The Portland daily press., 1897-01-23
PRESIDENTS AS SOCIAL BEINGS.
Their Habits in the White House and Out
of It-Some Interesting "reminiscences.
(From the Washington Post

Those who know President-elect Nc
Kinley say that during his administra
tion, while he will scrupulouslY main
tain the official dignity of the Office, be
will revive the democratic simplicity OF
Presidents jackson, Taylor, Pierce, Fill
more, Buchanan, Lincoln, Grant, Gar.
field and Arthur, in keeping in social
touch with the people of Washington. He
is social man in his habits. has large
acquaintance among the citizens, and q
good many friends. The 'tdiyinity that
doth hedge about" President will cut
no figure with him. as far as those who
know him are concerned.
During cold hickory's'' administra-
ticn that sturdy old son of the people was
familiar figure in the streets, and
walked about by himself or strolled with
a friend, stopping to have a word with
pedestrians who bowed, and in every
way showed friendly and neighborly
feeling. An old citizen tells of having
once gone into the White House as boy
with bill for cleaning the carpets in
the East room. He rang the bell, and
President jackson himSelf opened the
door, peered at him over his spectaoles,
took the bill, examined it, and paid it
on the spot. Another time a young ca
det from West Point, appointed from
Kentucky, who pfnioned another cadet
to the wall with his bayone and had
been dismissed, called at the White
House to explain matters, and was ush-
cred into what is now the blue room,
whe'e lie found President JACKSON in a
dressing gown and slippers. smoking a
reading. He heard the boys story and
then sent him with a note to the Secre-
tary Of War Responding him. The boy
was afterward killed at the battle Of San
| Jacinto.
| Gen. Zachary Taylor, the hero of the
Mexican war, and the popular idol of
the day, was only in the White House a
brief time, but he was as simple and un-
| ostentatious rs he was mt Buena Vista,
going about town just like any ordinary
citizen. His daughter, Mrs. Philip PEN
dleton cambridge, whose first husband
was Col. Bliss, of his staff, relates that
from her earliest childhood her father
was always telling her and her brother
Dick (afterward acknowledgement In
the Confederate army, thai courtesy
| WAS the first mark of a gentleman. 4"
Be polite my children, to everybody;
rich and poor, high and low" he would
say.
| President Pierce was one of the most
| ch arming men, socially, ever in the
White House and during his administra-
| ton gathered about him some of the
most brilliant and delightful men Of tho
day. He was rarely seen in his carriage
or on foot, but in fin 9 weather always
went riding on horsebac K, generally in a
gallop, accompanied often by his friend,
Ben McCulloch, the famous Texas ran
ger and Indian fighter. Both were fine
horsemen, and their appearance gallcp-
ing down the avenue WIS always the oc-
casion Of favorable comment, for horse
inanship was one of the plish mentS
first on the list always in the South, to
which the Mexican war, not long over at
the time, gave vogue among the lions
of the capital.
President Buchanan, on the other
hand, was neEer seen on horseback, and
Probably knew nothing about riding,
neither was he often seen In his carriage,
except on state ocasions, or for an occa-
sional drive with his niece, Miss Harriet
Lane. "a WAS fond Of walking alone,
however, and regularly every afternoon
| about or O'Clock went for "a consti-
tutional" down the avenue, which was
at that time the fashionable promenade,
as far as thu National Hotel, returning
with Senator, Justice Of the Supreme
Court or some friend who would join
Elm. Theirs was good deal of old
manner, peculiar to the gentlemen of
the old school " as they were called, yet
he could be very gracious aud urbane if
the occasion required 1t. While a ia
miliar figure on the Streets he was such
tremendous old swell In his clothes,
manner andsdignity, his voluminous white
orayat wrapped several times around
bis neck, with the ends tied In two lit
tie knots, canod, gloved and silk halted,
TINT there WAS nothing OF the "mix-
era about him.
Many will recall Liacoln's homely
ways In the White House. aud his fre9-
dom from pretense of all kinds. OF all
the Presidents he may be said to have
kept in closer touch with the people than
any of them. He never for one moment
forgot he was one of them. He went In
and out, around and about returned the
DOW of tho hootblack with kind word
aso soIupulously as TINT of Senator or
foreign minister. There was absolutely
no social red tape between him and his
friends. II ha wished ha went to see
them, stepped on corners and had q
pleasant word or witty story always on
hand.
Grants administrations were marked
by even greater freedom from pomp and
style: simple in hia habits and taste, he
abhorred fuss and feathers. The s'smart
set'' of the period used TO groan over
what they called the "bnrrack Ways up
at the White House. The official func-
tinns were transacted with the requisite
etiquette, bus, being over. Grant dropped
naturally into the ways of his heRdquar-
tiers while in the field. He went horse
back riding, buggy driving, and was to
be seen nearly every day down town,
always with his friends. his loyalty TO
whom was nne7 of his greatest qualities.
He took a lively interest In everything
going on he re. from dancing in Wiz.
ginia resl Mt the Bryan hall on Highland
place, with Sherman vis-a-vis. to going
on foot down nearly to the capitol to
see where fire was, all with as much
zest AS boy. His reputation for tact