The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-04-24

At"s fJb"SSh Lu'FtT ., l.. f ..
1t was a period when the social etiquette
Of Washington was going through some
changes; tho population was growing
larger, tho classes were less distinct, the
social duties Of high officials more onerous.
The diary Of John Quincy Adams records
cabinet meetings devoted to the momen.
tous questions who should make the first
call, and who should be included in the
official visiting lists. Mrs. Monroe, with.
ont q cabinet council, made up her own
mind to retrench come OF those profuse
civilities with which her predecessor had
fatigued herself. Mrs. Madison, a large,
heavy, kindly dame, had retired from office
equally regretted by the poor Of Washing.
ton and by it's high lie; but she had
gained this popularity at a severe cost, She
had called on all conspicuous straupere:
Mrs. Monroe intended to call IN nobody.
Mrs. Madison had been always ready for
visitors when at home; her successor pro.
posed to receive nobody save at her regu-
lar leyees. The ex.presidentess had pre-.
sided at her husbands dinner parties, and
had invited the wives OF all the men who
were to be guesis; Mrs. Monroe staid away
from the Inner parties, and 90 the wives
were left at home. Add to this that her
health waa by no means strong, and it Ia
plain that there was great ground for a
spasm OF appropriately. She, however, out
lived 1t, and rc-cstablished her social re-
l~ations, gave fortnightly receptions, and
won much admiration, which sho proba-
bly, deserved. She was by birth a
Miss Korswright, OF New York, a niece OF
General Knox, and when she accompan.
led her husband on his embassy to Paris
she had there been known as ia belle
Americainc." She was pronounced by OBJ.
servers in later life to be "a most regal.
looking lady," and her manner were de-
scribGd HI very gracious" At her final
leyee in the White House cher dress was
superb black velvet; neck and arms bare,
and beautifully formed; her hair in puts,
and dressed high on the head, and orna.
mented with white ostrich plumes; around
her neck an elegant pearl necklace" Her
two fair daughters her only children,
Mrs. Hay and Mrs. Gouyerneur-assistei
at this reception.
Such was the hostess, but her drawing.
rooms, by all contemporary accounts, al.
foIded a curious social medley. The well.
defined gentry Of the Revolutionary period
was disappearing, and the higher average
Of dress and mauners had begun to show
itself-that higher average which has since
been rapidly developed by the influence OF
railroads and newspapers, Joined with
much foreign travel anda great increase in
wealth. 1t was a period when John Ran
do!ph was allowed to come 10 dinner par
ties lin a rough, coarse, short hunting
coat, with small.clothes and boots, and
over his boots a pair OF coarse coating leg.
gings, tied with strings around his legs,,'
At Presidential receptions, in the words Of
M eyewitness, ''ambaasadors and con.
suls, members OF Congress and officers OF
the army and navy, greasy boots and eilk
stockings, Virginia buckskins and Yankee
cowhldes, all mingled in ill.assorted and
fantastic groups"
Ilouses in Washington had become much
larger than formerly, and a similar ex-
pansion had been seen in the scale OF en-.
!estalnnents. 1t is not uncommon to find
records OF evening parties ut which five or
Blk hundred persons we're present, filling
five or Six rooms. When John Quincy
Adams, then Secretary OF State, ave q
reception TO the newly arrived hero, Gen.
Andrew Jackson, eightrooms 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 MIR. Mills, OF Massachusetts,
then q Congressman, "taste, elegance and
good sense on the part OF Mrs. Adams;
and elsewhere he pronounces her "a very
pleasant and agreeable woman" but adds,
1.-THE Secretary has no talent to enter.
tain a mixed company, either by
conversation or Manners" Other agree.
able houses were these Of AIr. Blgot, the
British Minister, whose wife Was a niece of
the Duke Of Wellington, and NJ. Hyde de
Meanwhile, the French Minister, each hay
inga weekly reception, while the recep-
tons at the White House took place but
once q fortnight. at these entertainments
they had music, cards and dancing-coun-
try dances and cotillions, with an OCCASION.
al Scotch reel, or sometimes the newly ar.
rived, as yet performed only by visitors
from abroad. 1t was noticed With some
surprise that even New England ladies'
would accept the hospitalitits of Madame
de Meanwhile on Saturday evenings, and
would dance on what they had been edu-
Gated 10 regard as holy tina.