The Portland daily press., 1895-01-12
SOCIAL LAW in WASHINGTON.
Bluff Justice Harlan Resents the New
Rules Laid Down by Foreign Ambassa-
doris.

| Associated Justice Harlan of the United
| States Supreme Court has unwittingly
raised tempest the social teapot of
! Washington official society. and reopened
| the old questionas osthe rights of social
| precedence of the Court in social society.
! The act of the Governments of England,
laGsrmal1y, G France, and Italy in raising
| their Ministers resident here TO the rank
| and dignity of Ambassadors is the Indirect
cause :. of the trouble. Und al the old re-
! zine the nm written social: law at the ma
| tional capital required the Ministers of
| these countries to make the first social calls
| on the Chief Justice and Associate Justices
| mr. the Supreme Court and the ladies of
| tbei. families. and the resident Ministers OF
| foreign countries still follow this custom.
| Now the edict has gone forth fromthe en-
| bassies that the social etiquette in for
| sipn countries gives Ambassadors rank next
| N rovaIty. or the sons and brothers of roy
| altv. and that all officials below the royal
household must first call upon the Ambas-
| SAD ors of foreign nation !
Under the new rule as.laid downaby the
foreign Ambassadors, all of the members OF
the supreme Court and their families, with
| the exception of the Chief Justice. who,
lLQN LILO 4 Tcha0Ats~ NASoFh hooaN $500
| Sueaker of the House, is exempt from the
rule. have made the required visits, save
justice Harlan. The Justice in his habits
and manners is one of the most democratic
| of men. but great stickler for the rights
and privileges of the highest court in the
land. He has said to his associates with
much emphasis that he does not intend to
| be governed by foreign customs nor allow
foreign Ambassadors to dictate what shall
be The social status of the supreme Court.
His action has set the SOCIAL world OF wash
ineton in a fever of excitement, and great
| interest is manifested in the outcome of the
bluff Justices bold stand.
Whether his action will serve as wedge
for those who have always held that the
&C ial precedence question needs readJust-
| ment is a matter much discussed Just now
by the ladies of the families OF the Cabinet
and other officials In high rank here. The
| foreign Ambassadors are. OF course, COVER
ned by the rules of etiquette laid down by
the royal heads Of the GOVERNMENTS they
represent, and as no personal choice or dis
position Of the matter Is lett them, they
| must wait until Justice Harlan changes his
views under calmer Judgment or be de-
genial company at the respective emba ssies
in the social affairs to be given by them
| during the present season. as. official eti-
Justice and his family to their HON if ne
and his family have neglected to make the
social call dema nded by customs of royalty.
The present situation recalls Inc soclal
battle waged by John Quincy Adams, who.
when Secretary of State, laid down certain
rules for himself in TIE matter of officially
social calls, and in certain instances In
sisted that visits of ceremony should first be
made ON him, and that it was not in keep
ing with the dignity. OF his high Office sthat
! he should make the first visit ny one
short of the President. This led, to his
being left off tho invitation list of social
functions upuI. several occasions. thing
he resented with much bitterness, though
he carried his point, and is undoubtedly
existing as 10 SOCIAL precedence IN ofdcial
society at the national capital