Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-05-28
THE PRESIDENT IN RICHMOND.
His sReception-Life at the Davis Mansion.


THE PRESIDENT IN RICHMOND.
His Reception-Life at the Davis Mansion
Second Inauguration-Ofcia Duties.
Hon. jefferson Davis. the participant in
two previous wars, the hero of Buena
| Vista. member Of the United States House
of Representatives Secretary Of War un-
| der Franklin Pierce, and United States
| senator took leave of the Senate Jan
uarv q. 1861. when officially notified
| that Mississippi, the State of his adop-
| ton he was born in Christian
county, KY, June 3, 1s0s,l had
| seeded from the Union. Prior TO his
reaching homo ne had been appointed
| COmmander-in-Ch Chief ot the Army OF Mis-
sssippi, with the rank of maior-g general.
While engaged III organizing the States
| forces no received notice from the PrOvi-
| sional Congress of the Confederate States,
| then in session at Montgomery. Ala, that
| he had been elected Provisional President
of the Confederate States, and az such he
was inaugurated at Montgomery February
| lS. 1861.
After Virginia had exhausted every eff
| fort 10 avert war and cast her lot with her
| southern sisters. it was decided TO move
| the Confederate government TO Richmond.
and when the Confederate Provisional
| Congress adjourned on the night OF May
/. 1861 1t adjourned TO meet here on the
| 10Th OF July following.
As previously stated, President Davis ar
rived here on the morning of Wednesday.
May the 29th. He came on special train
| from Petersburg, where he had been met
| by Governor John Letcher. Mayor Joseph
MayO. Mr.. Thomas II. Wynne. of the Vlr-
ginia House of Delegates. and Others. In
the Presidents party were Hon. l.: /.
Wigfall and lady. Colonel Northorp. Colo
mel Joseph Davis; and Others, and the
PTesident's family, consisting OF Mrs.
Davis, Miss Maggie now Mrs. Hayes, Joe.
and JEFF. Miss Winnie. the daughter of
the Contederacy. was born III the Confede-
rate White House.
Mrs. Davis. who is a daughter of Will
linn Il. Howell. of Natchez. Miss, and the
Presidents second wife. his first having
been DAUGHTER OF Zachary Tay.or. was
thus described at the time
"She is a tall, commanding figure, with
dark hair. eyes, and complexion, and
strongly marked characteristics. which lie
chiefly in the mouth. With frmly-set,
flexible lips there is indicated much ener-
gy of purpose and will, but beautifully
softened bv the unusually sad expression
of her dark, earnest eyes
TIE RECEPTION IS RICHMOND.
When the train reached the depot says
a contemDorarv account, an immense
crowd had gathered, who made the wei
kin ring with cheers. oft repeated, for
Davis and the Southern Confederacy.
While this enthusiastic greeting was going
on q salute of fifteen guns one for each
southern State--was being fired by de
tachment under Colonel j. Ii. Richard
son.
President Davis was escorted TO car
-. j,.h
ger, of the SpotswOOd Hoiel to which he
was drawn by four elegant bavs.
Governor Letcher. Mayor Mayo. and Mr..
HOenninger were seated III the carriage
with the President. and on the route to
the hotel the people would press around
the vehicle to shake hands with the illus
trlous Chief Magistrate, many OF them
with tears of JOY in their eyes.
BY The time the carriages reached the
Spotswood the crowd had increased by
thousands. President Davis ascended the
stairs and was conducted to Parlor No. 3S.
which had been most tastefully decorated
with the coat-of-arms and flag of the Con-
federate States He had hardly gotten in
side OF the room before he was vOclfe-
rously called for bv the multitude outside.
and. stepping to the window, made brief
address on the state of affairs III the country.
Governor ct cher then welcomed the ire5l-
dent To the city and was followed by Colo
mel Wigfall IN a brief speech. Lieutenant
Governor Montague also made q brief ad-
dress. The party then breaktasted. and
az $50 in the afternoon the President re-
viewed the troops at the Fair-Grounds.
Richmond entered heart and soul into
the spirit that made her the capital OF the
ConfeGeracy. She welcomed the Presl-
dent and his family with all of her tradi-
tional hospitality. and her CITY Council
gave emphasis TO her desire TO honor the
President bv purchasing and furnishing
at a cost Of $4,000 and offering to him as
a free GIFT the elegant old residence which
has ever snce been known "a the Jeh.
Davis Mansion.
IIFF IN THF MANSION.
President Davis moved with his family
into the Confederate White House IN the
early summer of 1861, but agreed TO do so
only upon condition that the government
nav the city tent for the building. For
some months after his arrival in Richmond
the city was gay. despite the fact that the
nation was involved IN great war. Ihe
cold lace of the officers had not become
tarnished and the uniforms OF the men had
not become tattered. All was brightness,
hope. and buoyancy. Starvation had not
begun 10 rear its eaunt form and provi-
SONS even for entertainments were mo-
dorately plentiful.
The Executive Mansion was admirably
arranged for the home Of one occupying the
position Ot President Davis. IL was built
by Dr. John RrockenbrOugh, from whom
1t passed 20 Mr.. James NJ. MorsOn. Next
II passed into the possession of Hon James
A. Seidon, afterwards Confederate States
Secretary of War. and by HIM IL was sold
T. Mr. Lewis u. Crenshaw. from whom tho
cltv purchased II.
From the front porch the entrance door
opened into a generous main hGll, olhptlcal
IN form and having Two arches. each con;
taining q bronze statue. which was utilized
for gas purposes. 10 the right Of the hall
was the main stairway and COSY ante
room, and TO the left prIva'e stairway,
entry 10 the d'ninq-room and library.
The apartments for entertaining. con-
sistlng of two parlor5. or drawins-room
aud pGrlOr. and Giniug-room eh s,iiie, were 20
the rear and were lighted by large side-hght
windows opening upon the magnificent
portico which faces south. The dlning-room
md two additional windows on the eas !.
| side. The aDte-roOm referred TO opened
| INTO the parlOrs and through IL visitors
pasle1 on the OCCASIONS OF DuOhc re-
ceptions. The building Is now used as
the Central School, and has been re-
modelled to some extent, but the
City Council having dedicated It to
| the Confederate Memorial aud Lite;
rary Society. that organization VIII
upon taking possession restore II.
| Mrs. Davis in her memoir of her husband,
| SAYS: The house is very large, but tie
rooms comparatively few. The
| ceilings are high. the windows wide. ana
| the even stair-cases turn In easy curves to-
| wards the airy rooms above. The Carrara:
| marble mantel- pieces were the delight OF
| our children. Every old Virginia
| gentleman who came to see us looked
| pensiyely out on the grounds ana
SAID with tone of tcnder regret
something like this: This house was
perfect when lovely Mary Brockenbrough
used to walk there singing among the
flowers At first 1t seemed odd
| aud we regretted our visitors dissppolnt-
lnent, but after while Mary came 70 Us;
| too, and renamed the tutelar goddess OIL
| the garden. Her name became house
| hold word. Whether Mary would APP
proye p was question nv husband play
| fully asked when he liked the arrange
| ment Of the drawing room"
| Among the LADIES' of tho Executive