Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-04-21
OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE.


OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE.
HOW SOME OF THE PRESIDENTS HAVE RETIRED
Before the building Of the southern front
of the Treasury Department, which rendered
a change of the enclosure of the White House
necessary, there was an entrance facing Penn
sylvania avenue-a stone archway, with 8
large weeping willow growing on each side Of
it. Mrs. Madison, who was very bright
woman, when congratulated OH her husbands
Inauguration and occupation of the White
House, said Il don't know as there is much
cause for congratulation-the President Of
the United States generally comes in at the
iron gate and goes out at the weeping willows u
John Adams, who was the first President
that occupied the White House, was crushed
with shame and filled with Indignation when
his old friend, Thomas Jefferson, defeated him
in the Presidential election of 1900. He took
what vengeance he could by continuing to
make appointments up to a late hour on the
evening of March 8, and the next morning
before sunrise he left the White House and
the metropolis forever. Washington had at.
tended at his Inauguration four years previous
ly, but he could not bear to witness the swear.
ing in of his Democratic successor. Retiring
to his farm at Quincy, he devoted the remain.
ing twenty-five years of his life to political
correspondence, marked by partisan rage and
by personal hatred
Jefferson, Madison and Monroe, in turn, at
tended the Inauguration Of their successors
aud decorously vacated the White House for
their occupation with the best of feeling But
when General Jackson was elected there was
a different condition of affairs President
John Quincy Adams was bitterly disappoint-
ed because he had not been reelected, while
his successful competitor was incensed by
some abusive articles concerning Mrs. Jack
sou which had appeared in the official "organ. "
When General Jackson came to Washington,
saddened by the sudden death Of her whom
he loved so devoutly, he refused point. blank
to call on Mr.. Adams, regarding him as her
traducer. Mr.. Adams was equally unwilling
to participate in the triumphant inauguration
of his successor, and he removed from the
White House on the 3rd of March. On the
4th, as he was taking his accustomed horse
back ride, in the vicinity of Washington, the
booming of the cannon announced to him that
his successor had taken the oath of Office in
front of the Capitol. The then ex.President
remained in his own house on F street, (near.
ly opposite the Ebbitt House Of to day. until
Spring, and he received many acts of courte
sy from the citizens of Washington, including
salute from a volunteer military company
commanded by Colonel Seaton, one of the
editors of the National IntelHgencer.
When Martin Van Buren was elected as
General Jackson's successor, it was political
family arrangement The two went together
from the White House to the Capitol in a
phaton made from the wood of the frigate
Constitution, drawn by four gray horses.
After Mr.. Van Buren, had been inaugurated
in front of the Capitol, the two returned in
the same vehicle to the White House, whore
the new President received his fellow citizens.
At o'clock in the afternoon, Mr. Van Buren,
formally received the foreign ministers, who,
with their suites, worS9he full court dresses
of their respective countries, and he rather
astonished their Dean, the Spanish Minister,
by addressing them as 'the Democratic corps"
instead of the "Diplomatic Corps" -Four
days afterward General Jackson bade fare
we'll to the White House and returned to his
beloved Hermitage" to the end Of his days.
AS the expiration of President Van Bu-
ren's official term approached the Alderman
and Common Council of Washington City
followed the custom and passed vote of
thanks to the outgoing Chief Magistrate for
the interest which he had taken in the pros.
perity Of the National Metropolis during his
four years administration. These thanks
were not acceptable to Mayor Seaton, who,
with other Wings, had been excluded from
the hospitalities of the Executive Mansion
by President Van Buren,. So the editor
Mayor formally refused to approve the com.
plimentary resolutions, and transmitted veto
message to the City Government: giving his
reasons for this marked slight. Mr.. Van Bu-
rem was greatly annoyed, and took good care
to have the White House ready for the occu-
patton of his successor, General Harrison,
whose stay there was brief.
Mr.. Tyler's family were soon summoned
from Virginia to the White House, and while
he was President he married the estimable
lady who now resides here, who turned over
the White House to Mrs. James K. Polk,
now resident at Nashville, Tenn. She was
succeeded by Mrs. Zachary Taylor a mat
ronly old lady, who loved to remain in her
room upstairs and smoke a corn.cob pipe,
while her accomplished daughter, then the
wife of Col. Bliss, the Presidents private sec
retary, presided over the hospitalities Of the
Mansion.
The Taylors left shortly after the death of
"Old Rough and Ready" and Mrs. Fillmore
came, aided by her daug Inter- They extended
the inequalities of the White House to Gen
eral Pierce when he came (heart-broken over
the loss of his only child by railroad acci-
dent) to be inaugurated Mrs. Fillmore left
the White House on the 4th Of March for
hotel, expecting to 60 South on tour with
her husband, but she took cold and died a
few weeks afterward.
Mrs. Pierce's life at the White House was
saddened by the loss of her darling son, and
clouded by dread that her husband might
become intemperate in his habits. These
fears, fortunately, were never realized, and
General Pierce was probably more popular at
Washington than any other occupant of t..e
White House has been. Hospitable and gen.
erous in his disposition and cordial in his
manners, he was beloved by all who knew
him. Correspondents of Whig newspapers
were among the guests cordially welcomed at
the White House, and the departure Of the
Pierces from Washington was regretted by
friends and foes. They went on the 4th Of
March to the residence of General Cass, since
transformed into the Arlington Hotel, where
many thousands called to pay their parting
respects.
While General Pierce was the most popu-
lar of the Presidents, Miss Lane, the niece Of
his successor, Mr.. Buchanan, eclipsed all
other ladies who have presided over the