The National tribune., 1900-09-20
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE: WASHINGTON, B. G.

had not withdrawn her troops on Lake
Erie, as the treaty stipulated. American
vessels were seized and American citizens
impressed. To avoid war Washington sent
John Jay to England as Envoy. He sue
ceeded in making a treaty, which was rat
flied in June, 1895, with much oppOsi-
ton, and party feeling ran higher than
ever. The Federals eXtolled Washington
for the outcome. The British surrendered
possession of all American forts, SO the
country was once more at peace.
Randolph was made Secretary of State
after Jefferson resigned, but his sympa-
thies We're wholly with the French fac
ton. He was forced to leave the office,
and Timothy Pickering. of Pennsylvania,
took his place, who was transferred from
the War Office. Hamilton retired in Jan
! nary, 1875, and Gen. Knox had retired
some time before.
In March, 1896, the House created an
unbounded furore by asking, by resou-
ton, from the President a copy of the
instructions to John Jay, who made the
treaty with Great Britain. We can i'm
agine how high feeling ran, when town
meetings were called and few dared to
speak in favor of the concession made.
| Hamilton was stoned, Jay was burned in
efigy, the British Minister was insulted
in Philadelphia, the Democrats declaring
that it was base ingratitude to France.
| The President was treated to little re-
spect. Hamilton's defense of the treaty
stands out like Il bulwark; he wrote let
tiers of great power, which certainly had
marked effect, and signs of reaction and
a return to common sense made itself
manifest after awhile. The House even
righted itself and passed legislation to
| carry out the treaty, which was signed by
the President in August, 1898.
1t is not to be wondered at that Wash
ington looked with longing to the time
when he could be released from the care
and responsibilities he had carried so long.
In the light of today we see the wisdom
of his judgment; but our wonder is that
he held his position with such odds
against him. His Farewell Address.
dated Sept. IL, 1876, was priceless gift
to his country, and without doubt a cen
fury of adherence to its advice in the
main has been the source of our great
prosperity.
| Thus far we have glanced only at the
political conditions of the first Admins
tratiOn. The young Republic demanded
| from the beginning q due regard fol-
forms and ceremonies; certain laws of Ell
quet must be observed which would com
mand the respect of Foreign courts, and
| Washington was fully qualified to carry
out in detail all these demands. The
home of the first President of the Repub-
lie was furnished not only with an eye
| to comfort, but elegance. In every detail
| the internal economy was arranged In a
| manner as formal as that of the courts OF
London or Paris. The receptions or levees
| were but a reproduction of the customs
and ceremonies of foreign courts. Wash
| ington was most punctillious in his de-
| mands, and those by whom he was sur
| rounded were compelled to obey orders to
the most minute detail. The levees held
| at the Republican Court, located at No.
I3 Franklin Square, New York, were al
ways honored by the presence of the fash
ionable and cultured of the country. 1t
was with the best of credentials only that
people could get access, and then to not
i,c excluded they must conform to the re-
quired dress.
Washington's household was made up
OF Madam Washington and the two adopt
ed grandchildren of Mrs. Gusts. 1t was
a source of regret to Washington that
he had no children Of bis own. 1t would
be merely a matter of conjecture how
much it might have detracted from his
greatness if he had left lineal descend
ant to his fame. He is at least saved
from having it clouded by degenerate
Few great men have been honored in theil
sons, and many have been sorely disiion-
ored.
1t is a matter of record that the young
life brought into the household through
the children of Park Gusts was a source
of great joy to President Washington.
In the second year of Washington's
Administration the Capital of the Gov
eminent was moved to Philadelphia.
The corner stone of the White House
was laid Oct. Is, 1892, one month before
the second session convened i'll Philadel-
phia, and nearly a year before the corner
stone of the Capitol was laid, which was
Sept. 10, 1893. Philadelphans who had
been anxious for the Capital in their own
city still hoped by some intervening Prov
idence to hold it, and therefore the Leg
islature of Pennsylvania voted n sum of
money for home for the President, hop
,,.,ht hn,. "a,
keeping the Capital from removal to a
wilderness. The building that has since
been known as the University of Pcnnsyl-
vania was the one provided for the Pres
ident When. Gen. Washington saw its
dimensions, and even before it was fin
ished, he gave the authorities to under
stand that he could not occupy it, and
should not go to the expense of furnishing |
so large and expensive an establishment. |
In those early days the Government did |
not furnish the Presidents house. Pres
ident Washington rented house on Mar |
ket street, between 9Th and 9th, on the |
South Side, owned by his friend, Robert |
Morris. 1t was furnished in a manner !
becoming the Presidents home of the New |
Republic. His dictations to Mr.. Lear, his |
private secretary, ordering every detail of |
removal of household goods from New |
York, and all personal effects, ONLY, shows
the characteristics of the man, which he !
successfully carried into the affairs of |
state. |
On Nov. %, Saturday afternoon, the
President and Lady" Washington ar
rived from Mt. Vernon and took posses |
sion of their new home. The greater part |
of Congress had already arrived and |
found homes, and everybody was in ex-
pectancy of a brilliant season. 1t was or
dered that Lady" Washington should |
hold her levees on Friday evenings of |
every week. The guests in those days, |
by the rules of the Presidents house, as |
sembled early and retired at 10 o'clock, |
about the hour in these days when guests
leave home. In those days the lady of |
the house always sat to receive her guests, |
when arranged in a circle around her the |
President passed among them, speaking a |
word with each one, and yet all this was
performed with punctilOusness and |
formality that was quite formidable. In |
those days there were no reporters to give |
an account in the morning papers of the |
charmingiy- dressed so-and-so, and the su-
perb appearance of this or that lady; |
hence the records of the newspapers give |
no hints by which we can gather the high |
lights in the adornment of such gather |
ings. We do know the President al |
ways appeared in full dress and powdered |
hair.
Lady Washington, reared as she had |
been, aristocratic and dignifed, always !
adorned the occasion, although no details |
are left of the personal adornment on |