The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-20

ordinary Office cane-bottom chair. The
Communication OF the room is simple
a full length $3.50 portrait of George
Washington, hattering picture of Gar
field, a belittling bust of Lincoln, some
little portraits Of perhaps Monroe, Madi.
son and Andrew johnson. On the table
back OF the official omnium gatherum rests
a long frame, In which are proofs Of recent
engravings to be used upon bank notes. Ii
Is rule that the portraits Of no living per
son shall be used on bank notes, but this
group contains Hancock, Hendricks, Cleve-
land and Fairchild. Hancock and Hend-
ricks are now available. Let us hope It
used.
And this is the Presidents private office.
1t Is large, roomy, and simple. An enor-
nous desk stands at one end, a present from
Queen Victoria to the President of the
United States, made of wood taken from
the United States ship Resolute, the story
OF which is doubtless familiar to all who re-
member the Franklin expedition. Ii is an
interesting apartment. In that large chair
daily sits the man upon whose within,
caprice, conscience. or what not, depends
much that goes to make the veal or woe of
this great country. Everything here, too
speaks of the hand of some man of method
the supervision Of some orderly person, the
constant watchfulness Of housekeeper
As the outside paraphernalia of the white
house betrays great and instant watchful-
ness, so does everything about the interior
of the executive mansion. The private
rooms are large and comfortably furnished.
Canes and a hat and a score of domestic iu-
cldentals here and there, accidentally placed
show that it is O home. The large chamber
with its comfortable and substantial fttInps
not far away, was prepared in 1860 by or
der of President Buchanan, under the SUI
pervisi0n of the majestic lady who was mis-
tress OF the white house under her uucle's
administration, Miss Harriet Lane, for the
coming visit of the Prince of Wales. The
green room, the red room, the blue room are
all examined. Where are the great. the
good, the little, the meant Where the
statesman, the politician, the fawnlng con-
tractor, the insinuating flatulent, toadylstic
diplomat; where the honest sturdyhood, the
pillars of the republics; where the shams.
the veneers, the pretenders, who illustrated
the meanness OF human nature: where the
Presidents aud their wives and families:
where officials from abroad; where che gay,
the fippant crowds that have thronged
those rooms In the days gone by9
A portrait of Lucy
And who asks who is Lucye Lucy was
once mistress of the white house. Her hus-
band sat at the head Of the table. She was
as famous in her days for her stately beauty
~
full length portrait Of Mrs. Hayes, in a
frame large enough to infence picture of
doomsday with its ongoings, outrages, in
my Judgment, the walls of one
of these pretty rooms. There should
be national gallery, and it might
be appropriate to have 1t along the lines
of the famous east room. Every man,
whether he attains it by fraud or by the
votes of a grateful or recognizing people
every man, say, who attains the dignity
of the President of the United States-de-
serves to be pictured in oil, and perpetuated
on canvass in a national gallery. But
their wives, no. Ia the first place
they may have two or three wives
during the administration. Grant was a
young man when he went into the white
house. suppose his first wife had died, and
during his second term ne had married
another, wouldn't it be rather crowding the
mourners to have two ladies of the Grant
family in the white house. 0, no, the
President is all right, but his wife belongs
to him, and very decidedly not to the
people.
The pictures in the east room, by the
way, are not very interesting as works of
art.
We hear a great deal of Jeffersonian
simplicity, but don't think the argument
would be much aided, certainly not appro-
priately illustrated, il an engraving Of the
picture of Thomas Jefferson, which beauti-
f1es the east room. could be sent to every
voter in the country. The good old man
stands quite 6 feet high. his white hair
parted in the middle, his stately form clad
in the finest of velvet, the choicest of silks
and the costliest of laces. I doubt very
much If Jefferson's personal man
ners were simple as simplicity is or
dlnarily understood. He was a gentleman
born, gentleman educated, q gentleman
always in his associations, tastes habits,
and the portraits preserved Of him show
that he was as careful in his personal
equipment as he was in the outworkings of
his mind, and the impressment made upon
the public by the beatings of his patriotic
heart. The portrait of Lincoln is very fair,
but l have yet to see any portrait which
gives the peculiar soul look which made
Lincoln's eyes marvel.
There is a great deal of bosh and hum
bug and buncombe written about Lincoln.
He was politician from the word go,
but he grew when he was transplanted.
The thick blood of trouble that eucircled
the soil in which he stood during the long,
dark days of the war, made his nature.
always true, manly and honest, deep and
full aud tender He changed quickly from
the politician to the statesman. He shuffled
off the coil of Illinois and clothed himself
In the raiment Of the union. Quick,
ready, nay, anxious with the olive branch /,
he hesitated long before be drew
the sword. His clear head had always list
ened to the promptings OF his heart. He
ever sought to do unto Others as he would
have them do unto him. The man with
paint and brush hasyet to make his ap pear
ance with head clear enough to understand
Lincoln, with heart rich enough TO appre-
ciate Lincoln, and with skill delicate
enough, expert enough. to put the record of
his head and the story of his heart on can
vas. JOSEPH HOWARD, JR.