The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-13
WASHINGTON S%oCIALCoDE.
OFFICIAL ETIQUETTE OF THE Ma
TIONAL OAPITAL.


TIONAL CAPITAL.
The Recognized Rules to covers the Princi
pal Officers Of the Government ana Theii
wives NJ Social una Diplomatic Functtous-
sir Suiiau T'auucefote Controversy With S1r
hssrrt-Ths order OF Precedence settled
WASHINGTON. March 12.-Nevcr since tn,
formation Of the Government until the present
time has there been anything like a set OF rules
officially recognized, for the guidance Of the
principal officers OF the Government and thcii
wives ut social and diplomatic functions. Fol
years this deficiency has caused endless worry
and controversy in diplomatic and official life
here. and at various times has been the cause OF
correspondence between the United states and
other countries. to say nothing OF disagrecments
among members OF the Cabinet and high officials
generally. In European courts the matter of prec'
edenco has been settled by convention. and In
diplomatic functions of whatsoever character
each Ambassador or Envoy knows the place
which will be assigned to him and takes It with
out discussion. The representatives of the
United States having had little part In these
European assemblies OF diplomats have had no
opportunity to develop a social code such az
forms part Of the information Of the various
foreign Offices In Europe, and newly elected or
newly named officials In this country have. on
coming into onicc. known little of what was OK.
pectod Of them beyond what they learned from
subordinates.
In the Administration Of President Harrison.
the Secretary OF State, Mr.. Foster, had Pre-.
pared for his own guidance by q clerk Of the
State Department from tho best established
preoedents q guide. as authoritative as possible,
to proper official conduct in social and official
functions at Washington. This memorandum.
though incomplete. was used by Secretary and
Mrs. Foster, and was handed to Mr.. Olney
when Mr.. Cleveland came into power. Mr..
Olney declined to allow 1t to be made public,
and. although he used IL himself for his own in
formation, refused to give 1t official sanction.
As yet there is no official sanction to this set OF
rules, but they have been followed by tho secre-
taries of State for the last seven or eight years
and thus by usage claim tho right to official
recognition.
Shortly after President Mckinley came into
Office there arose O controversy between tho
Vice resident. Mr.. Hobart, and Sir Julian
Pauncefote. the British Ambassador. as to which
OF Thorn preceded the other ut diplomatic or
other official functions. Last year q dinner was
given In this city by the late Gardiner G. Hub
bard to the Vice-President, to which the British
Ambassador was invited. Upon the receipt Of
the invitation Sir Julian wrote to Mr.. Hubbard.
hbhiHR b0o u uIaBTaH OF tho taDl0s ana lntl-
mating politely that II he were not to have tho
place of honor he could not see At to accept.
Mr.. Hubbard had no diagram of tho table pre-
pared, but in reply to the British Ambassador
said that Mr.. Hobart. being Vice.President of
the United States and the guest Of honor. would
be placed at the right of the host. In reply to
this, Sir Julian sent his regrets.
The situation continued thus for some time,
Sir Julian refusing to call upon the Vice Presi-
dent on the ground that. being an Ambassador,
by the usagcs Of international law no repro
sented the person Of the Queen. and thus ranked
next to the President of the United States. The
Vice.President refused to call first upon Sir
Julian on the ground that he was by the Con.
%stitution Of tho United States the legitimate
successor Of the President. and thus occupied q
position similar to that of the Prince of Wales,
the heir apparent to the British throne, who
precedes all diplomatic emissaries.
This controversy became after q time so ir-
ritating. and the official relations Of these two
men became SO strained. that Mr.. Mckinley
wrote a personal letter to Mr.. Hay, tho Ameri.
can Ambassador, asking him to obtain from the
proper English authorities q definition of the
status and rank Of Sir Julian from the point of
view of the social authorities of his own Gov
ernment. 1t was stated that, II this authority
sustained Sir Julian. Mr.. Hobart would be will.
A'e ~ Nho" ihih ~ IuNS pIOGCbChCGs MI. nay
wts informed in response to his inquiries that
th, British authorities did not consider Sir
JLiian's contention proper. and that he would
be go informed by the British Foreign Office.
The result was that a note to this effect was
despatched 10 Sir Julian. and in January last
sir Julian clllod upon tho Vioo.Presiden at his
house in Lafayette square, and Mr.. Hobart re-
turned the call the follow ng afternoon.
Under Mr.. Cleveland the Vice President, Mr..
Sttvrnson, { eclined to assert his prerogative,
and when the men met the Vice President gave
way. But Mr.. olney objected. At all functions
at which the President was not present he con.
Eidered that the Secretary OF State represented
the President. and SO was entitled to tho first
Ing tho matter and finally n compromise. When
inc men met at dinner at the house Of q for
American, Sir Julian hau the place Of honor.
although Sir Julian's call upon the Vice
presidSnt definitely settled that point in
Secretary OF State following tho Ambasssaadors
Ex,raoriinaRrSy Ministers PienipoSte mt E1v SSd
Charges d'Affaire. This code of etiquette is
now published for the first time.
The following order or Official precede ncy is
based mainly on tho act OF Congress. approved
;bn Is; isse, pEpviding for the SUGGESTION in
and Vicc-Presidcnt of the United States.
ORDER OF PRECEDENCE.
l. Tho President of the United States.
=. Tho Vice President of the United States.
3. Ambassadors OF foreign powers in the order
OF their formal recognition by the Government
OF the United States.
NorE,-At functions given by onicials of foreign
Governments At tho capital the Secretary Of State
takes precedence OF Ambassadors, includ ng Inc
Dean OF the Diplomatic Corps.
]. The Secretary Of State.
8. ENJOYS Extraordinary, Ministers plcnipo.
Tertiary, and Charges d'Affaire.
Q. Tho Secretary OF the Treasury.
2. The Secretary of War.
&. The Attorney. General.
o. The or. General.
10. The Secretary of the Navy.
II. Tho Secretary of tho Interior.
IL. The Secretary or Agriculture.
~. The Chief Justice OF tho United States.
Ii. The Associate Justices of the Supreme
Court OF the United States In the order OF their