Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-03-06
PRESIDENTIAL HANDSHAlklNG.
An Old Gentleman Relates Some Interest
Ing "reminiscences.

al any one give tne name Oh the
president of the United States who in.
troduced the custom of handShaking
on the occasion of letting in the sover.
eigns 10 pay their respects to the pre-
siding sovereign OF the nationi That
ueither Of the first two presidents in
troduced this custom is a statement
which no one is likely Ia contest. but
hat il Was fully in keeping with the
public manners of Mr.. jefferson dur
ing his presidential terms Of office no
n qualified TO givean opinion would
be likely to dispute. | happen 10 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 It's
name. al about four miles from indie
pendence hall. The first thing that
takes the eve of the traveller after hay
ing crossed the creek and entered upon
Frankford's main street is IA 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 10 popu-
lar legend, lis 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
ent century this aristocratic home was
in the occupancy of an English gen
tleman of literary and musical culture.
afterward known Is the inventor OF
the everpointed lead pencil and other
useful mechanical contrivances.
In the year ISIS, or Whereabouts, /
met the gentleman at frankfort. then
an octogenarian, and OH a visll to the
scenes of his early life. In the course
of a conversation | held with him. he
related To me the following anecdote
of Mr.. jefferson: One day he heard q
knock at the front door. and no ser
~ant being at hand, he undertook TO
respond TO the summons in person.
On opening the door, great was his
astonishment at finding himself stand
ing in the presence of Thomas Jetfer
son, then president OF the United
States. On his very earnest inquiry
as TO the disposition which the presi.
dent had madeof his horse. Mr.. Jetfer
son replied that he had put him up IN
the stable. On arriving al his desti-
nation, he had ridden around 10 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 handshaking in ques-
ton 10 the hero Of New Orleans rather
than to the philosopher of Monticello
In the year 1870 | was residing on
Hudson river aud 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 TO take it gently, for it
was very sore and his arm quite lame.
i need not dwell upon the injurious
effects Of handshaking upon the health
OF Gen. Harrison, nor the fatal event
to which il is believed 10 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 APP
peared at an open window which "a
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
10 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 manners are the blossoms OF
good sense" the poet sings, and it is
devoutly 10 be wished that Tia. good
sense Of this great nation may, when
it undertakes 10 pay its respects to 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 n in which
President Washington was wont 10
conduct his receptions, as described To
me by the late Ludovic Updike, ESQ,
of East Greenwich, X. /. He was
secretary Of the Rhode Island state
convention which adopted the federal