The National tribune., 1899-12-07

torture, which she felt very severely, but
from which. having begun the practice, Sne
never found AN opportunity Of receding.
Mrs. Monroe neither pays nor returns
visits; my wife returns all visits. but adopts
the principle of not visiting first any
strangers who may arrive. and this is what
the lalies have taken in dudgeon.
My wife informed Mrs. Monroe that she
should adhere to her principle, but on any
question Of etiquet she did not exact of any
lady that she should visit her"
AT last d Cabinet meeting was CALLED to
discuss the important question Of official
etiquet. After long discussion they
arrived at no conclusion, and everybody
was again left 10 follow their own sweet will.
Mr.. Adams proposed that a rule be made
separating the official character from the
social and that visits should be those only OF
friendship or acquaintance. and that with
out question of precedence, and that their
wives should practice the same.
Mr.. Adams finding that his position was
liable to wrong Interpretation, wrote the
following letter to the President. which
well illustrates the social condition of Wash
ington at that period:
ITO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES:
WASHINGTON, Dec %, 1919.
SIR: The meeting held yesterday. hav-
ing terminated without any arrangement
relative to the subject upon which it had,
according to your desire. been convened.
and it being understood that it left the
members OF your administration free TO
pursue that course of conduct dictated by
the sense Of propriety, respectively, to avoid
being misunderstood in regard to that which
nave ehithertopursued,a and to manifest my
wish TO pursue any other which you Will
please 10 direct. or advise, have thoght it
necessary to submit the following observa-
tions to your candor and intelligence. 1t
has, understood from you, been indirectly
made complaint 10 you, as neglect Of
duty on the part OF some OF the members Of
your administration, or at least of the
Secretary of State, that he omits paving. at
every session Of Congress, a first visit Of
form To every member of the Senate of the
United States; and that his wife is equally
negilgentof her supposed duty, in emitting
to pay similar visits 10 the ladies Of every
member OF either House who visit the city
during the session.
The fact of omission, both as regards my
wife and myself. is acknowledged; and as
you had the kindness to propose having
any explanation of the motives of our CON
duct made known to those, who, To our very
great regret. appear TO be dissatisfied with
it, the following statement is made TO give
that explanation.
Il must premise that having been five
years member of the Senate. and having
during four of the five years been accom-
visit from any one of the heads Of depart
ments. nor did my wife ever receive first
visit from any Of those ladies.
We invariably paid the first visit and at
That time always understood it TO be the
established usage. | do not mean to say
that every Senator then paid the first visit
g. the heads of departments. but that the
Senators neither eXacted nor expected u
visit from them. Visiting in form was con-
sidered as not forming part either of social
or official duty. L never then heard a sug-
geStion that 1t was due IN courtesy from a
head of department To pay first visit to all
Senators; or from his wife TO visit the wife of
any member of Congress.
When | came here two years ago. | sup
posed the usual rules of visiting tn remain
as had known them 10 years before.
Entertaining the profoundeSt respect
for the Senate as body. and high regard
for every individual member of it, am yet
not aware of any usage which required
formal Visits from me, as member Of the
administration, to them as Senators.
The Senate of the United States, indie
pendent of its importance and dignity, is, of
all the associations of men upon the earth,
that 10 which am bound by every and the
most sacred and inviolable ties OF personal
gratitude.
.In career OF i've and twenty years. and
through five successive administrations,
scarcely year has passed but has been
marked IN the annals of my life by mani. |
festations OF the signal confidence of that
body. unworthy, indeed, should / be of
such confidence if had heart insensible |
of these obligations: base indeed. should /
feel myself, If, inflated by the dignity of the |
stations TO which their continual uninter-
rupted and frequently repeated kindnesses
have contributed to raise me, ] were capable |
of withholding from them, collectively or
individually. one particle of the reverence
and honor due from me to them. But was
not conscious that this modeo showing my
respect to them was either due, or usual, and
when the first intimation was given me
that there was such an expectation enter :