $l0l
IL, IN itsel, . very small matter The qucsNon
however Il not how mucn cash paid by. Mr.. V AZ
Buren, Eos the bunch Of artificial flowers which
deo0rates hls table. bat whether the peoples money
shall be expended for such alstocraue eneh aaery