The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-07-19
GEN. JACKsON'S MANNER
A Reminiscence Mrs. Harriet Lane
Johnston Was Fond of Relating.


Johnston Was Fond of Relating.
The late Harriet Lane Johnston
said a New York woman who was an
intimate friend of the former mistress
of the White House. having lived so
long with her statesman uncle, James
Buchanan, had many interesting rem
iniscences of him and his times. One
OF them which she was fond of relat-
ing was an incident told to her by Mr..
Buchanan of the social career of Gen.
Jackson while he was President. Mr..
Buchanan was in the United States
Senate at the time.
AS Mrs Johnston related the Incl
dent a famous Baltimore lady, one of
the leaders in society of that day and
related to an English family of title
and distinction, had spent a long time
in England during Jackson's admins
trauon, her family connections admit
ting her to the inner circles of aris-
tocratic and royal society. George "
was then King, and a short time be-
fore this lady left England TO return
to America she was presented to him
He confded to her a message to Pres
ident Jackson which he requested her
to deliver in person.
THE reputation his political enc
mics had made for Jackson was such
impressed, never having met the rug
ged old soldier. In fact, the idea of
Jacksonian vulgarity' was quite the
| popular one. and there were many
stories of the generals offensive APP
plication of it in his social as we'll as
business contact with visitors.
Consequently, this high-bred mes
sage bearer from the King of England
was very much disinclined to a per-
| al int x1rifh Of
boorish reputation, but, having under
taken to carry out the wishes of the
| King, she determined to undergo the
! trial, prepared to be greatly shocked
at what she might see and hear. Be-
ing well acquainted with James
| Buchanan, she begged him to accom-
| pany her on her mission and introduce
| her to the President.
My uncle escorted the lady to the
White House, Mrs Johnston related
merrily, and leaving her in the recep-
ton room. he went to the Presidents
room to arrange for the interview.
He found the President alone. His
face was covered with a bristling
beard of several days growth. He was
wearing a dressing gown which was
very much soiled and greatly the worse
for past service. He was smoking an
old clay pipe.
1T was a disheartening moment for
Mr.. Buchanan, for to present the re-
| fined and elegant lady TO the Presl-
dent of the United States in such at
tire and personal uncouthness SEEM
ed to him but little better than a ma
| tional disgrace. He told the President
about the distinguished woman who
had come to seek an introduction to
| him on an errand from the King of
| England, and made bold to say:
-" But, general, you ought not to
see her without making an appropri-
ate toilet
The grim old soldier took his pipe
out of his mouth, stretched himself to
his full hight, shot fiery look at his
audacious social prompter from be-
meath his shaggy eyebrows and ex-
| claimed, with some forceful adjuncts
of language that may as we'll not be
| repeated
buchanan, 1 knew a man once
who succeeded admirably in getting
along simply by minding his own bus
iness!"
He told my uncle to go back and
wait with the lady and he would see
her presently. Mr.. Buchanan returned
to the reception room and awaited the
Presidents coming in torture of sus-
pense.
q In a remarkably short time Gen.
jackson entered the room. He was
|
rect attire. A more courtly and dig
nified presence, my uncle said, could
not well be imagined. and he was so
astounded at the change in Jackson's
| appearance and manner that he al
most forgot what he was there for.
He introduced the lady, however,
and retired to await the termination
of the interview. which, from what she
had said to him, he felt that she was
| q 70 make short a nOSSihla
| He was, therefore, surprised when
more than an hour had passed and she
was still talking with the man she had
| dreaded to meet as one but little bet
ter than a wildcat
She appeared at last, escorted to
the door by the President Mr. Buchan-
an said she was positively radiant. He
handed her into her carriage, and ask
ed her what she thought of the grim
and much-abused Jackson.
Il am captivatedi" she replied. "I
never so enjoyed an hour. I have been
at all the courts of Europe, and 1 can
truly say that at none of them have I
ever seen man who in elegance of
manners could excel Gen. jackson.
While intensely dignified, they were so
kind that my dread disappeared in an
instant, and before I knew it was
! captivated. 1t viii never do for any
one 10 charge Gen. Jackson with vul-
garity in my presence again!"
As long as my uncle lived Mrs.
! Johnston was wont to say, he delight
ed to relate, which he did always with
! great relish, and particularly if il gave
him opportunity to rebuke any ill-na-
! tured reference to Jacksonian vulgar
ity. what befell him and his apprehen-
| sive companion from that interview
| with Andrew Jackson.
/