Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-02-11
PRESIDENTIAL HANDSi1AklNG.
An Old Gentleman Relates Some Interest
ing "Reminiscences. i,

Can amy one give the name of the
president of the United States who in
troduced the custom of handShaking
on the occasion Of letting in the sover-
eigns TO pay their respects to the pre-
siding sovereign Of the nation! That
neither Of the first two presidents in
troduced this custom is a statement
which no one is likely TO contest, but
that it was fully in keeping with the
public manners of MIR. Jefferson dur
ing his presidential terms of office no
one qualified to give an opinion would
be likely to dispute. happen TO have
it in my power TO illustrate this point:
Frankford, once a borough. but now
an integral part Of Philadelphia, is
situated on a creek, whence il takes its
name. at about four miles from indie
pendence hall. The first thing that
takes the eve of the traveller after hav.
ing crossed the creek and entered upon
Frankford's main street is a veritable
mansion on the left and deeply recess
ed from the street, from which it is APP
preached by a winding avenue of
stately elms; this noble suburban resi-
dence was standing at the time of the
Revolution, and, according to popu-
lar legend. its extensive and romantic
grounds were the scene of the first
public celebration of the Declaration
of independence which took place in
the United States. Early in the pres
emf century this aristocratic home was
in the occupancy of an English gen.
tleman Of literary and musical culture,
afterward known as the inventor Of
the ev~erpointed lead pencil and other
useful mechanical contrivances.
In the year lSi5, or Whereabouts, l
mel the gentleman at Frankfort. then
an ~octogenarian and on a visit To the
scenes of his early life. In the course
of a conversation / held with him. he
related TO me the following anecdote
of MIR. jefferson; One day he heard a
knock at tho front door, and no SER
want being 20 hand. he undertook to
respond TO he summons in person.
On opening the door, great was his
asonishment at finding himself stand
ing in the presence Of Thomas Jetfer-
son, then president Of the United
States. Ga his very earnest inquiry
as TO the disposition which the presi-
dent had made of his horse. Mr.. Jetfer-
son replied that he had put him up in
the stable. On arriving at his desti-
nation, he had ridden around TO the
rear Of the mansion and installed his
horse in the stable. The gentleman
informed me that he never told this
anecdote in England without exciting
the Indignation Of his auditors that
the president of the United States
should be so unmindful of his exalted
Office as to stable his horse with his
own hands. Notwithstanding this
and many other similar specimens
Of the public manners practiced,
affected, some would say, by Mr.. JEFF
ferson. | am inclined to attribute the
fashion of the Misunderstanding in ques-
ton to the hero of New Orleans rather
than to the philosopher of Monticello.
In the year 1910 ! was residing on
Hudson river and cast my vote in ia
vor Of Gen. Harrison, the Wing can
didate for the presidency.
In the next spring after the inau-
guration of Gen. Harrison | visited
New York city, and met at the house
of a friend gentleman from the west,
who was a nephew Of the president.
He informed US that on his way to
New York he stopped in Washington
and called at the White House, in Or
der to see his uncle, the president.
When introduced into the room where
the president was. he was rushing for
ward to seize his uncle by the hand.
when he drew il back, and requested
his nephew 10 take it gently, for it
was very sore and his arm quite lame.
] need not dwell upon the injurious
effects of handshaking upon the health
OF Gen. Harrison, nor the fatal event
TO which il is believed TO have largely
contributed.
! happened to be in Lancaster, Pa,
at the time when President Taylor, in
the next summer after his Inaugural
ton, visited that city. On the day
after his arrival he gave at the hotel
where he was entertained a reception
which | attended. At about 2 o'clock
in the afternoon Of that day | was on
the sidewalk in front of the hotel and
in a column which was advancing
step by step into the presidential pres
ence, when suddenly the president ap-
peared at an open window which was
directly above our heads and addressed
us. He announced that his physician
had prohibited a further proceeding of
the reception. He expressed his re-
grets; he said that he should be glad
TO come down and shake every one of
us by the hand until the tears came
into our eyes, but as the tears were
now all on one side, he should be
obliged to retire.
Good are the blossoms of
good sense the poet sings, and it is
devoutly to be wished that the good
sense Of this great nation may, when
it undertakes 10 pay its respects 10 the
chief magistrate, bloom out in man
ners which are appropriate, that is,
duly respectful. genial and nicely re
gardful Of self respect. And here am
reminded of the manner in which
President Washington was wont TO
conduct his receptions, as described TO
me by the late Ludovic Updike, Esq,
of East Greenwich, X. /. lie was
secretary Of the Rhode Island state
convention which adopted the federal