Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-12-16
THE WHITE HOUSE
Its Social History Of the Past Eighty
Years--SOme Curious R~eCOllectlons.


Years--SOme Curious ReCOIIeCtlons.
Colonel Forney's Progress, in a
Washington letter, gives the following
brief but interesting account of the
social history of the White House:
Fashionable people as well as states
men like the excitement Of political
capitals. In our own country a simple
President is a sad damper on shoddy
visitors and speculative residents.
President Jefferson, more than eighty
years ago, grossly outraged polite socie-
ty by refusing to continue or counte-
nance weekly receptions, and every
body remembers how he offended the
ladies, when Washington had not a
decent hotel within its ten miles
square, by walking into the Presiden-
tial mansion in muddy boots, after
they had called to see him. Madison
followed with his jolly Dolly, who
established a sort of dangerous senti-
ment in her receptions. The next
President, Monroe, was as cold as an
iceberg. John Quincy Adams was
the embodiment Of unresponsive New
England hauteur.
sold Hickory came in 1899,
and although by no means a ladies'
man, wrecked his first cabinet on ac-
count of Mrs. Undertake. Mr.. Van
Buren, succeeded him, and made a
Knickerbocker society in the White
House but he was so genteel that
even his naughty son John could not
extemporiEe a scandal for him. Then
we had General Harrison, who died
before his regime wa a month old,
giving way to John Tyler, with his
airy son, Robert, and they went out in
a row with the Wings, so neglected
because they had no party of their
own, that nobody seemed to care if
they were bad or good. James X.
Polk and Mrs. Polk came in 1915.
At last We had a real lady in the
White House-stately, Southern and
safe; nothing could be more attractive.
All their four years reign was socially
blameless and respectable. They were
followed BY General Taylor, his house
hold, Colonel Bliss and his handsome
wife, looked Ike a long season of very
good society. But as old Zach died
at the end of his first year, that dream
was soon over, leaving Mr.. Fillmore to
exc out the term cold, conservative
and selfish, Along came dashing
Frank Pierce, but his wife was an
invalid, and as his only son was killed
in a railroad accident a month before
his father was installed, that admins
tration, like nearly all the rest, was
conducted almost without a woman.
When Frank Pierce left, James
Buchanan came in with his niece,
Miss Harriet Lane, as mistress of the
White House. Nothing could have
been more cheering her reign was one
of roses, and she was immensely es-
teemed She lives to-day. much loved
As the handsome wife Of a Baltimore
banker. Mr.. Lincoln succeeded, but
the rebellion turned the White House
into a semi-military barrack, and hi.
administration closed with his assassi-
nation, leaving Mrs. Lincoln, hil
widow, a living ruin. Nothing eoulC
have been more reputable than thu
ladies Of MT. JOhnson's family. Gen
lGrant, of all his predecessors, seem
to have been most fortunate in hisWifi
and children. He had eight years 0
civil and domestic comfort. His sue
cessor, Mr.. Hayes, Is having an equal
~ pleasant experience.
Such Is the brief domestic record 0
the Presidency since the door of thu
nineteenth century was opened. TIL
first and second Chief Magistrates
Washington and John Adams, had n,
special domestic happiness TO exemp
them from the general rule.
The retrospect is curious and inter
, esting. During these eighty years tn
Old World has been drenched il
{ blood to maintain its several govern
ments. England alone has held he
sway without alteration. France, Ger
) many, Spain, Italy, Austria, Belgium
and Holland, have all been the alter
nate prey Of revolution and anarchy
All have been swept by war or sub
r jected to change. The social elemen
! has suffered c~onspicuously. Queen
I have been depOsed with their king.
! Courtiers have fed for refuge to fol
eign lands. A~ssassinations have pre-
c ceded and supplemented great war.
! Fashions have passed away with dynal
ties. But through all there is on
Z profound truth, that mankind is haI
e pier in the mass in the sunset of tn
century than it was in the dawn. Cel
tsinly, the most stable government
: the Anglo-Saxon. Where the Englis
e language is spoken, and the Englis
0 laws administered, there has been
; greater degree of human happines
d Such is the retrospect Of eighty year
OF rather, since the election Of GeOrt
d Washington, in 1889. The aggregai
is before the world, and there is I
I place where it can be more proftabl
d studied than in the city Of Washing
ton, and no page Of it Is more interes
ing than that which records the inn
-Ilffo oF of,r otwfaon Drosfdonta