Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-10-12
1ancaster f1,tellige1lcer.
White House Society.
Skeucued by = Resident Republican.

As Sketchod by = Resident Republican.
e. L. NJ. in Philadelphia Times.
When Mr.. Lincoln took the executive
chair tho man, the circumstances and
the woman drove the brilliant and cul-
tured people of refined society into the
background. Lincoln was surrounded by
rough soldiers and was himself plain,
blunt aud uncOuth, caring more for the
smutty yarns of the wardroom than for
the society of ladies. 1t was a time of
perpetual war and anxiety, and many of
the charmed circle which surrounded
Buchanan and his predecessors had friends
engaged on the other side. Even had this
not heen the case the vulgarity of Mrs.
Lincoln would have caused all but the
official circle to have held alOof. The sue
cession of johnson was followed by an at
tempt Of the old regime to revive the
glory of former decade, but the scars of
war were too fresh and these were torn
open in the bitterness Of the political
struggle which followed The society of
tho White House sOOE fell below even its
former standard.
With the advent of Grant came the man.
ners of the mcss-room and tho tawdry
evidences of shoddy society. The presi-
dent who could deliberately puff his cigar
in the face of his lady visitors and set out
a bottle Of whisky to his gentlemen guests
could not hope to attract tho cultured nor
fail to disgust the refined of every grade.
The second Grant regime was even worse
than the first in a social point OF view as
we'll as political. When Hayes camo in
through fraud he introduced the practices
of fraud-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 final
ly practically banished the table itself Out
of a penuricus economy. The government
had increased the presidential salary to
$50, 900 a year to enable the chief execu-
tive of the American people to entertain
in 4 way suited to his exalted station. The
western president responded by putting it
in his pocket. Hayes not only did this
but drew his salary quarterly or monthly
in advance, contrary to law. Mrs. Hayes
was the head of the household. She
was a very good old fashioned woman and
took society to be a magnilicd Sunday
school class, of which cr-cficio her husband
was superintendent. Mr.. Hayes, the fraud,
was succeeded 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 intellectual wife. They
brought with them rs their predecessors
had done the simple Western habits Of life
and the crude Western culture. There
was nothing in either of them to promise a
brilliant era in the White House. Thus,
to review them briefly, passed two consec
utive decades Of Washington society.
which, sinking yearly further and further
away from the executive mansion, gave
place to the semi-political, scmi-official
mixed democratic element which swarms
about each successive head Of the govern
mcnt-rho chief ingredients being official
position and toadyism.
With the advent of President Arthur, of
New York, we are told to prepare for - a
tOcratic breeding is to be turned toward
the parvenues who have infested tho cx-
ecutive mansion. There is to be sOme-
thing 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 Washington social world,
Arthur is a gentleman by birth and breed
ing and he will live like gentleman and
entertain like gentleman. 1t is this idea
which brings out the congratulation and
happy anticipation of our super. 2Sthctical
fashionable world. If they are not per-
mitted to enjoy the hospitalitics of the
executive mansion themselves the indi-
vidual members of this circle feel that i'll
the president they have an hOnored repre-
sentative. There will be select receptions
1T which the rabble will be excluded
there will be dinners to somebody else
than pub. fumes. and old women thele
will be wine at these dinners, and good
wine, too there will be dancing, perhaps,
- l.: u.
ian mind with pleasurable anticipation.
In short, tho polite regime includes all
that fashionable Washington society de-
mands.