The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-01-07

friends had considered them with due solem-
nifty, agreed with his own opinions. and the an
nouncement was soon made that the President
would receive calls on certain days 1t was but
natural that New Years Day, in particular,
should be devoted to receiving the greetings
and compliments of the dear people. This GUS
tom was observed from the outset, although tor
a number of years it was wholly informal, and
with no such set program as now prevails.
Washington, by the way, was much of
dandy" in the matter of dress. The truth is,
that the g simplicity of the fathers" of which
we hear so much from those who bewall mod
ern degeneracy, is largely
PIGMENT OF THE IMAGINATION.
Parton says that at his first reception Washing
ton was attired in suit of fine black velvet,
silk stockings, hand knit in France, with great
silver BUCKLES at knee and instep, and yellow
fawnskin gantlet gloves. His hair was pow
dered and done up, like the waterfall of
later years in a silk bag, oruamented with rib
bons, and was surmounted by cooked hat and
plume. He wore a sword and trappings, which
were exquisitely wrought.
lt,was not till the third Administration that
the New ear reception began to assume definite
shape. Hitherto it had been without form and
void When John Adams and his wife, abb
gail, in November 1900, drove to Washington,
where the Capital had just been established,
iOHlHS tutiI way III Llc utllSS NIdl ldhh "oOuo
between Baltimore and the Potomac, they
found the unfinished White House in poor con-
dition for social gatherings Not more than
half dozen rooms were even habitabe. The
now famous East Room was not yet plastered,
and was used by Mrs. Adams as place to hang
cut the family wash. Callers paid their re-
spects on New Years Day, but without any at
tempt at formality.
In March, 1901, Jefferson became President,
and from that time the New Year receptions
began to assume quas-otiical aspect. They
were, however as different from those of the
present day as it is possible to imagine. The
same contrast is noticeable between the torid
newspaper accounts of these and all kindred
occasions to-day, and those in the primitive
years of American journalism. The newspa-
per reporter, in all his length and breadth and
hight and depth is purely modern creation.
Witness the following from the National lntet-
Egencer of Jan. 3. 1S03 which is the entire pub
lisned report of President Jeffersons reception
on the preceding lst of January:
On Saturday, New Years Day, the President was
waited upon by Diplomatic characters the officers
of the Government the members of the Legislature
Congress- and the citizens generally. There
were also present a large number OF ladies.
That is the whole story, and it was evidently
sufficient to crafty the literary appetite of the
people in those days. The same paragraph re-
produced
WOULD HAVE TOLD THE TALE
of last Fridays magnificent social pageant; but
any reporter detailed to write up" the affair
who should do it in that way would. as soon as
the boss came around in the morning, see
more stars than there are in the entire tirma-
ment.
The InteNigencer was then little sheet about
12xl6 inches. The old files, carefully preserved
in the Congressional Library, are faded and
yellow with age. The crude style of print,
with the SIS almost like the fs, and all the pc
cuiarities Of ancient Typography. would be
constant puzzle to the schOOlbOy of to-day. The
paper appears TO have been issued in those days
without much regularity ust whenever they
could scrape up news enough to fill its meager
columns. 1t did not appear between Dec. 81,
lS02, and Jan. 3, 1S03 which might be taken to
indicate somewhat protracted New Year cele-
bration on the part of the editors and printers.
Theoretically it was published three times
week at Five dollars a year in advance"
Years after it became daily, and so continued
till soon after the late war, when it died.
Probably its long name killed it.
In the issue of Jan. l. 1904, appears the fol-
lowing, which shows that the reporter had i'm
proved little on his effort of the previous year:
On Monday in celebration of New Years Day,
the President waited upon by the officers of the
Government, both civil and military, foreign min
isters, members Of both Houses of Congress, and
large assemblage of gentlemen and ladies, who par
took OF a handsome repast, which was rendered the
more agreeable by the accompaniment q! music by
the Marine and Italian bands.
This was a very creditable account consider
ing the reporters mex perience. The fact that
the entire description is in one sentence, with
out single air-holc through which the reader
can breathe. suggests the likelihood that it was
written by Hon. Wm. M Eyarts, who was prob
ably then
JUST GETTING HIS HAND IN.
This is the first time that mention Of the Ma
rne Band, since become so famous appears
From that day to the present it has been the
"oticial" band, and its music has enlivened
every great occasion in Washington. Diligent
inquiry fails to elicit any information to the
Italian Band referred TO in the paragraph
quoted above.
The handsome repast" spoken of by the
reporter consisted simply of crackers and lem
onade Jefferson was a plain, unOStentatious,
kind hearted man, always accessible to the
people. On public occasions he wore double
breasted coat adorned with gilt buttons, and
black Worsted stockings with silver knee and
shoe buckles. His daughters assisted him i'll
dispensing the hospitality of the White House.
The latter had by this time been put into very
comfortable shape Though nothing like what
it is now, it was considered to be a residence
worthy of the first family of the Nation
Washington had grown to be a smart village
Pennsylvania Avenue, leading from the Execu-
tive Mansion to the Capitol, was well turn
piked" between two rows Of thrifty poplars-
every vestige of which has long since disap-
peared-and for pedestrians there were side
walks made of marble chips from the Capitol
building, then in course of erection.
For the two following years the newspaper
made no mention of New Year receptions.
Probably the reporter could not think of any
thingne to say, and so he wisely held his peace.
In 1907, however, there is evidence of in
creased fertility of mind and pen, his report
being % lines in length. 1t begins by saying:
"As customary, the President was waited upon, -
showing that the observance of the day had
already become chronic. The reporter remarks
/ that on no previous occasion have the rooms
of the Chief Magistrate been so crowded" He
closes with the following, which is the first ap-
pearance Of anything like "tafiy - in connec-
tion with these occasions:
IT is part Of the character of republican peo-
PIE 90 he lavish of personal attentions upon public
men; but on this occasion the spontaneous tribute
of respect to jefferson whose whole life has
been Zealously devoted TO the service of his
try. less honorable TO those who paid than
/ to him who received it.
JEFFERSON RECEIVED REGULARLY
On New Year during the eight years of his
/ Administration. AS will have been observed
/ the social development was progressing rapidly.
! The reception Oh Jan. l, 1899, was Jefferson's
! last. This event was deemed of sufficient i'm
/ portance to occupy nearly half column of the
/ htettlgencer. 1t mentions the large attendance,
with abundance OF good music and refresh
; mputs If