New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-04-16


WASHINGTON. April 15.-In General Arthur we
have a new type Of man in the White House.
There have been Presidents Of all kinds. We have
had stately Virginia gentlemen of thesold school.
and self-made men from the West. We have had
soldiers Of several varietes-the rough and honest
and despotc soldier the quiet and obstinate ana
sometimes wrong-healed soldier, and the simple and
dOcile soldier. We have had rural statesmen who
were born to country seats and died upon them,
after bcstowing solemn political autObographies
upon an inaticntive country. We have had one or
two Presidents who grew up amid the healthiul
poverty Of the frontier, which, Mr. Blaine aptly
said IN his memorial Grafton, is indeed no poverty,
but "thc beginning of wealth" and who in all their
upward progress through the world never wore on
their simplicity. But the city man." tho metro
polian gentleman, the member of clubs-the type
that is represented by the well-brcd and we'll
dressed New-Yorker-the quiet man who wears
scarf and pm in it and prefers sack coat to the
long-taied frock coat that peryades politics. aud
Derby hat TO The sOuch that to be regarded III
various quarters of this Union as something no
statesman should he withOut-this Is novel
species of President Like the type which he
represents President Arthur has occenricties in
dress. He is quiet and irreproachable, from his
gal ers to his watchguard, and would only need to
be sitting in the reading-roOm of New-lork
club to pass at any time for a successful
banker or lawyer of rather more than usual dignity
of demeanor 1t is not to b. inferred that there Is
any lack of the Presidential air about the present
incumbent. On the contrary. he does not forget,
nor allow his visitors to forget the dignity OF his
Office. He is affable, but it is the atiabilty Of
President and while there is nothing of assump-
tion in his manner there is in it sense of his POSI-
tion which 10 one who cares to see dignity III a
Chief Magistrate would be likely to quarrel with.
The manner of life at the White House is what
might be expected under the circumstances. 1t ls
probably more in accordance with metropolitan
ideas than has been the case with some recent AL
lninistratiOns. The entertainments are elaborate
and elegant. The dinners, so some say VINO nave
survived dinners with series of Administrations
were never so good; and not only diplomats, out
other people receive the full allowance ol WINE ana
the entire variety prescribed by social law. There
is, perhaps, little more etiquette III getting at
the President than with some former Presidents,
but only a little. President Arthur has let
down some of the social bars around his oiiice.
Formerly the President accepted invitations to DIN
ner only from the members of his Cabinet, the
Sneaker of tn House. and the Judges of the Su-
prcme Court; President Arthur has widened the
circle so as to take ID Senators also and, as there
arc q good many Senators and a good
many of them entertain handsomely ahu
as all Washington has been gwen up thlS
winter to q "grand cham" of dinners, the result
has been that the President has figured in society
TO an unusual extent. 1t goes without saying that
he is popular there Naturally. all Presidents are
popular in Washington, but General Arthur seems
TO be especially SO. He is voted TO be the hahd-
sImest President within the memory OF this genera
tion and there Is no hmit 10 the praises of his APP
pearance. his bearing and his social qualities
oorl nil Old Il
looking mon, he is probably aware OF his good
looks That il his right. which. unlike some good
lookinr meu he does not abuse By showing that nc
i conscious of the fact. But. ii ho ever lnJuIges III
the demuralzing habit of cynlcism, and the ONCE
seeker ever ceases from troubling and he gets free
moment when he can retire WITHIN himself anu
draw the bolt as it were, l wonder whether hc
wonders why it is that he is 50 much handsomer
now than he was when he was EIce-freSiueul'
One important change and only one, has been
made in the White House routine. lhe fresdeht
has reserved one day of the six to hlnIsen-oh the
otber five he s like all other Presidents the prey
of the public The day FIRST chosen TO be reserved
yos saturday. bnt that is usually a free day for
Congressrnen so far as Congress IS concerned, ana
,bo r,spl was that IN running the rounds OF the
Denartmcnts dong euands for their constituents
49, so MANY of them have TO do, giving at least one
dov week to the service they found ii convenient
r. ston IN at the White IIousn. The President has
shifted his day. therefore. to Monday, and Saturday
has become the hardest day OF his week. aS not only
the Congressmen but the body OF oiiice-seekerS ana
sirht-seers i'll Washington are apt to move on the
White honse in force. Mondays he devotes to his
correspondence the reading of executive papers
which demand his attention, aud which he
cannot get the time to read IN the busy
davs of the week. ETC.: and 1t IS the RUE
that he will see 10 one unless II y. mater
of great urgency. Tuesday Il Cabinet DAY,
ard a little clnmp of carriages standing III the
White House grounds from noon unl : or nal past
. O'Clock serve to show when the cabinet IS ln seS-
S;"' Fri'laC il another cabinet day.' Wednes
day Thursday and saturday are pnbllc daVs on
which very simple routine Is 4o.io"c'ii eli
ddTs tnc ioGyir,T exc@pt that on Cabinet days
geHeral visitors not received The Pr sident
o'rlock and /, at his desk before 10. Between 10
"rd ~ O'clock ,he Senator's and members o! the
House are received. Between II and the visitors Tors
to Washington who always want 10 pay lhelt
RESPECTS 10 the President, and regard II as one o,
ihs chief events of trip 10 me Capital
to be allowed to make brief eXcur-
sion into thc apartments of the Executive,
fake bIm for an instant ny the hand, and glance
into his face are shown IN, and go through that
Gurer and solemn ceremony. lhe afternoon IS Hau-
- lv consumed in receiving callers win whom
special appointment has been male-Sfnators'
Judges, prominent pnbiIc men, etc VINO nave lI'at-
Iers of special importance to talk about. IISuent
Arthur remains in hs office until or D O'Clock.
II is said that General Grant used to leave
his desk every day At 2 o'clock and did nol
rcturu TO it, There ~ usually az afternoon ullFc OF
walk before the Presidential dinner, at or halt
past O clock. , 3.
Ihe evening, when the President rs at home, is
ccnrr,lly speui with personal friends who drop IN,
ar v1th callers who nave ma ie appointments IA al
vance Tor special hours These nightly gather
ing5 at the White Nous' are Sd Jec's Vi
a'o oooJ deal of speculation in Washington,
as il - supposed hat they often the consulta-
1ions with his personal III nds and men whom ne
! AZ
are .li.cu.s scd These gatherings are vested With
III, more interest because y Is known ma tle
President has brought with hlm 70 a'n'hsl"h uls
-. Inn IN IN n.lnr ml NAM Ofh ID IN