Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-24
STYLES OF ADDRESS.
How the President and Other Publ
Men Should be Addressed

How the President and Other Public
Men Should be Addressed.
l have been considerably amused in
glancing over the addresses on letters to
public men, says a Washington letter to
the Boston Post, to notice the different
styles which are used by people living at
a distance. For instance, some commune
cations are addressed to the 'HOn. Ches-
ter A. Arthur, President of the United
States" The simplest and best form is
to write, ITO the President, Executive
Mansion, Washington, ID. G." In adj
dressing the President personally you
should always say, ''Mr. President"
''YOur Honor" or "YOur Excel
lencY' is never used, and is considered
in bad taste, yet it is no uncOm-
mon thing to hear public men from the
different parts of the country open CONVEX
sation with the President in these terms.
The official title of the Governor of Massa-
chusetts is ellis EXcellency." and of the
Lieutenant Governor, ellis Honor" but
the President has no official title, and is
called simply Mr.. President" In ad-
dressing communications to the Cabinet
officers you should, however, write ''the
Hon. Charles j. FOlger, Secretary of
Chandler, Secretary of the Navy" etc,
but in personal intercourse you
would always say 'Mr. Secretary" S'Mr.
Attorney General" or "Mr. Postmaster
General" Should you desire to write
to a Senator YOU would direct to EThe
Hon. George f. Hoar, NJ. c., Senate Cham
Der, Washington, d. Co." and if a formal
communication commence the epistle
"Mr. Senator" which title you should
also use in private conversation with
him. OF course, if you were an intimate
friend you could take greater liberties,
and perhaps call him "Dear George" or
something of that sort; but | am talking
now only upon formal communications.
A member of the House is not so particu-
lar, however. You would address HIM
after this style: "The Hon. John ID.
Long, NJ. c., House of Representatives,
Washington, d. c." In speaking to a
member you would ordinarily address
him by his name, but if he had ever been
a Speaker, Senator or Governor, invariably
give him that title, for it is not only Gus
tomary but it gives him the impression
that you have made particular study of
his record. Many man has wrecked his
chances by calling an ex-senator simply
Mr.. Blank" You must have some
knowledge of the war in order to steer
sldllfully around among these statesmen.
If member has been IA General, call him
that. and you can safely go down as far
as Major, but | would advise you to draw
the line in the last named title, for a man
who has served during the war
and risen no higher than a Cap
tain does not care to have it thrown
up in his face alter he has been
elected to Congress. l do not know how
the custom was originated to limit the
title to the grade of Major, but [ do know
it to be the fact nevertheless. In address,
ing the Speaker Of the House you should
always say MIR. Speaker and never
NJ. Carlisle, and the Justices of the
United States Supreme Court, the Court
of Claims and other judicial bodies of
final resort as ''Mr. Chief Justice" and
"Mr. Justice" This is republican form
of government, where every man is sup
posed to be as good as every other man,
and a little better if he can make HIM
self so, but these titles which l have men,
toned are as immQyable as the long line
in the court of ''Victoria r." ass&