Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-01-02


ing, say Mrs. Donelson (wife of his Private Secre
tary) fair and gentle with the tender grace OF
destined to die young, Mrs. Andrew Jackson (his
adopted sons wife, Mrs. Edward Livingstone, etc.
Five or six children, from to years OF age play
about the room, regardessl Of documents and
work baskets. At distant end of the apartment
sits General Jackson in an arm chair, wearing long,
loose coat, smoking long reed pipe, with red Viz
gnia clay bowl. A little behind the President, Ed
ward Livingstone Secretary OF State, reads, per-
haps dispatch from the French Minister, and the
President his pipe absenty at the children, to
make them play less noisiy
Old residents still remember the christen-
ing fete Of Mrs. Donelson's infant daughter,
one of three born to her in the Executive
Mansion, a fete to which all Washington So
ciety-the Cabinet, diplomatic corps and both
houses Of Cengress-was invited. General
jackson was an Oriental in taste, and no
Grand Turk ever took greater delight in
pomp, ceremony, beautiful things, and lux
| urious surroundings When Mrs. Donelson
consulted him alb ut the arrangements for the
fete. he replied: "Spare no expense or
pains; let it be an event to be remembered.
We will all do honor to the baby He and
Mr.. Van Buren, were the sponsors, and Miss
Cora Livingstone, daughter of the Secretary
Of State, was the godmother. When the
clergyman asked. "Do you all. in the name of
this child
RENoUNcE THE DEVIL
And all his works. General jackson drew
himself up and replied: 81 do, sir 1 re-
nounce them all. in tone that suggested
by the Eternal !" Four or Eve of his wife's
nieces spent most Of their time during his ad.
ministration at the White House ard con-
! tribused much to its gayety. All of them
met there the men they afterward married.
| OF one of these nieces William Allen, then a
Governor of his State, was a sutton, and Gen.
eral Jackson, who had finger in every pie
| in his house, also pleaded his cause. "Oh !
uncle, said his niece, "how could love that
long, lean. lank fellow" Long, lean, lank
| fellow !" said General jackson, Strengthening
himself up till he completely filled the bill of
long, lean. lank fellow himself, " 1 tell you.
Elizabeth, that long, lean, lsnk fellow is
| worth houseful of your kid-elove dandiea,
and will make his mark yet"
| Martin Van Burep, the political heir OF
Aaron Burr, who succeeded Jackson, and
was boosted by him to the Presidency as a
| reward of eight years parasite duty toward
| himself, was described by one of his cotem.
| poraries Is
ONE PART STATESMAN,
Two parts coxcomb. The carpet in front of
his private mirror was worn almost to tatters
in the four years he occupied the White
House. He had been, since 1918, widower
with four SONS, and was suspected of aspira-
tiens to the hand of Victoria, then maiden
queen. He was supple, adroit and erudite
man, but had not the traits to make him
heartily beloved. MIR. Van Buren, very SEN
sibly discontinued the serving of refrest-
ments on New Years day. and it has never
been revived.
The funeral of President Harrison, one
month after his Inauguration. was the first to
occur in the Executive Mansion. Vice
| President Tyler, who succeeded him, there
| lost his wife, and in the last year of his ad-
ministration, 81 years after his first marriage,
brought thither fair young bride, Miss Gar
diner, who still lives, and who assisted Ms.
Hayes at enc of her receptions. Her por-
trait hangs in the broad hall up stairs, and
with the exception of Mrs, Hayes. in the
| East Parlor. is the only mistress of the man
sion Of whom such relic is there preserved.
Mrs. Gardiner, her father, was one of the vic.
tins in the Potomac disaster in 1913 by the
explosion of the Princetons boiler, in which
Secretary Upshur of the navy also lost his
| life
Mrs. Polk was good and gracious hostess,
plain and kinda daughter of Joel Childress,
merchant of Tennessee.
President Taylor, jagged old host, full of
ulioIdhCc Va CtiuuCttc anu Dullo VI SpSeCH.
as when in his one annual m sssage he opened
thus Fellow-citizens, we are now at peace
with all the world and the rest of mankind"
was probably the only President to whom the
Presidency was an uncoveted and unsought-
for boon. Mrs. Taylor was 60 averse to pub
lie life that i. was said she prayed every
night during his candidacy for his defeat, and
when told of his election said "Why could
they not let US alone? We are so happy here
l. l. l. Il. II.
toni" Who that ever saw General Taylor at
levee could forget him? He grasped every
newcomer cordially by the hand and saluted
all-high and low, old maids, brides,
and young girls-with the words: "Glad to
zee you. Glad to see you. How's your
family: Hope the children are all well 3"
Still all knew his heart and hand were true
as steel, and when he died Of exposure in the
hot sun at Fourth of July celebration six
teen months after bis Inauguration,
THE WHOLE NATION
Mourred at his grave. Mrs. Colonel Bliss,
who was bride when her father was inaugu-
rated, was the sunbeam of the White House
during the Taylor administration. She was
bright and sparkling full of Ifs and fun.
Her face, with its rosy dimpies and mischiev-
GUS smile, seemed to challenge romp or
Irritation, yet with perfect propriety she
acted her part.
Willard Fillmore, the handsomest President
between Washington and Arthur, was called,
for elegance, the American Louis PHILIPPE
He never appeared to better advantage than
when receiving his friends. His daughter, at
the time of his inauguration, was school
teacher in Buffalo. His successor, General
Pierce, was also gentlemanly and winning
Mrs. Pierce was saddened by the death of her
young SOD, killed but few months pre-
viously, and took little part ir the ceremonies
of the White House. President Lincoln was
the only one who ever buried child from the
White House.
MIR. Buchanan was the last of the old
style, ruffied-shirted Presidents, and his bach.
elor MENACE was enlivened by his niece
Harriet Lane, a charming and gracious red
haired beauty who, though not in the first
bloom of her youth at the time. is remem-
bered still for her graceful sway at
the White House. Major Ben Perley
Poore says she was the most elegant and
competent mistress of the mansion he ever
saw there. She Rad previously been with her
uncle to the Court of st. James. She is now
Mrs. Johnston, of Baltimore, happy wife,
her husband, substantial business man,
younger than herself, and she sometimes
visits the married daughter Of Judge Jere
Black, Mrs. Isham Hornsby, at Washington.
Line subsequent
DOMESTIC ADMINISTRATIONS
OF the Executive Mansion are too we'll known
to need recapitulation. Much speculation is
INDUCED in as to President Arthur's social
plans, the general conclusion being that he
will depend on the ladies Of his Cabinet as his
fair elders for the present, and probably re-
marry in due time. He is the taliest. lars est
and most distinguished in manner of any
President within contemporary recollection
here. TIE average politician is awaking to
the fact that he carries very " stalwart"
hand whiting his velvet glove, but personally
he is sure to be greatly popular with all
The marriages in the White House have
been as follows: That of Mr.. jackson,
member of Congress from Virginia,
and great uncle of "Stonewall " jack
SOD, and Miss Todd. native of Philadelphia
and relative of Mira. Madison. This mar
rage occurred willie the husband of the latter
lady was President in 1911. The next was
Maria, daughter of James Monroe, who
married Mr.. Gouverneur, of New York, in
March, 1920, while her father was President
A son of this marriage, Mr.. Samuel Cow
erneur, has resided in Washington with his
wife and three daughters for several years.
They have numerous heir.looms inherited
from the Monroe family, including the court
dress worn by Dir. Monroe when he was Min