The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-02-13
THE WHITE HOUSE.
"reminiscences Of Historic Person
ages and Scenes.

General Badeau in New York Mail and Express. ]
1t was my fate once to spend half day in
these illustrious chambers entirely alone
between two administrations. For twelve
hours or more was the most important per-
son in the Presidential Mansion. 1t was the
4th of March, 1869, the day when Grant was
inaugrated President. After taking the
oath Of Office at the Capitol, he went for the
first time to the White House as its master.
His escort left him at the entrance, and only
his military staff, whose duties that day were
to cease, attended him further. He was not
to occupy the Mansion with his family for
several weeks; for he had been on such
terms with his predecessor. Andrew john
son, that no arrangements could be made
in advance for business. Mr.. johnson did
not accompany the President-elect to the
Capitol. as is customary. for Grant refused to
occupy the same carriage, and the outgoing
Chief Magistrate remained in the Executive
Room signing his last papers and making his
final dispositions, while the new President
was delivering his inaugural address. 1t
must have been bitter hour for johnson
leaving the house where his power had been
so great and under such altered circum-
stances. He had been tried and impeachcd,
and only escaped conviction by a single
vote; he was rejected even by the party be
had saught to win, his policy defeated by the
country, and the man Of all others whom he
hated most succeeding to his place amid the
plaudits of the nation that man refusing
even the ordinary civiities which every Chief
Magistrate pays to him who has held the seat
he is himself about to occupy. But johnson
was not one to repine no one heard from him
IL. .~4fE tsa.. hnf
Grant arrived and the great house was
empty for while of oficeholders and office
seekers, of Cabinet Ministers, and almost OF
secretaries. There was nobody to deliver 1t
over except an usher or messenger.
Grant went with his staff to the Cabinet
Chamber and instructed the officers to meet
him the next day then he withdrew to his
own residence on / street, near the Capitol.
had been his private secretary for years, and
he directed me to remain and receive his
messages and letters. forwarding such as
might be of consequence.
When was left alone i went over the
house, especially the rooms OF the PRESIDENT
and secretaries, searching for anyiarchlyes
that might have been left behind but there
were absolutely none; no record was handed
over to the new administration of the pro-
ceedings OF that whose days and deeds were
over.
The day was dark and dismal and bitterly
cold, and the deserted house seemed larger
duQ Dlcdhtl blldu CfCi DClOlCs luU hAos
visited it in Buchannan's time. / had seen
the East Room crowded with Southern Sem
ators and their brilliant wives in the days
when Southerners ruled the society and the
politics OF the Capital and ruled it mo
wisely, but towel" No better politician
nor grander s0cialIqueens have ever been in
Washington or the White House than the
breckenridge, the Davises, the Sidells, the
Gwinns, the Toombses, the Cobbs and the
others who surrounded Buchanan and
played for so high stake, and plotted the
destruction Of the Union which at last they
found they could not rule. They were q
brilliant, clever, fascinating throng, andi II
they had succeedediwould have passed into
history as patriots-that is, into their own
history; but what would have been ours and
the verdict of the world? Doubtless those of
them who are left and their successors are
better pleased now that they have failed.
These remembered as paced the parlors
and thought how far off they were from their
goal Some of them were dead In battle,
others aisfranchised and apparently there
was no chance of any Of them ever returning
TO power.
Then recalled Lincoln, to whom | had
carried the news Of the capture OF Fort Pu-
laski, and he made me captain on the spot.
can see him now as he sat in the secretary S
room, before the fire, twisting his long legs,
reading the dispatch and his grave features