Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-07-28
a state Reception .iG..oss ss wash,ns'on

In 1903.
II so chanced that the British Minis
ter from 1903 1909, with whom Jefferson
had TO do, Merry by name, but not by
nature, was fanatic Of etiquette and il
appears that, previous 70 his presenta-
ton TO the President, he had not heard
OF the business like manner in which
the affairs Of the White House were
conducted. He was stunned at the
manner OF his reception II made an
impression upon his mind which neither
explanation nor the lapse of years could
even soften, much less obliterate And
really, when we consider that he had
passed his life at courts where the mods,
the frown, the glance, the tone. the
silence, the presence, the absence of the
head of the government, were matters
TO be noted, recorded, transmitted, and
weighed, we ought not 10 laugh at this
Mr.. Merry as we do. Besides, as Mr..
Jefferson remarks, Poor Merry had
learned nothing of diplomacy but its
suspicious, without head enough to dis.
tinguish when they we're misplaced"
Nevertheless, he comes down to us
borne on u billow OF laughter, and he
remains to this day one of the stock
jests of Washington. Thus he recounted
his woes, three years after the event, to
Mr.. Josiah Quincy, Of Massachusetts,,
the ablest Federalist in Congress, and
one OF the worthiest:
IL called on Mr.. Madison, who &C.
companied me officially to introduce me
to the President. We went together TO
the mansion house, / being in full Off.
cial costume, rs the etiquette of my
place required on such formal intro.
duction of q minister from Great Brit
ain to the President Of the United States.
On arriving at the hall of audience we
found it empty, at which Mr.. Madison
seemed surprised, and proceeded to an
entry leading TO the Presidents study.
| followed him, supposing the introduc-
tion was to take place in the adjoining
room. At this moment Mr.. Jefferson
entered the entry Mt the other end, and
all three of us we're packed in this mar
row space, from which, to make room, |
was obliged to back out. In this awk
ward position my introduction to the
President was made by Mr.. Madison.
Mr.. Jeferson's appearance soon ex-
planned to me that the general creum-
stances of my reception had not been ac-
cidental, but studied. |, in my official
costume, found myself, at the hour of
reception he had himself appointed,
introduced to n man as President
of the United States, not merely in an
undress, but actually standing in slippers
down at the heels, and both pantaloons,
coat and underclothes indicative OF utter
slovenliness and Indifference to appear
ances, and in state of negligence
actually studied. | could not doubt that
the whole scene was prepared and in
tended as an insult, not to me person
ally, but to the soverein represented.
1t as just possible that Mr.. Jefferson
thought that morning, of the time Cow
erneur Morris kicked his heels four
months in London waiting for the prom
ised answer of the British Government
to as reasonable and urgent communi-
cation from President Washington as
one government ever made to another,
and then had to leave England without
getting it, Possibly, also, it did happen
to occur to his memory that Mr.. Adams
had been kept vainly waiting three years
in England for reply to the same pro.
posals. Perhaps, too, he remembered
the period when he was himself pre-
sented to the King of England by Mr..
Adams, and the King froze to them
both; an example which was followed
by the Kings friends" and society
generally; so that it required courage
for a courtier to show them anything
more than cold civility at an evening
party. And this, while they were only
asking the King to stay the bloody raw
ages Of the Indians by giving up the
seven posts within the boundaries of
their country. he may, too, have thought
of the time when he, as Secretary OF
State, would send an important commu-
nication to the British Minister at Phil
adelphia, and wait many months for an
answer; but if he failed to answer let
ter within three or four days, he would
be goaded" by a second. Perhaps he
thought the time had come to show the
Federalists that he did not accept Great
Britain at her own valuation, and did
not believe she was fighting the battle Of
man and liberty against Bonaparte. 1t
may be, too, that he, knowing the child
ish politics of Europe, and what ridicu-
lous Importance was attached there to
trifes, may have paused before ringing
for n pair OF shoes not down at the heels,
and wondered if his old slippers, duly
reported to Bonaparte, might not drive
another nail into the bargain for Leu
isiana, just concluded by Mr.. Livingston
and Monroe, to the great joy Of Presi-
dent and people. All these thoughts |
may have fitted through the Presidents
mind, and held back his hand from the
bell rope; but, in all probability, he had
no thoughts of the kind, and only wore |
the clothes he usually did while at work.