Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-17
White House Customs.

president Arthur is introducing changes In
the customs Of the White House which are so
sensible that they are pretty sure to be kept I'D
10y his SUCCESSORS i'm the Executive Mansion.
| Access to the President will not hereafter be 40
easy as it used to be, and not SO much of his
time will be wasted in talking to bores and
cranks and other people who have nothing OF
value or importance to communicate to him.
IL Is altogether proper that the man who
seeks an interview with the President should
! nrst be made to state what his business u.s. III
he goes to the White House simply from curios-
| ity. or even IL he has no other object than the
getting OF minor appointment. there is no
reason why the President should receive him.
If all lie wants is to shake hands with the Presi-
dent let him wait until public reception il
| given at the Executive Mansion.
Inc Old custom OF receiving everybo and
shaking hands with everybody subjected the
President to physical strain sufficient TO ex-
nauSt even strong man. We have known n
President who was continually allowing people
To grasp his swollen hand and when the day
was over felt as if his arm had undergone long
pounding. A very pitiabe object Was Presi-
dent Offering his Limp hand 10 a long line of
ofiice-seekers gathered in parior Of the White
House.
Nobody who has executive work to do no
body who needs to use reflection, can stand that
sort OF thing without neglectng his duties
PRESIDENT Arthur. therefore. deserves credit for
ItOrs at business hours to give a good reason
for interrupting him and taking up his time IL
is outrageous that the President of the United
States should be compelled to give up use
ili work In order to listen TO every fool or busy
body, every beggar for an Office who can raise
money enough to buy ticket to Washington
III a stranger calls on you i'm your busy hours,
you have right to protect yourself against
needless interruption or impertinent intrusion,
whether you are President of the United states
or pDpappd i'm nriVafa "a fairs uh do
mand diligent attention.
How a Presidents Message was stolen.
During the excitement over the Alabama
treaty, some few years ago, message of Presi-
dent Grant got into the newspapers before it
did to the Senate. No one knew how it did so
then, though all knew that it did. IL came
about in this way: w. f. SAWYER. the CORE
spOndent Of the Boston Traveller at that time
who has since gained prominence as the inventor
OF number of electric appliances, natably an
electric lamp-happened to be near the State
department building as the message which was
prepared by Hamilton Fish, the then Secretary
of State, was being sent down to the Executive
Mansion for the signature Of President Grant
preparatory to being sent to the Senate. which
Was then in special session for the purpose of
considering the questions arising out of the
spoation and damages done by the Alabama to
sifppcfs ldhlIlR IL lOr granted That
the messenger had the document which all
knew would be sent to the Senate that day. he
spoke to him i'm an authoritative way saving
taat President Grant was i'm great hurry for il.
and SO great Was his hurry that he would take
it to him himself His manner Of talking threw
the messenger of his guard for the moment.
and he quietly handed the package to Sawyer,
who jumped into a carriage near by and drove
away without giving the messenger time to
think.
Instead Of going to the White House. SAWYER
drove about the city until he could COPY the
message, and after filing it at the telegraph
office he went to the White House. where he
delivered the message. as be promised he would
do. President Grant occupied some time i'm
reading it over before he would sign il. and il
was an hour or SO before it was sent to the Sem
ate. BY this time the message Was in Boston
and was being read on the streets Of that city in
the Irace.Se7' before it reached the Senate. The
Senate being In executive session, even the SUBJ
stance vi the message was not given out until
Senator Summer called the attention of the
Senate to the fact that he had received tele-
gram from Boston saying that the message was
printed there entire. In view Of this fact. the
Senate allowed q copy to be given out. Sawyer
took chances and won, as many do who take
chances. All sorts of stories were put i'm circu-
latiOn as to how it got out, the general impress
sion being that Ben Butler had hand in It. The
true story was the above, and this ia the first
time that it has ever appearedin q Newspaper
Hdsai"gto" Correspondents Of Hartford Times.
The Bandit Of the Coliseum.
From the London Truth.
gentleman was standing the other evening
in one of the shadOwy arcades of the Coliseum
at Rome, when he was somewhat brusquely
hustled by passing figure. With quick in
ssinct, he clapped his hand to his watch-pocket.
His watch was gone! He darted after the thiel
who turned sharply round, ut the same time
watch. ''Gfve me that watch!" 4
lash! the stolen property was recovered. Tho
startled robber disappeared. and the esutaeman
his prowess. What was his consternatioa, On
entering his bed room, to 6nd his own watcA,
which he had forgotten to put on, staring him
IN the face from the mantelpiece He had beea
he thief and the other wrefched man haA
tumbled over him In the dark, and when over
AIKEN and stopped was merely ciutching hsewn
.s.tch which he had not the nerve 70 Feos1o
orr the tourist That tourist h now known -
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