Smyrna times., 1877-03-14
The Ladies Of the White House.

Inc present Is an era OF klIluly SGnll-
ment, and, as one token of it, we are happy
to observe in more than one journal pleas
ant notices of the late Lady of the White
House. Mrs. Grant seems to retire from a
position of considerable responsibility with
the best wishes of all who know her. I'm
douhtedly she is not sorry to CO. As a
good housewife she has not probably found
the Executive Mansion a very convenient
place of abode. All reports concur in rep
resenting that renowned edifice to be in
condition somewhat dilapidated and actual
ly verging upon the shabby. In fact, for
eight years Mrs. Grant has had no house of
her own, and has really been at the head
of large office maintained for the use
and benefit of the American people. The
modest little structure which she left at
Galena was doubtless far pleasanter and in
great deal better repair. We are inclined
to believe that Mrs. Hayes will also think
with some regret of her snug, elegant, and
commodiOus Ohio home, as the auction adj
vertisements say, "with all the modern i'm
provements." We know at least from her
correspondence that such was the homesick
feeling of Mrs. John Adams, who was
always longing for the old-fashioned resi-
dence, half villa and half farm, house (which
she left in Massachusetts,.
Both the eX-President and the President
are married men. Several of our Chief
| Magistrates have not been so fortunate.
| Mr.. Buchanan, for instance, a bachelor OF
the oldest kind, would have found his
domestic arrangements sorely trying but
for the tact, grace, and elegance Of his
niece. Jefferson, when he became Presi
dent, was still mourning his beautiful wife
too early lost; indeed, he never ceased tc
mourn for her. The charming manners
and personal elegance of Mrs. Madison are
matters Of history. When Mrs. jackson
in the quiet of the Hermitage, heard of hel
husbands election to the Presidency, she
said simply: "Well, for the Generals sake
l am glad; for my own part, | never
wished it," She was dead soon after; she
went to narrower home than the White
House, and it is told that the General wa
never the same man afterward-one of hi
friends said that he grew twenty year
older on the night of her death. Mrs
Tyler came by the accident Of death to tn
White House, and she died there, leavin,
its domestic arrangements somewhat a
hap-hazard for the rest Of the official tern
of her husband. Mrs. Pierce arrived a
Washington under the shadow of grea
and recent bereavement, her only child,
fine lad of thirteen years, having bee
killed by railway accident the proceedin
January. Mrs. Fillmore, it will be remem
bered, died just after her husband wen
out of office, and political disappointment
and domestic grief clouded his last offici;
| days. We have not mentioned the stated
lady of the true aristocratic Virginia
blood, who was the wife of Washington
and who will always be remembered wit
him. She was never a Lady of the Whit
House. Of the wives of other Presidcn
' there is little known and nothing of publ
9 interest to be said.
t We think it creditablc to the charact,
. of American women, and an evidence
1 their tact and ability gracefully to adal
a themselves to circumstances, that no Pres
t dents wife has shown any particular il
e capacity for the position through want
D good breeding and dignified manner
: Usually all the ladies of the President
t house have been respectfully treated
z the press and the public, and there h
r been little scandalous tittle,tattle about al
y of them. Two or three of them have be-
: remarkable for deeply religious characte
e We are sure that the best wishes Of Il
@ nation attend the coming of the new nj
v tress of the White House, and that in h
$ hands its traditional dignity and decoru
y of life will be preserved--N. y. PriJ,me.