The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-12-29

| colors that do not swear at each other. and the
rich furniture is plentiful evea IL it does look
| like fly specs on the floor in the amplitude Of
| the East Room. Then there are the magnif-
cent mirrors with their splendid gilt frames.
and the Niagara-like chandeliers. When the
| Presidents blue flag, with its white embroidery,
| is hung from the talons of big eagle and the
| great columns are draped with flags. and the
| beautiful marble mantels banked with flowers
and ferns, even the East Room forgets its naked
| ness and seems quite cheerful. 1t could not
have been even cheerful in the time of the
second President
For II years the White House had been in
process of erection. Yet when the seat of Gov
eminent was moved from Philadelphia 70
Washington the Executive Mansion had not q
single furnished room aud only two or three
| finished rooms. The President and his official
household came over by carriage, and got lost
in the woods and wandered into Frederick,
Nd Whsn they reached Washington they
found sad comfort inside the Presidents Pal
| ace" 1t was cold; the damp, piercing, cling
ing cold familiar to the climate of that region.
Yet fires could not be kept going sufficient to
| warm the Presidents household. The forest
about Washington was dense, but laborers and
| carts were scarce, and all the coal to be had
was brought in ships. Coal WAS plenty. but
there were no CRATES in which to burn it. The
Presidents wife felt the situation keeny, and
wrote pathetically 20 her daughter the week
which contains my clothing and other matters
has not arrived The ladies are impatient for
a drawing room, but have not half enough
lamps to light the room. , Many things
were stolen and many broken by the removal;
among the number my tea lima is more than
half missing. Georgetown affords nothing.
My rooms are comfortable and warm while the
hall-doors are shut. And ali this dis
comfort after IL years of preparation to receive
| the Government"
Amidst depressing surroundings like these
| the White House was thrown open for the first
time and for the first New Years reception
ever given by the President or anybody else in
Washington.
When Mr.. Jefferson came into Office he was
opposed to Presidential levees of ali kinds, and
announced his intention to abolish them and
inangurate greater simplicity in official life
The Washington ladies' however, would not
have it that way. In those days of Jeffersonian
simplicity the Capital City of the Nation con-
tanned about 5000 souls, all told and the off,
cial receptions were the bright spots in the
otherwise dull existence. When the President
closed his doors to the public the Cabinet off,
cials followed suit, and it was not to be en-
dured for moment.
On the formerly regular reception day q
large number of ladies met at the White House
and were told that the President was out rid
ing Nothing daunted they marched in and
| awaited his return. He came soon after and
was informed of the raid that had been made
| upon him. He guessed its import and. booted
and spurred as he was, with his clothing splashed
with mud from neck to knees, he entered the
reception room and welcomed the ladies in the
most cordial manner. He expressed himself
as most happy to meet them. and was never
more charmingly agreeable. When they we're
about to take their departure he pressed each
in turn to remain longer. and the ladies agreed
that he had turned the tables upon them most
beautifully. They never found it necessary,
however, to repeat the visit. Sir Augustus
Foster Secretary Of the British Legation at that
time in writing about his novel experiences
says: "In going to assemblies we had to drive
| three or four miles within city bounds, and
very often at the risk of being overturned, or
what is termed STALLED" when one can neither
go back nor forward and either losses ones
shoes or ones patience Cards were
q great resource of an evening, and gaming was
all the fashion. for the men who frequented So
ciety were chiefly from Virginia OF the West
ern States, and were very fond of Drag the
most gambling of games. Loo was the inno-
cent diversion of the ladies, who when they
! were loved pronounced the word in a very
mincng manner. The New England
ers, generally speaking were pious. but can
not say much for the Marylanders, still less
for the Virginians But in spite of
Inconvenience and desolate aspect it was,
think, the most agreeable place to reside in for
any length Of time. The opportunity for col
lecting information from Senators and Repre-
sentatives from all parts of the country, the
hospitality of the heads of the Government
and the Corps Diplomatique of itself supply re-
sources such as could no where else be looked
for"
The Presidential receptions during the time
of Madison and his lovely wife Dolly" are
said to have been dreams of delight. There
was no kind of formality whatever, and from
highest to lowest, each was received with
charming grace. It was while Madison oceu-
pied the Executive Mansion that the British
invaded Washington and burned the White
House. Madison then rented the famous Octa-
gon House just west of the Executive Mansion,
and here for nearly two years the most bril-
liant receptions ever held in Washington were
given by Dolly Madison. 1t was in this old
house that the treaty Of Client was signed.
1t adjoins THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE Building
The queer old structure, built of brick brought
from England. still stands. its dismantled
rooms echoing with the ghostly voices and
phantom footsteps Of the gay crowds that once
filed them with laughter and light. Tangled
vines cover the queer windows which have so
often framed Dolly Madison's sweet face, and
the dust of more than half century lies thick
upon the old-fashioned frescoes.
When Mr.. Monroe entered the White House
In 1877 it was only partially restored, and was
not even comfortably furnished Congress
ordered Consul Lee. then residing in Paris to
purchase q silver service for the use of tbs
President. This silver was used constantly |
until 1869. when more modern set took its |
place. There was ordered also from Paris an |
elegant suite Of furniture for the East Room. |
This furniture was patterned after that at the /
Palace of Louis XVI, and each piece was sur |
mounted by the royal crown in gold. This was |
removed, however, and an eagle substituted be- |
fore the furniture was sent from France.
There ia but one piece of furniture in the |
Executive Mansion which has come down from |
the first President, and that is the central Orna-
ment which is used on the banquet table on |
state occasions. 1t is long mirror lake with |
beautiful git-br0nze open work railing. en- |
beilished with exquisitely- fashioned figures |
and was purchased in France at a cost of 81 100, /
which seems to have been considered scandal |
ously large sum TO squander on such work of |
art. 1t was purchased by the order Of the first |
Chief Magistrate of the United States, and was |
first used by him on the occasion of q grand 1
state banquet at the Executive Mansion in
Philadelphia in 1871. 1t is now more than 8
century since the elegant ornament was first
placed upon Washington's table but not one
jot of its beauty has faded.
During Monroe's time the White House was
considered the most cherries place in Wash
ington; little better than barn." as some
foreigners styled it, Yet late as 1912 maya
zine of that year advocated the sale of the
Executive Mansion to the Smithsonian Insti-
tute organization. and said Let the residence
so 81 pxouf h. -at,e