The Washington herald., 1907-09-12

Charleston, 5. c.. Sept u.-It Is often
said that Charleston is the most aristo-
cratic city In America. In the sense that
the city is dominated politically and so
eialiy by an aristocraey, this is undoubt-
edly true. Back Bay may be exclusive,
the Knickerbockers quite as selective,
Philadelphia Assembly as impregnable to
the climbers" but Boston, New York,
and Philadelphia, as cities. heed not the
wishes of their most aristocratic circles.
In Charleston It is different, for the old
families retain their power ana promi-
nence The mayor Of the city is a Rhett,
born Of family which has given COVER
nors. cOunsellors, and soldiers to South
Carolina since long before there was a
United States. The representative of
Charleston in Congress is a Legare. and
Legares have been prominent in public
and social life in Charleston for a CEN
tury. one Of that name having been Sec
retary OF State and Attorney General in
President Tyler's Cabinet.
The St Cecilia Society Is the keystone
OF the arlstocratic social fabric Of Charles
ton. As has been mentioned in these let
tiers, South Carolina once had a titled no.
bIlty, but It was not from these titles.
which went with large land purchases,
that the aristocracy has come down. The
old families trace their lineage 10 the rich
English planters who came to South Caro-
lima from the Barbados. and to the HUI
guenots. In the early development of
the thirteen colonies, South Carolina de-
voted more attention 10 social life than
any OF the others. In New England the
Puritan conscience forbade indulging in
the frivoHties. 1t is to be doubted if the
honest Dutch burghers. whose blood is
now a patent TO Gotham nobility, con-
cerned themselves much with other di-
versions than a pint OF beer on the stOOp.
In Philadelphia there was the quiet Quak-
er influence which always made against
gayety. In Virginia the cavalier stock
undoubtedly made much of the social life.
but the Virginians We're planters and
lived on great estates widely separated.
1t was difficult to go from one manor TO
another, and except on special occasions,
the people saw little of each other.
In South Carolina the people were
planters, too, but they maintained their
town houses in Charleston. the great
families built themselves mansions within
stones throw Of each other, the young
people were together every day, there
were servants galore. and nothing for
anybody to do but TO have q good time.
They had g. Travellers from Europe be-
fore the Revolution were loud in their
praises Of Charlestons social develop
ment. Josiah Quincy OF Massachusetts,
declared that he found IN Charleston a
social life on a scale Of magnihcence
which he had not believed possible outside
Of the capitals OF Europe
The St. Cecilia Society was begun in
1857, and is, therefore, 10 years old II
was originally an amateur musical so
ciety. and its first concert was given
when George Washington was but FIVE
years old, and over thirty years before
Napoleon Bonaparte was born. The so
ciety was not formally organized until
l762, when il took on the form to which
it has since adhered without material
change The musical concerts were still
the feature, dancing merely an incident.
Among the amateur performers who de-
lighted CharlestOnians with their musical
skill was Charles COteSwOTth PinCkney.
afterWard a major general in the Revo-
lutionary army, and the Federalist candi-
date for President in 1900 against Thomas
jefferson. Another was Ralph lizard, the
good friend Of Washington. q Senator in
the early days of the republic-the man
who, before the revolution. declined to be
presented at the court OF George III be
cause etiquette compelled a subject 10
bow the knee, which he swore he would
never do 10 mortal man.
The very first St. Cecilia concert was
given on St Cecilia's Day, which was
a Thursday. From that time St. Cecilia s
concerts and balls have been always held
on a Thursday, with but one exception.
II is a part of the law Of the St Cecilia,
whether written or unwTitten, the out
slider may not know. that the society
does not pay especial honor to any one
person. In Charleston a ball given by
the st. Cecilia Society is called merely "a
st. Cecilia II is recorded by Mrs. St.
julien Ravenel in her delightful book
that only once has a St. Cecilia been given
in honor of any individual and only
once has a St Cecilia been given on
any night other than Thursday. James
Monroe, President Of the United States,
was a visitor in Charleston in 1919, and he
was honored with a ST. Cecilia ball on a
Saturday night
The musical feature of the St. Cecilia
Society was abandoned in 1922. With the
exception Of the years during the civil
war, when the city was being bOmbaTded,
there have been always three balls a year.
timed according 10 the arrival of Lent.
The president Of the society always takes
the latest bride 20 supper. and it is a not
improbable tale that tells Of more than
one wedding date set so that the bride
might have that honor. The st. Cecilia is
governed by president and board Of
managers. Names proposed for member
ship are passed on by the board and sub
mitted to the society. Once a name has
been added the ladies OF the family Of the
new member are put on "the list" and
are kept there forever. They say in
Charleston that the punishment of being
dropped from the st. Cecilia" has been
heard often, but nobody has been dropped.
The aTistocracy of Charleston is unique
among the so-called upper circles OF
American society Money will not buy Do
sitiOn. No family would be rejected merely
because Of its wealth, OF course. but the
standards Of social possibility accord
ing to the Charlestonian view are rigidly
applied alike to rich and poor There was
q time. 'befO' de wah" when all these
aristocratic families were accounted rich
Then there came an awful time. when all
Of them were pOor-very, very poor. St.
Cecilia suppers We're not magnificent in
the late sixties, and men and women have
danced at St. Cecilia balls who have
known the pangs Of hunger. Young aris-
tocrats went TO work after the war. and
they learned how 10 work too. But like
other sons of men. they had to serve their
apprenticeships. SO il was that the daugh-
ters of a wealthy family envied the social
station of the young man from whom the