Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-02
LIFE IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
Some OF the Drawbacks of Existence in
the Executive Mansion.

June Atlantic.
The mansion has beautiful points out
side and the taste of its present occupant
has made it very handsome within. But
1t is not suitable for private residence
and public Office at the same time. 1t
would admirably meet the purpose Of
either; it can hardly serve the uses of
both. Few know how little available
space there is in it. The rooms are large,
some OF vast size, but there are not many
of them. The halls are wide, the eorrf-
doris long, the vestibules spacious. Four
large apartments are allotted to the ne
cessary secretaries, clerks, administra-
tive functionaries of the government, tel
egraph operators, etc. The grand reception
room occupies the entire east wing of the
first floor; the smaller reception rooms
lead from it; the State banqueting hall is
an enormous apartment. This leaves but
limited space below for private needs,
dining room and parlOr. Up stairs, be-
sides the rooms for government work al
ready mentioned, there is an apartment
devoted to the meetings of the Cabinet
the library and State chamber. There
remain but FIVE chambers for the use of
the family, which, if it happens to be
large, may overflow its accommodations
and must be very small to allow a suita-
bic entertainment of guests, who cannot
be received in any number.
But these things, though bad enough,
are not the worst by any means. The
victim in the White House has no private
life, to speak of. He belongs to the ma
ton; he has been placed there by the
choice of the people, and they assume the
right to see him as often as they feel in
clincd, which may be at any hour in the
day. The demand for his presence and
service is incessant. 1t is forgotten, APP
parently, that the man has personal as
well as an official side, but he must be a
gentleman now and then, that he cannot
be President all the time, that he is not
the property OF the community at large,
that he must have his special friends, that
he must enjoy the human privilege of re-
fuslng the visits of strangers, that he is
eXcusable for guarding against intrusion
and has no more respOnsib lily outside of
his official duties than the ordinary citi-
zen has, who is let alone at his home and
is at liberty to put the affairs of his shop
behind him when business is over. This
is no fancied grievance. The President is
very busy man, full of cares and need
ing quiet, rest in the society of family or
friends, more than most, together with
social amenities of various kind. Espe-
cially he needs to be for part of each day
taken out of the associations of his office
and placed where his mind can be refreshed
by other concerns than those of the public.
He will work better, more heartily, more
cheertully, more etfectually for such a re-
spite.
There are two ways of bringing about
this most desirable change; either the
present editice might be given over wholly
to business, for which it is admirably
adapted, and even now is none too large,
in which case the Presidents house might
be situated wherever convenience prompt
ed, at distance from the building that
n inn ftagan
ment, he would find himself at certain
hours out of the twenty-four; or the bust
ness might be carried to another part of
the town and the White House be assigned
to the President for his private residence.
The former plan is preferable for several
reasons. In the first place, the mansion
is designed for public purpose. No pri-
Vate dwelling offers such facilities for re-
ceptiOns and dinners, which must be given
on grand scale. In the next place, the
increasing business of the country will
be furthered by the aid to concentration
that so large mansion affords. Then the
habits of the multitude who flock to the
house on practical errands will not be in
terrupted. Experience shows the diff
Guilty, not to say the impOssibility, of
breaking up such habits, and the removal
OF the Presidents private house would
render the effort to break them up unne-
cessary. The present amphibious ar
rangement, besides being public dis
grace, is singular piece of fOolishness in
community that prides itself on its good
sense in getting out of the people it en-
rloys the utmost they are capable of per-
forming. The actual President is Grip
pied in his working faculty by the tretting
annoyances to which he is now subjected.
A thlck-Skinned person may not complain
of this ceaseless notOriety-nay, may like
it; but a sensitive man must feel it keenly.