The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-12-21
THE WHITE HOUSE.
iEAKs-soME BRIEF AND Curl
oUs RECoLLECTIoNs.


ITS SOCIAL HISTORY OF THE PAST EIGHT,
YEARs-soME BRIEF AND Curl
oUs RECoLLECTIoNs
Col. Forney's Progress, in A Washington
letter, dated December Bid. gives the fol
lowing brief, but interesting, account q
the social history OF the White House:
Fashionable people, as well as statesmen
ike the excitement of political capitals
In our own country simple President is /
sad damper on shoddy visitors aud specula
tive residents. President jefferson, NOR,
than eighty years ago. grossly outraged
polite society by refusing to continue OF
countenance weekly receptions, and every
body remembers how lie offended the la
dies, when Washington had not decent
hotel within its ten miles square, by walk
ing into the Presidential mansion in mud
dy boots, after they had called to see him
Madison followed with his Jolly Dolly, who
established sort of dangerous sentiment
in her receptions. The next President,
Monroe, was As cold as an iceberg. John
Quincy Adams was the embodiment of uu
responsive New Eng hauteur.
"oLn HICKORY"
came IN 1889, and although by no means
ladies man, wrecked his first cabinet on
account of Mrs. Undertake. Mr. Van
Buren succeeded him, aud made knicker.
booker society in the White House; but be
was so genteel that even his naughty son
John could tot extemporize a scandal for
him. Then We had General Harrison, who
died before his regime was a month old,
giving way 10 John Tyler, with his airy
son, Robert, ana they went out in 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 *. Polk and Mrs. Polk came in
1915. At last We had
REAL LADY IN THE WHITE HOUSE
stately, Southern aud safe; nothing could
he more attractive. All their four years
reign was socially blameless and resr~--
able. They were followed by c. tayior.
his --S"---al Col. RE- ana 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 i'll a railroad accident a month
before his father was installed, that ad-
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, aud she was Immediately
She lives to day, much loved as
the handsome wife of a Bait imore banker
Mr.. Lincoln succeeded, but the rebellion
turned the White House into a sem. military
barrack, and his administration closed with
his assassination leaving Mrs. Lincoln, his
widow,
LIVING RUIN.
The Acc!dency that rose on his grave
made no social mark, though nothing cou Id
have been more reputable than the ladies'
of \. Johnson's family. Gen. Grant, of
all his predecessors, seems to have been most
fortunate in his wife and children. lie had
If Il
His successor, Mr.. Hayes. is having an
equally pleasant experience.
Such is the brief domestic record of the
Presidency since the door of the nineteenth
century was opened. The first and second
chief magistrates, Washington and John
Adams, had no special domestic happiness
10 except them from the general rule.
THE RETROSPECT Is CURIOUS AND INTER
EsTISG.
During these eighty years the Old World
has been drcuched in blood To maintain its
several governments. England alone has
held her sway without alteration. France.
Jain, Germany, Italy, Austria, Belgium,
and Holland, have all been the alternate
prey of revolution and anarchy. All have
been swept by war Or subjected to change
The social element has suffered conspicuous
ly. Queens have been deposed with their
kings. Courtiers have lied for refuge to
foreign lands. Assassinations have preceded
and supplemented great wars. Fashions
have passed away with dynasties. But
through all there is one profound truth. that
MANkISD Is HAPPIER
in the mass in the sunset of the century
than it was in the dawn. Certainly, the
most stable government is Anglo-Saxon
Where the English language is spoken, and
English laws administered, there has been
a great aggregate of human happiness -
Such is the retrospect of eighty years, or
rather, since the election of George Wash.
ing,on, in 1889. The aggregate is before
the world, and there is no place where it
can lie more proiiably studied than in the
city of Washington, and no page of it is
more interesting than that which records
the the inner life of our sixteen Presidents.