The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-01-27

atoms commenced fOr- recognition OF thu
| American Colonies.
France being an ally, there was ap
pointed a Diplomatic agent before ths
| close of the war. With the establishment
/ Of the Government in 1889, the Marquis d.
| Moustier, French Minister, gave a grant
ball in honor of President Washington
| Inauguration. When Martha Washington
arrived at the Capital, then New York, the
! French, Spanish, and Dutch Ministers
were guests at the State dinner.
During the French revolution, when the
! old regime was relegated to the past, Genet
was sent here as Minister. He arrived in
Charleston in April, 1898. He had tri-
umphant reception in Philadelphia, May
| 20. No sooner had he arrived than he be-
gan the formation of clubs in imitation OF
the Jacobin clubs OF Paris. The bust OF
| Louis XVI, in the vestibue of the Presi-
dents House, gave him great concern; and
| because America did not embark in the
| cause Of France against England, in con
! tradictlon to Washington s neutral. procla-
nation, he bitterly denounced the Amari-
can Government for want of sympathy
toward the French Republic.
| In consequence Of many imprudent
| things which he did, Washington de-
manded and obtained his recall. Genet
/ did not return to France, but settled in the
| State OF New York, became an American
citizen, and married Cornelia Tappan Gin
/ ton, daughter OF Governor Clinton, of New
York
| When Mr.. Monroe was President, an
issue arose between him and the French
| Minister, regarding an invitation given by
! M. Hyde de Melville to his Excelency to
/ attend grand fete in honor OF the
evacuation Of France by the allied troops.
/ 1t became a subject Of Diplomatic negotia-
| ton.
The President and Mrs. Monroe declined
| the invitation, not wishing to do anything
! i'm contradiction of former rule of prece-
| dence. No President in the past had
/ visited the house Of foreign Minister
! The President, through Secretary Adams,
informed the Minister that he would re-
quest his daughter, Mrs. Hay, to be present.
This was the beginning OF a social war.
The Diplomatic ladies had not first called
on Mrs. Hay, she not being a member of
| the Presidents household; therefore, she
| sent word to the Minister that she would
be present as the daughter of James Mon
roe, and not as the daughter of the Presi-
dent of the United States, which left the
position OF the ladies the same as before
the ball.
The terms were accepted, but sOciay
relations ended between Mrs. Hay and the
ladies of the Diplomatic Corps. When
President Monroe's youngest daughter was
married to Samuel Lawrence, Governor OF
| New York-which was the first wedding in
the White House--the foreign Ministers
were uncertain what etiquet exaeted OF them
The Russian Minister, Politca, called on
| Mrs. Adams for instructions. She an
proacehd Mrs. Hay for her views The
latter, although a daughter of the Presi-
dent, yet not member of Executive family
assumed the responsibility of debating
the etiquet of the Administration. As
she did not visit the houses of foreign
Ministers, she decided that her sister could
not receive visits which she, Mrs Hay
could not reciprocate.
Thus one woman seemed powerf,
enough to wage war that was as com
plete in cutting off all intercourse with the
Diplomatic Corps as an embargo is in
closing ports in time of rebellion
Thomas Jefferson, when President, was
quite successful in bringing on an ire
pressible conflict with the English Minis
ter, MIR. Anthony Merry. At State din.
ner the President was conversing with
Mrs. Madison, wife of the Secretary o
State, who was presiding lady, as she
often was i'm the absence OF Mrs Randolph
lie escorted her to the dining room in
place of Mrs. Merry, who was the mos,
distinguished invited guest.
The Minister felt deeply insulted and nj
once sent his grievance tn his Government
Secretary Madison communicated with oul
| Minister at the Court of st. James. nlacine
the facts at his DISPOSAL Minister Mon.
roe WAS delighted; for only a short time
before an Under Secretary af the English
Government had been assigned the prece
dence over Mrs. Monroe
A war between the two nations was
avertcd by word i'm time: but Mrs. Merr,
never again passed the portals of the
White House, and the Minister only when
business called him. And Tom Moore
who was in Washington, took up the
quarrel and cried me too" and went of
and wrote poetry about America.
IZo b contiaSsd.I