The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-10-23

historians have so often pointed ont
I was never democratic. II wos
an imitation Of British society, and the
PRESIDENT OF the United States and the
eaoine5 ofncers stood as some sort as a court
IN the eyes OF large portion of the psople
OF the south. TnLs was alwaTs an abstirdity.
4h-Te can De properly no relation between
Rupnc ofnclal life and private social life
me former Is based upon equality, the
latter rests upon the tbeOry-wheuher false
or not Is immateFial-of classes upper and
| lower.
IL Is only since the war-since the disap-
peararce OF the old-time southern society
tnas we have begun to see the real separa-
ton between official life and social life in
washington, and each year this separation
becomes more pronounced. 1t has not yet
oeen fully accomplished, but official enter
Gaming no LONGER carries with it the social
| significance which formerly distinguished it.
For one man in Washington there is,
practically speaking. no private social life
The man rho rs President finds it almostsim-
possible to separate himself from his office
| he Is always on view, always on duty 1t
Is extremely difficalt for HIN to have simply
his friends at dinner, FOR he may slight the
pubic men upon whom he is so dependent,
| and 1t is still more difficult for him to dine
I
washington, requires that he should never
dine out, except informally in his private
character, but he is, nevertheless sought
| after as guest beceuseof his public posi-
ton. Whatever be does in private life has
an effect in public lifR. Therefore, it is that
whatever rules of pre9aaence there may be
IN Washington .5usbis---
EMANATEsFfRoM THE WHITE HOUSE.
The social regulations of the white house
vary with the Presidents. John Adams,
who made report on the subject for
PRESIDENT w Washington, could not conceive
| 1T proper for the President to make any
| formal entertatnment,m and he specially
deprecated his attendance upon ''tea par
| ties" and Thomas Jefferson endeavoY ed TO
| establish the pelemele system of precedence,
which is simply no precedence
at all. More recently we have wit
| messed the open-handed hospitality
| OF Gen. Grant, the Introduction of total
| abstinence by Hayes. the dining of the
| whole government by Arthur, and the
modest conservatism of Cleveland and Har-
rison. The reception upon the Fourth of
July, too, that used to be feature in white
house festivities has entirely passed out of
date, the New Years levee being the only
formal day reception given. The order in
which the officers of the government are
| shaken hands with upon that occasion is as
follows: The WIGS President, the members
of the cabinet, the diplomatic corps, the
judges of the United States courts, senator's,
| representatives, the army and navy, the
officers OF the departments who are COM
missioned by the President and finally the
| people. The announcement in the newspa-
| pers few days before the reception takes
| place of the above order NAV be considered
| the nearest approach to authoritative pro-
mitigation OF order of precedence in Wash
ington.
During the winter the President gives his
| formal evening receptions, to which people
| are invited by card. The first one is to the
| diplomatic corps, the army and navy, the
| judiciary and congress being invited to
meet them. At the second the diplomatic
| corps and the judiciary aud congress are
| invited to meet the army and navy, and so
on, three receptions being given. A fourth
| is generally added. when the people are re-
ceived.
| State dinners are given, too, when the
| high dignitaries of the government
| solemnly feed themselves under the Presi-
dents eye, aud there is always at least one
| diplomatic didner This must be a most
charming entertainment The Chinese
minister, for instance, cannot speak word
| of anything but Chinese, and does not love
knives aud forks; the Corean min
| lister knows nothing but Corean;
uno ObueKS SpSdh OpdllSn, eACLs
| Italian, German and English. Their
costumes are various. Some wear fezes,
others enormous horsehair hats, others little
| caps. Their compilations range from the
| pink t;nts of northern Europe to the dusky
copper color of the Orient. They are
paired off without regard to congeniality
and altogether the Diplomatic state dinner
is looked upon as solemn duty by the givel
| of the feast aud the gentlemen and ladie:
who are ordered to attend it. An invita-
| ton to dine with the President is an order.
| What the writers on etiquette call the
| "Drawing Room of the Presiding Lady Of
the Executive Mansion" are the Saturday
afternoon receptions Of the PRESIDENT
wife. Anybody can go to them, and the
order of precedence is a question OF physi-
cal strength. There are even the drawing
rooms OF the ladies Of the cabinet" recep
lions which, as a handbook Of etiquette hai
expressed it, are open to ''all persons o
reputable character and becoming
dress" That the visitors are OF re
putable character Is, doubtless, fact
but the becomingness Of the dress ii
a question of TASTE At these reception
there are generally refreshments, but tn
same writer very considerably hints to hi
readers that sit is not suitable to set in for
square NEAL" 1t is presumed that thea
drawing rooms" constitute the 'cour
circles of the republic" and there is actuall
book on this subject which bears tina
title. In reality they are entirely harmless
and essentially democratic. Anybody ma,
go, and all are treated equally, whereas tn
drawing ROOM at the British court is
formal and select asEemblage of people.
Pills often leave n person cOnstipated