Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-02-18

the senate WAS earnestly e-,-,-@f in
| discussing the qI2csiio-; Of i-S IT,
| One senator proposed --EIis I---c,.ler,rv.-' =
another his High Ni-atinrsz- ,ss,t-
they at last agreed upoa '-Ilis Es,-,l-
| ness. the President Of tiac Ls,iset1
States Of America and Prosec5e- OF
| Their Liberties" BTlt the hoG-se- beng
a more popular body, vonl,a slave moth
ing to do with titles that sssvo-ed OF
royalty So they lopped OF the frst
and the last clauses Of the senate's
proposition and agreed only to t.ae con-
| stitutional designation: President Of
| the United States OF America and the
senate was obliged to yield
Washington himself would not hare
been displeased with a title, though ne
| made no effort to influence congress IN
that respect Nevertheless he sur
rounded himself with much ceremonial
| levee after the fashion CT the
| European courts was held every T'-~e
day afternoon at the presidential iaans
sion. On these occasions gentlemen ne
| in full dress, attired in small clC- =,
| silk stockings. low shoes with = ser
buckles, ruffies. cooked hats and small
sword. Generally a solemn stiffness
| reiCned over the assembly and cOnVer-
| sation was carried on in low Whispers
At three o'clock precisely 4 gOrEeOusly
! arrayed individual acting as chamber
lain announced in a loud tone; - The
| president of the United States There
| upon from the door OF an antc-rooTa
| Washington appeared accompanied by
his secretaries and some Of the high Of
fcials of the government The presi-
| dents dress was q suit OF black vel
vet, a pearl-colored waistcoat, silves
buckles, dark silk stockings and vel
| low gloves A dress sword was at his
| side, cooked hat under his left arm
| and his hair, tied in a qreue- WAS pOw~
dered. He would in a stately manner
| walk inside the circle OF ,l.is guests. ad-
dress few words to G. n. but shake
hands with none. Then he wonld take
| his stand and some general conVerSa-
| tion might ensue. At four O'Clock the
| president would solemnly bow and rev
| tire to his room This was the signal
| for general dismissal Lady WASH
| ington," by which singular title tho
presidents wife was universally called.
| gave Friday evening entertainments to
mixed assemblaEes, AT which all tbs
beauty and social distinction of the city
were to be found. All the high officers,
the members of the cabinet, the diplo-
1
congress with their wives and daugh-
tiers were to be seen there; the bellies ar
rayed in silks and taffetas, with their
hair dressed high, and the gentlemen in
the very height of the latest London
fashions Elegance and distinction
marked these entertainments, while
witty conversation abounded- Even
Washington could unbend at such times
and indulge in some slight banter with
the ladies'
The president and his wife would als6
accept some hospitalities, such rs dim
nef with a cabinet officer or Scnator,
! or ball given by one of the diplomatic
corps They also gave dinners to Sc
lected guests, at which during the year
!, they would entertain almost all persons
of prominence.
During his first term Washingtor
made three tours, the first through Nex
England, the second to Rhode Island,
after that obstinate little state had
yielded and Joined the union, and the
third through the southern states as far
as Charleston and Savannah. ThesS
were attended with n great degree Of
J ceremony, and they were by no means
hand-shaking excursions In Boston O
point of etiquette threatened to spoil the
whole tour John Hancock was cove
ernor, and he was as much = stickler
for precedence and ceremony as Wash
ington himself. He invited Washing
ton and his suite to dine with him on
their first arrival, but inasIruch as no
had not gone out to meet the president
the latter refused to attend the dinner,
, 1t took very adroit negotiations TO
bring about an adjustment, for Han.
cock took the ground that as governor
, of a sovereign state the first call should
be made upon him But Washington's
prestige and fame finally won. and Ham
cock was persuaded to make the FIRST
call, and harmony was restored
The presidents salary was then, as
; long afterwards. $4,000 a year, but
Washington expended IT all IN his So
cial, official and household expenses
He could well afford TO do this, for he
was the richest man in America, his
fortune being estimated at $500, 600.
There were no millionaires, and indeed
very few men who were worth even
$50, 900 in those days, though there were
some men like Robert Morris who were
reported extremely wealthy But Nor
ris' fortune was a bubble, as many
others were, after the revolution
When the capital was removed to
Philadelphia the social life of the
president was much the same as IN
New York HIS birthday was regu-
larly observed as a holiday through
out the country. after the fashion of
royalty Indeed. IT was first celebrated
in 11s4, few months after he had re-
| signed as commander in chief But the
22d of February after the Inauguration
was celebrated with great pomp and
acclaim in every leading town Birth
day odes were read. and Long Live
George Washington" God Bless Your
Reign" were the public salutations that
greeted him
People are not so obsequious to pres
ideats as they weIe then, but 1t must
be remembered that an atmosphere of
-oJalty still srIrrCuoded the position of
E,.---- George III. who was king of
AMI rica bat very few years before
Washington became president. was In
fact - .ii:iinyton's predecessor, Our
government had been largely based
Ci0on the Ea-lish constitution, and If
Washington sanctioned these formal
| o5servances ~ must not be forgot
| ten that he was 4 man of the ara in