The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-05-17
Washington in MOnrOe's Admins
fFatiOn.

w dSAkuStOM III MOuEOe y n OufAulS-
fPatiOn.
T. ". Higginson, an Harper's Magazine for Nay.
1t was a period when the social eti-
some changes; the population was grow
ing larger, the classes were less distinct,
the social duties of high officials more
onerous. The diary of John Quincy
Adams records cabinet meetings devo-
ted to the momentous question who
should make the first call, and who
should be included in the official visit
ing lists. Mrs. Monroe, without cabi-
net council, made up her mind to re-
trench some of those profuse civilities
with which her predecessor had fatigued
herself. Mrs. Madison, large, heavy,
kindly dame, had retired from office
equally regretted by the poorer class
of Washington and by its high life;
but she had gained this popularity at
severe cost. She had called on all con-
spicuous strangers Mrs. Monroe in
tended to call on nobody. Mrs. Mad
ison had been always ready for visitors
when at home; her successor porposed
to receive nobody save herregular levees.
The ex-Presidentess had presided at
her husbands dinner parties, and had
invited the wives of all the men who
were to be guests; Mrs. Monroe staid
away from the dinner parties, and so
the wives were left at home. Add to
this that her health was by no means
strong, and it is plain that there was
great ground for spasm of unpopular
ity. She, however, outlived it, and
reestablished her social relations, gave
fortnightly receptions, and won much
admiration, which she probably de-
served. She was by birth Miss Kort-
wright, of New York, a niece of Cen
eral Knox, and when she accompanied
her husband on his embassy to Paris
she had there been known as 'la belle
Americaine." She was pronounced by
observers in later life to be ga most re-
gal-looking lady," and her manners
were described as Every gracious. "
At her final levee in the White House
cher dress was superb black velvet
neck and arms bare, and beautifully
formed her hair in pufs, and dressed
high on the head, and ornamented with
white ostrich plumes; around her neck
ON elegant pearl necklace Her two
fair daughters-her only children, Mrs.
Hay and Mrs. Gouverneur-assisted at
this reception.
Such was the hostess, but her drawing
rooms, by all contemporary accounts,
afforded curious social medley. The
we'll defined gentry of the Revolution
ary period was disappearing, and the
higher average of dress and manners
had not begun to show itself-that
higher average which has since been rap
idly developed by the influence of rail
roads and newspapers, joined with much
foreign travel and a great increase in
wealth. 1t was a period when John
Randolph was allowed to come to din
ner parties "in a rough, coarse, short
hunting coat, with small-clothes and
boots, and over his boots a pair Of
coarse coating leggings, tied with strings
around his legs" At Presidential
receptions, in the words of an eye-wit-
ness, ambassadors and consuls, men,
bers of Congress and officers of the army
and navy, greasy boots ana SIX seooh-
ings, Virginia buckskins and Yankee
cowhides, all mingled in ill-assorted and
fantastic groups"
Houses in Washington had become
much larger than formerly, and SINH
lar expansion had been seen in the
scale of entertainments. 1t is not un-
common to find records of evening
parties at which five or six hundred
persons were present, filling five or six
rooms. When John Quincy Adams,
then Secretary of State, gave a recep-
tion to the newly arrived hero, General
Andrew Jackson, eight rooms were
opened, and there were a thousand
guests. 1t was regarded as the finest
entertainment ever given in Washington,
and showed, in the opinion of Mr..
Miles, of Massachusetts,, then a Con-
gresham, "taste, elegance, and good
sense" on the part of Mrs. Adams; and
elsewhere he pronounced her ga very
pleasant and agreeable woman, "but
adds, "the Secretary has no talent
to entertain a mixed company, either
by conversation or manners. Other
agreeable houses were those of Bagot, the
British Minister, whose wife was a
niece of the Duke of Wellington, and
M. Hyde de Neuville, the French Min
lister, each having a weekly reception,
while thereceptions at the White House
took place but once fortnight. AT
these entertainments they had music,
cards, and dancing-country- dances,
cotillions, with an occasional Scotch
reel, or sometimes the newly arrived
waltz, as yet performed only by visitors
from abroad. 1t was noticed with
some surprise that even New England
ladies would accept the hospitalities of
Madame de Neuville on Saturday even
ings, and would dance on what thay had
been educated to regard as holy time.
NHnro Truth than pnafPV.