The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-01-10
Sketch Of the Early Life Of the National
Chief Executive.
New York Herald, Dec. so.

Chief Executive.
5 New York Herald Dec SOL
! WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 1S7G.-The Dc
, nestle life of most of the Presidents Ina
: been so far removed from the public gaz
as to create the impression generally tina
!, there are no firesidc scenes in the EXecutly
Mansion which are not connected insepara
: bly, with affairs OF State. Diplomatic din
ners, official receptions and similar matter
are supposed to consume the daily life OF thu
Nations Executive. His family, too, seem
ed to be merged in one way Or another il
the business routine of the mansion, ant
the majority Of visitors to the White Houst
would, from their notion Of public lie, fin,
it difficult to determine at What particular
point or time OH any day Presidential duties
were laid aside, and especially when the re-
lations of husband and father could he as
stunned without offending statesmen OF great
err or lesser fame.
Yet it is true that there is a portion Of
the Executive Mansion which curious eyes
are never permitted to see-a small part, to
be sure, but ambly large TO accommodate
the Presidents family. Where this portion
lies is Il mystery to many strangers who
think they are shown into every part OF the
building, and who on the outside of the CEN
| tral object OF every ambitious public man
| look in vain for the backyard OF the Presi-
dents mansion. Such reflections might
| have forced themselves easily upon the at
/ tention Of the President and Mrs. Hayes Il
few weeks ago when the fact presented it
| self that at the close of the year 1877 would
occur the twenty fifth anniversary of their
marriage which event was celebrated Oh the
30th OF December, 1852, at 3 O'Clock in the
afternoon, in an unpretending dwelling on
| Race. near Eigth street, Cincinnati. or, less
definitely, near the classic precincts OF
''Rhineland.' According to custom the
present anniversary must be a silver we'd
ding, and should it become generally known
there would be no telling What the silver ad-
vocates throughout the country might not
make it q preteN for doing or saying. Ii
was the Presidents intention to pass it by,
as a matter exclusively within the secrets of
! the household, but somehow it became
known that he was entitled to celebrate his
silver wedding, and few OF the friends OF
the family insisted that it ought to be done
differently from the Presidents notion
Those who know Mr.. Hayes will remember
chat he is not Il piilbc man. and notably
the swaying minds i'll his own party are by
this time convinced of this fact. Progress,
however, was made in suggestions to the eN-
. tent that if he would not dignity it by a for
NAL celebration, it should. at least, be the
occasion of a reunion of old friends. So
what at one time threatened to be passed
over in silence now takes rank with the i'll
tercsting special events which have from
time to time marked the history of the do
nestle relations of former Presidents.
HISTORICAL "REMINISCENCES.
1t is remarked by many of the Oldest in
llabitants of Washington when the child Of
Presiden. Jackson's private secretary and
son in. law was born in the White House q
| half century ago, and how at a later period
| the venerable Father Matthew, OF old st.
Patrick's Parish, stood in one of the parlors
OF the mansion, and turning to the Presi-
dent as sponsor for the child asked, ''An-
drew jackson, do you renounce the devi:
and all his works?'' and how Old Hickory
replied with much warmth. Il do, most
emphatically' And from the dreadful
days of the rebellion and the din of war who
| does not recall the most melancholy event
| in the history Of the mansior- 1.-The death
within its walls OF the martyred President S
| baby boy? Or again during the admins
| tration of President johnson, when with his
| invalid wife they stood in the centre of the
great East Room and blessed their grand
| children and the thousands OF little guests
who had been invited to prattlc and dance
on the vclvety carpets OF the Executive Man.
sions That was, indeed, Il happy event,
and one that il privileged few will never
| forget. As the years fly on Il daughter is
given away there in mrrriage. The only
daughter OF President Grant stands beneath
the wedding canopy in the SAME East Room,
and the father sees his darling child go from
under its roof the wife OF an English gentle
man.
/ THE SILVER WEDDING.
And so it comes at last, as orderly as the
march of time, that in the same East Room
President is TO gladden. its walls with the
jubilee on his marriage il quarter OF CEN
fury ago. Birth. baptism, childhood, mar
riuge. The series is to have completion in
this silver wedding
1t is nearly forty years since Ruthel fore
+. Hayes, II mere lad, visiting the town Of
Chilicothc, Ohio, met his future wife. thel
a little girl eight Or ten years of age. 1t wa
| boysh fancy on his part, but attraction i;
so Characteristic of the Webb family tina
those who knew her mother and We're init
mate with the family say that the charm
which be- uilad young Rutherford has cluns
! to all her kindred. Dir. Webb died about
lS43, leavin. the widow with two boys ant
a girl to educate. 4 devoted mother al
once laid aside all thought OF herself,and re-
solved to spend the remainder OF her day
in the development OF her Children. JOSEPH
and james were placed III school at thu
Wesleyan College in the town OF Delaware
Ohio. and thither Mrs. Webb removed will
her daughter. Delaware was at that ti.nt
tle home also of Mr.. Hayes. The boyis
fancy had not los! any OF its charms, ant
though young, Hayes was now man grown
He still clung with aflectionate regard to tn
sweet face which met him i'll childhood
simplicity as he walked through the street
OF his native town. The Webb boys 1inishe
: their collegiate course, and now the daugtel
budding into womaullood, must have he
share of the polish and refinement OF educa
ton of the gentler sex. DR.. MeCabe, tn
President of the college at Delaware, point
cd out the Wesleyan Female College at Gin
cinnati as the most admirable OF the fenal
institutions of learning in the West, and
the mother and sons removed to that Cit.
the latter studying for the medical profe'
sion, while the mother and daughter maj