Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1884-03-29
STYLES OF ADDRESS.
How the President and Other Public Men
should be Addressed.

How the President and Other Public Men
should be Addressed. '
Washington Letter to New York Post.
have been considerably amused in
glancing over the addresses on letters to
public men, to notice the different styles
which are used by people living at dis
tance. For instance, some communica-
tions are addressed to the "Hon. Chester
A. Arthur, President of the , United
States" The simplest and best form is
to write, "To the President, Executive
Mansion, Washington, ID. c." In adj
dressing the President personally you
should always say "Mr. President"
"Your Honor" or "Your Excellency" is
never used, and is considered in bad
taste, yet it is no uncommon thing to
hear public men from different parts of
the country open conversation with the
President in these terms. The official
title of the Governor of Massachusetts, is
"His Excellency," and of the Lieutenant
Governor "His Honor" but the Presi-
dent has no official title, and is called
simply "Mr. President" In addressing
communications to the Cabinet officers
you should, however, write "The Hon.
Charles ]. Folger, Secretary of the Treas
ury the Hon. VIM. f. Chandler, Secre
tary of the Navy" etc. but in personal
intercourse you should always say "Mr.
Secretary" "Mr. Attorney-Geueral," or
"Postmaster-General." Should you desire
| TO WRITE TO A SENATOR
you would direct to ''The Hon. George
F. Hoar, NJ. c Senate Chamber, Wash
ington, d. c." and if formal communi-
cation commence the .epistle "Mr. Sera-
tor" which title you should also use in
private conversation with him. OF
course, if you were an intimate friend,
you could take greater libe rites, and per-
haps call him Dear George" or SON E.
thing of that sort but am talking now
only upon formal communications. A
member of the House is not so particular,
however. You would address him after
this style: "The Hon. John c. Long, NJ.
c., House of Representatives, Washing
ton, d. c." In speaking to a p1ember
YOU would ordinarily address him by
his last name, but if he had ever been a
Speaker Senator or Governor invariably
give him that title, for 1t is not only
customary, but it gives him the impress
sion that you have made a particular
study of his record. Many a man has
wrecked his chances by calling an ex-
Senator simply Mr.. Blank" You must
have some knowledge of the war in or.
der to steer skillfully around among
these statesman. If "a member has been
General, call him that, aEd you can
safely
| GO DOWN AS FAR AS MAJOR.
but l would advise you to draw the line
in the last-named title, for a man who
has served during the war and risen nc
higher than a captain does not care tC
have it thrown in his face after he has
been elected to Congress. l do not
know how the custom was originated tC
!, limit the title to the grade of major, but
[ do know it to be the fact neverthe
less. In addressing the Speaker of the
House YOU should always say, MIR
Speaker and never MIR. Carlisle, ano
the Justices of the United States Supreme
Court, the Court of Claims, and othel
judicial bodies of final resort, as MIR
. Chief Justice" and "Mr. Justice" Thl
is a republican form of government
where every man is supposed to be a
good as every ether man, and little bet
ter if he can make himself so, but thes
titles which have mentioned are as i'm
! movable as the long line in the court o
"Victoria R."