Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-01
THE PRESIDENTS RECEPTIONS.

Complaints OF His ExcIusiveness-The
Second state Dinner OF the Season.
The more pronounced Republicans. in
the social. not political sense, says a
/ Washington special, are criticising with
out reserve what they denominate as the
arist0cratic and un-AmeTican exclusive
ness set up at the White House by Prasi-
dent Arthur. They say that the Presi-
dent is only the temporary custodian of
the White HOUSE, and that he has no
right to arrange his receptions as if he
was q private gentleman and the EXecu-
tive Mansion ms personal property. As
1 to tai 8 point there is q wide difference OF
] opinion. many others holding that il is in
/ perfect good taste and prOpriety for the
i President to select his own
guests, 3 ,.Tight which as to
questioned. Cabinet Ministers. however,
either own OF pay rent for the houses in
which they live, and furnish refreshments
I at their own expense 20 the guests hidden
I TO their receptions. Al tie receptions Of
4 the President no refreshments are fur
1 nisDed except TO the very limited number
4 who are asked to remain after the rest OF
Ihe company have departed. ii is the
/ fact that under President Arthur public
receptions nj the White House have been
practically abolished. Uutil the time Of
/ Mr.. Hayes all the evening receptions of
/ the President were free to Well-6ehaVed
/ persons. and no cards were issued for
I them. Mr.. Hayes kept u p the usual num-
+ Der of receptions for the benefit OF the gen
eral public, but on two or three occasions
J gave ''card" receptions. On the occasion
4 of these card receptions an abundance
/ of refreshments, exclusive OF spiTItu-
GUS liquors. was always provided for
the entire company. The parSimOny
/ OF MIR. Hayes has been much commented
I apOn. but in this respect no such aliega-
/ ton could be laid against him. Mr.. Ar
thur since his incumbency Of the White
House has made almost every one Of his
( evening receptions Of a private character
/ by the issuing of cards, and in the matter
OF refreshments has drawn very marked
I line by extending invitations TO perhaps
| some thirty CT forty out OF twenty times
[ that number present. 1t has been some
Z what embarrassing to the latter to see the
/ Marshal of the District, who is the lord
high chamberlain OF the White House,
passing through the thrOng as the eve
I ming wears on and whispering to the IA
vored ones to stay while the band plays
Home, Sweet Home" and sucn of them
as do net take the hlrt quickly are not al
! ways very tremendously escorted to the
outside. Mr.. Cleveland is now looked to
lican simplicity which prevailed at the
White House. At the reception last
night Gen. Ben. Butler was one of the few
! who received bid to stay. but as he had
not been posted as to the order Of things
under the present regime he did not
'catch on" as the saying is, and kept
time to tie marching of the crowd. when
the strains of "Home. Sweet Home"
fell upon his car. lie IS fond of a good
meal, and of something good TO wash it
down, but he bore his disappointment
very wei when be understood how it vas.
Scarcely a member OF either house of
Congress fails to attend when invited 70
private dinners or receptions Of the Pres
ident, but there are two members Of the
Senate who have been conspicuous by
their absence, Senators German and Gar
land. Neither of these Senators has any
fancy for society routine, and they find
that during the session of Congress due
attention to the public business and the
interest of their constituents takes up all
of their time.