National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-01-02
breakfast Table Letter to the President.

breakfast Table Letter to the President.
Mr.. PRESIDENT: The worlds reception at the
white house on New Years day is the climax
Of all social events. The representatives of n
thousand million souls, from both hemlsphores,
passed in review before you, and did homage
TO the President and the social queens sur.
rounding him.
It is custom which tends to destroy political
intolerance and does much to restore harmony,
affection, and happiness to social intercourse,
so much desired by Mr.. Jefferson. ms expressed
in his inaugural address,
Among those who have been social stars in
our Republican court mono excel in influence,
in example, and lovclinesst tho wife of President
Madison. It is written of her, that although
nature had lavished on her much personal
beauty, her greatest charm consisted In the
warm heart that lent It's glow to her check and
its sparkle to her eye, the kindness and be-
nevolence other disposition which impaired
q fascinating smile to her lips and a bcaming
brightness to her countenancc. These were
charms that won her, not only admirers, but
friends, and which the whitening effects of
time cannot destroy, but which, at sixty, bloom
as fair as at sixteen;" and 1t may be truly said
were the charms with which, as n young
widow, she won the heart and hand OF Mr..
Madison, while q member of Congress at Phil.
adelphio. She II was who made the remark,
when informed that the lady Of a foreign min.
lister ridlculed the bounty and pronusion of
her table, that "she thought abundance was
preferable TO elegance; that circumstances
formed customs, and customs formed taste
and as the profuslon, so repugnant to foreign
customs, arose from the happy circumstance
of the superabundance and prosperity Of our
country, she did not hesitate to sacrifice the
dclicacy of European taste for the less elegant
but more liberal fashion of Virginia"
In NTadisons time social intercourse was en-
Filtered by party spirit, and personal conf.
dcncc was often violated, so as to cause great
circumspection in intimate society. Notwith-
standing this in obedience to the wishes Of
her husband she extended her social clvilities,
uninnuenced by party politics.
President Madison himself considered the
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and that the angry feelings which found a
vent through this medium were far less dan.
gerous than If restricted by legal prohibition. i"
Thus thinking, both OF them, with unaltered
equanimity, maintained social intercourse with
persons ofall opinions.
When Mrs. Madison courteously passed her
snuff box, its influence was like magic upon
the members of the press and political chiefs oil
all parties
Mr.. President, although your private conf.
dence has been violated, would 1t not have
served you better TO have passed the snuff box,
or philosophical like Madison than to have
written such fearful indictment OF the Ameri-
can press7 The American women will say
you did not have Martha Washington or a
Dolly Madison to hold or pass the snuff Both
of them were widows and their hearts and
hands were promptly won when properly
courted by distinguished men. go thou and
do likewise" Better by far have passed the
snuff box yourself alone than to have written
such letter concerning the American press
which all the world will read and remember.
Before reading further, Mr.. President, please
take newspaper and fold its corner, then
open it you will find q mark upon the paper
Try TO rub out the mark, and you will per
ceive the impression still remains. You have
made mark upon the character of the Amer
lean press. The charitably disposed may en-
deavor to smooth 1t over, nevertheless th'
mark cannot be obliterated.
Moral; The President of the United State
should have no confdants, except one--f
wife-and should do nothing that would no
be safe to write upon the wall.
THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN.