The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-02-16
President Washington's State.
r. W. Higginson, in Harper's Magazine.
n III .y .-I:o.. $50,

Mrs. Washington's receptions were
reproached as introductory to the
pageantry of courts" but it was very
modest pageantry. Nothing could have
been less festive or more harmless than
the hospitality of the Presidential abode.
An English manufacturer who was in
vited there to breakfast reports meal
of admirable simplicity-tea, coffee,
sliced tongue, dry toast and butter
"but no broiled fish, as is the general
CUSTOM" he adds. At her evening
receptions Mrs. Washington offered her
guests tea and coffee with plumcake ; at
nine she warned her visitors that the
General kept early hours, and after this
remark the guests had no choice but to
do the. same. At these entertainments
of hers the president was but a guest
without his sword-and found it nee
essary also to retreat in good order at
the word of command. His own recep-
tons were for invited guests only, and
took place every other week between
stood before the fireplace in full black
velvet, with his hair powdered and
gathered in to bag; he wore yellow
gloves and silver buckles, with steel
hilted sword in a white leather scab-
bard he held in his hand a cooked hat
with feather. This is the description
given by William Sullivan, in his "Fa
miliar Letters on Public Characters.
If it was the object of Washington
to make these occasions sitter than the
drawing-rooms of any crowned poten-
tate, he succeeded. Names were an
nounced, gentlemen were presented,
the President bowed, but never shook
hands; at a quarter past three the
doors were closed, and the visitors
formed a circle; the President made the
circuit, addressing a few words to each;
then they bowed and retired. 1t is
hard to imagine that these mild enter
tainments could have been severely cen
sured as extravagant or monarchical l.;
one can better comprehend how the
censure could be applied to the street
equipage of the new President, the
cream-colored carriage painted in me-
dallions, and the liveries of white turn
ed up with green. Yet these were,
perhaps, more readily recognized as
essential to the dignity of his stating.
1t was with the desire of promotion
this dignity that the Senators of the
new nation were anxious to give the
President an official title. The plan
was said to have originated with John
Adams, who believed "splendor and
Majesty to be important in republic;
and there was a joint committee of
Congress to consider the matter. This
committee reported against it, but the
dissatisfied Senate still favored title,
as it we'll might, at time when the
Senators themselves were habitually
called. "Most Honorable" They
proposed to call the Chief Magistrate
ellis Highness, the President of the
United States of America, and Protec-
tor of their Liberties" The House
objected; the country at large was
| posed '.His Serene HighmhesSs some
body else suggested t.The President
General;" and Governor Sullivan
thought that ellis Patriotic Majesty"
would not be inappropriate, since he
represented the majesty of the people.
Washington himself, it is said, favored
ellis High Mightiness," which was the
phrase used by the Stakeholder of Hol-
land. 1t was the common-sense of the
nation that swept these extravgances
aside; it was one of the many occasions
in American history when the truth of
Talleyrand' saying has been vindicated,
that everybody knows more than any
body.