Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-10-27
WHITE HOUSE SOCIETY.

ATeNieW OF presidential m annPrS and
habits--frOm bachelor Buchanan to
widOwer Arthur u predicted regime
ofsnObbery and esthetics-- snperfine
culchnw and aristOcratic breeding
Philadelphia Times.
Washington society, perhaps the
most frivolous, twadry and mixed of
any city III the world, is congratulating
itself upon the dawning of what it is
pleased to call "a polite regime" Wash
lngton society, cold calculating, and
mercurial, has just torn down its osten-
tatious mourning for President Gar
field and prostrates itself at the feet of
his successor with open adulation and
genuine inward rejoicing. Washing
ton society felicitates itself that it has a
representative in the White House at
last. The longed for, the devoutly
wished, has arrived. A social gentle
man, an aristocratic single gentleman,
a unprecedented gentleman has sue
ceeded to tie throne. In Washington
society | do not now mean the official
world Of Washington, which toadies to
anything in power and plunges its red
nose IN the sand before anybody in au-
thorty, but the blue blood OF Virginia
~ and Maryland(?). which runs along
the aristocratic suburbs of Georgetown
(?) and forms the nucleus of rs pure a
civilization and social refinement as
can be found in any city of the Union.
FUDGE
While the leaders ofthis cultured circle
are for the most part wealthy (?lwealth
is not test of membership, as vulgar
wealth is never of the truly best society
anywhere. This circle once ruled, but
it was in Mr.. Buchanans time. When
Mr.. Lincoln took the executive chair,
the man, the circumstances, and the
woman drove the brilliant and cultured
people of refined society into the back
ground. Lincoln was surrounded by
rough soldiers, and was himself plain,
blunt and uncouth, caring more for the
yarns of the ward-room than for the So
ciety of ladies. 1t was time OF perpet-
ual wal and anxiety, and many CT the
charmed circle which surrounded Blu
chanan and his predecessors had friends
engaged on the other side. Even had
this not been the case the vulgarity OF
Mrs. Lincoln would have caused all but
the official circle to hold aloof. The
secession of Johnson was followed by
an attempt of the old regime to revive
the glory of former decade, but the
scars of war were too fresh and those
were torn open in the bitterness of the
political struggle which followed. The
society of the White Hourse soon fell
below even its former standard.
With the advent Of Grant came the
manners of the mess-room and the taw-
dry evidences of shoddy society. The
President who could deliberately puff
his cigar in the face of his lady visitors
and set out bottle of whisky to his
gentleman guests, could not hope to at
tract the cultured nor fail to disgust the
refined of every grade. The second
Grant regime was even worse tkan the
first in a social point of view as well as
political. When Hayes came in he
made parade of his asceticism. He
banished wine from his table, which
was the hospitable board of the Nation,
with loud flourish of trumpets, and
finally practically banished the table
itself out a penurious economy. The
Govern ment had increased the Presi-
Dental salary to $4,000 year to en-
able the Chief Executive of the Ameri-
can people to entertain in a way suited
to his exalted station. The western
President responded by putting it in
his pocket. Hayes not only did this.
but he drew his salary quarterly or
monthly in advance, contrary to law.
Mrs. Hayes was the head of the house
hold. She was very good old-fash-
Toned woman, and too society to be a
Sunday school class, of which
ex. officio her husband was superinten-
dent. Mr. Hayes, the fraud, was sue
ceeded by Mr.. Garfield, the scholar.
Mr. Garfield had always found life too
short for society of anything but books
and politics. In this he was seconded
by a plain, simple and intellectual wife.
They brought with them, as their pred
ecessors had done, the simple western
habits of life and western culture.
There was nothing in either of them to
promise brilliant era in the White
HOuse. linus, ~ TtNleW luelH
briefly, passed two consecutive
decades of Washington society, which,
sinking yearly further and further away
from the executive mansion, gave
place to the emi-political, semi-ofhcial
mixed democratic element which
swarms about each successive head Of
the government-the chief ingredients
being official position and toadyism.
With the advent of President Arthur,
of New York, we are told to prepare
for "a polite regime The frosty edge
OF aristocratic breeding is to be turned
toward the parvenues who have in
tested the executive mansion. There
is 10 be something more under the
reign of Arthur than mere political
lunches, cold and dry state dinners,
public receptions and prayers, cold tea
and whisky. Because, says the Wash
ington social world, Arthur is a gentle
man by birth and breeding, and he
will live like gentleman and enter
tain like a gentleman. 1t is this idea
which brings out the congratulation
and happy anticipation of the super
esthet;cal fashionable world. If they
are not permitted to enjoy the hospl-