Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1885-02-06
Jensrson,s Rxtraxazanes.

New York World: / have seen in
several democratic papers the predic-
ton that President Cleveland would
"restore to the White House the sim
plicity of Thomas jefferson" Let us
hope not; for there is a sad misunder-
standing about the habits of that gen
tleman. He was not n Spartan in any
particular. He did ride to the capitol
on Inauguration day his own horse, Viii
dair, and hitched the steed to the pick
ct fence while he went to take the oath;
but that was because the streets were
SO unfathOmably bad that he couldn't
get there In any other way.
AS matter of fact, Thomas Jeffer-
son was one Of the most extravagant
president this country ever had. That
he was very fond of good living, and
that he possessed little sense Of the val
ue of money is shown by the "Financi-
al Diary" carefully kept In his own
delicate handwriting, and recently pur-
chased by Samuel j. Tilden for his lib
rary. This manuscript shows, not only
that President jefferson was "a liberal
entertainer and connoisseur i'm luxuries
of all sorts, but that he bestowed far
more money and more thought on wines
than any Of his predecessors or success
sors. Jefferson was better entertain
er than even Van Buren or Buchanan,
for he studied it and elevated din
ner givingtO an art. His diary contains
page after page of entries for wines
purchased-barrels of rum ,hogsheads of
Cognac, pipes of Madeira-"4OO bolts,
champagne, 400 Dolls" He was poor
man, but during the years of his first
term he bought wines as follows:
In 1901, wines, sc. g. 81. &C
In loO2, wines, &c Commence. $40. Is
In 1903, wines, &c Sc......... 2.253. SO
In lSO4. wines, &c &c............ 2,66S. sc
During the second term he was more
frugal; but his wine bill for the eight
years was some Sll,OOOl These facts
have never before been published; but
L learn that John Bigelow has written
an article on this curious diary for the
March number or "Harper's Maga-
zine"
This manuscript account book fur
ther shows that Jefferson paid 1900
dolls" for Wildair, the Immortal ami
NAL he rode to the einauguration-a good
price to pay for horse In those times.
1t shows, too, that the author of the
declaration of independence and the IA
ther of the democratic party seldom
missed show of any sort. He joyfulIy
patronized Punch and Judy and the
peep-shows and swung his hat with the
boys when the ring-master made the
clown dance. Among the entries, under
different dates, are:
To seeing lion. %
10 seeing two small seals ....... 6p
Paid for seeing elephant. 12ap
Seeing Caleb Phillips, dwarf. =. 6p
The item of charity" appears often
ranging from 100 dolls" here and
there down to Dec. 2S. To charity
3D."
1t was q hard time for artists in those
ancient days, for the well-knOwn por-
trait of Adams, by Stewart, seems tc
have cost only SIOO, and on July II, 1892
appears the entry, pd. Williams fir
drawing my Portrait, one shilling.n
Jefferson was always out Of money
and generally in the hands of note-shay
ers and sharpers, whoealled themselve.
factors" He hired these fellows tc
extend his notes, and even when hs
was president be got them to adyanes
his next quarters salary and paid q
rousing shaving for it. The first demo
cratic president died bankrupt. ant
while Mr.. Cleveland may profitably i'm
itate his financial virtues, especially hi,
disinclination to turn men out of of
nee merely for the sake of change
his fnacial career was complex rathe
than simple" and may better serve a,
warning than as an example.