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


of gracious lfo gone out still fingers there,
and the bereft are to be left alone little longer
with their memories
1t was long time ago that Presidents began
holding drawing rooms" on New Years
Day. They were called drawing rooms" at
first, "levees" q little late- and now are styled
receptions" The very first New Years re-
ception ever held in Washington was on Jan.
], 1901 when the uncompleted White House
was thrown open to the public and President
and Mrs. John Adams, with quaint pomp and
ceremony, received tho courtesies of the Curl
Gus people.
1t was in 1922 that the now famous Marine
Band played for the first time in the White
House, aud it was on a New Years Day. In
1894, while Monroe was yet President, the
White House was again opened for New
Years leyee since when its doors have never
been closed on that day, or. as would be the
case in this instance, on tho day following, un-
til now.
New Years receptions at the White House
do not include refreshments, either liquid or
solid. Only one President ever attempted
wholesale I" feed on New Years Day and that
was Andrew Jackson the seventh President.
When Old Hickory came into power he inaug-
urated a new style OF entertainment and served
hand met down" luncheons at his public
captions A warm friend Of his, farmer up
in jersey" once sent him splendid cheese of
mammoth dimensions. Old Hickory conceived
the brilliant idea of treating his friends to this
delicious tid-bit. So on New Years Day this
cheese was ordered cut into hunks" OF
quarter of pound each and served, along with
other edibles, to the people who thronged the
White House at the drawing ROOM" Half
the cheese thus served was thrown upon tho
floor by the people, who were abusing while
enjoying the Presidents hospitality, and
trampled into the carpets till the odors became
almost unbearable The carpets were ruined
and had to be replaced. AS it required SIS
yards to carpet the East Room alone, and the
carpet had to be especially woven for the pur-
pose, it will BIO seen that Mr. Jaekson's recep-
tions were expensive Injuries. When Mr. Van
Buren, entered the White House he very wisely
discontinued the feeding process, and it has
never since been resumed.
Another peculiar feature Of those long-ago
New Years receptions at the White House was
furnished by the society ladies. They wore
on that day, for the first time, their new Win
ter bonnets and sbawls. They didn't always
have new dresses. Powers above! and shades
of Worth Think of society woman of the
present day being reduced to one suit of Win
ter toys" which she displays at the New
Years reception at the White House.!
The custom of keeping "open house" on
New Years Day has largely fallen into disuss
in private houses but it is as much part Of
official life in Washington as the inaugural
reception at the Executive Mansion begins
about IL o'clock q. m. At the Vice Presidents
callers begin to arrive at IL, or directly after
leaving the White House, and the Secretary of
State and other Cabinet officials are ready to
receive about o'clock.
The receiving party at the White House con-
sists of the President and wife, and the wives
of the Cabinet officials These constitute the
Zine" Behind the receiving party there is
always perfect crush of elegantly. sttired
ladies and o sprinkling Of gentlemen who are
personally invited to assist behind the line"
After the Vice President and Cabinet off,
Gals have paid their respects to the President
and his party, the Secretary of State takes his
station at the Presidents left hand, and in
turn presents each member of the Corps
Diplomatque. The Foreign Legations come first
on the official program after the Cabinet.
Then in turn come the Justices of the Supreme
Court, Members Of Congress; the Army. headed
by the General commanding and his staff; the
Navy, with the ranking Commodores at its
head; civilians of the departmental service,
representatives of the Grand Army of the Re-
public. and the oldest inhabitants. That ends
the strictly official program, and at 1885 the
great American public is turned into the
line, and is rushed past the receiving party at
the rate Of As a minute, while the Marine Band
plays quick-step jig. At 2 o'clock the wide
outer doors are closed in the face of the adj
away the band plays Home, Sweet Home, and
the Presidents reception is ended. In the
three hours he shakes hands with nearly 5000
people, and the receiving ladies have each
bowed about 600 times.
Immedi lately after the reception the President
and his wife entertain at luncheon, in the pri-
yate dining room, all the helpers who remain
to the end of the reception. These are gener-
ally the ladies of semi-official standing who do
not keep "open house" on that day. By IL
o'clock the wife of the Vice President, as well
as the wives of the Cabinet officials, retire from
the receiving-line, so az to get to their homes
in time to greet their own guests, who take the
Cabinet families in turn after leaving the White
House.
Diplomatic Corps at q breakfast between IL and
l o'clock on New Years Day, and receives his
friends later. From the house of the Vice
President New Years callers go in turn to the
Cabinet officials in tho line of Presidential
succession"
The representatives of foreign powers usually
don all their royal regalia and the Army and
Navy is brushed and FURNISHED to wonderful
degree for the occasion. New Years Day with
out the resplendent embroidered costumes,
jeweled orders and decorations of the Diplo-
matte Corps, and minus the gold cord, jngling
swords, and blue bravery of the Army and
Navy, will hardly seem New Years at all to
INC ueHlZeHS Ol washington, VINO, III bney may
not look at the King, enjoy intensely the sight
of those who represent the monarch as they fly
about the official end of the city. And-"more's
the pity" think the common folk-all these
gttering trappings can only be worn on 81 off,
cial occasions"
The custom Of holding Presidential reeep-
tions dates back to Washington, and laugh
able incident is related in connection with the
first official reception of the Father of his coun-
try. He was inclined to be exclusive, or per-
haps it might more properly be termed "mod-
est, f" and disposed to resent the impertinent in
sistence of the people, who stopped at nothing
in their endeavors TO gain admission to his
presence. AS this class of people constituted a
we'll orgauiZed mob about his door every day in
the year, he was finally forced to set aside cer-
tain days upon which he would "review" the
public, to prevent, as he said, certain callers
arriving before breakfast" Mr.. Jefferson. in
writing of this first reception, relates the fol-
lowing:
accordingly All ante chamber and presence
room were provided and when those who were
to pay their court were assembled the Presi.
dent set out preceded by Humphreys After
passing through the ants-chamber tho door of
the inner room was thrown open and Humph-
reys entered, first calling out in loud voice,
the President of the United States
Tho President was so much disconnected by
this that he did not recover in the whole time
Of the leyee and when the company was gone
he said to Humphreys:
Well, you have taken me in once, but by