The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-12-27
Josephine Tighe in The washinst'

Herald.
 The juicy nfty-pound pie about which so much was written and which failed to make its appearance at the White House this Thanksgiving as q votive offering to President Taft. re- calls to mind the famous Andrew Jackson Cheese party probably the strangest function ever held at the Executive Mansion. There are men and women still living in Washington who remember the queer and undigni- fled scenes connected with 1t and who participated in the festivities attend ant upon the cutting of the monster. 1.400 pound cheese.
 1t is an historical fact that the En- peror Domitian once summoned the Roman Senate to discuss and adopt a resolution on how an immense fish should be cooked and served for his imperial majesty's dinner.
 1t is also a fact--though not very we'll known---that in 1887 the Amer.- can Senate adjourned to sample and discuss at the Palace of Andrew Jackson. the most colossal cheese in the history of all ages.
 Weighed 1,400 Pounds.
 Imagine a cheese weighing 1,400 pounds. Then try and imagine the same cheese, in all its immensity and fragrance, placed In the exact centas of the stately East Room of the White House. It Is stretching the imagtna- ton almost to breaking point to be- hold an exceedingly mixed company composed of diplomats. statesmen. and cabinet officers rubbing shoulders with drayman, laborer, and wash woman. and all intently and intensely digging and stabbing and gouging with tin- gers, spoons and knives and forks ct the ponderous cheese. It may be dim cult of comprehension, but 1t really happened and was referred to at the time as the cheese excitement" It was during Andrew Jackson's last term as President, that Colonel Meecham, a patriotic citizen of New York, became possessed of the idea ot presenting "old History" with man. moth cheese-one that would outdo the cheese sent to Thomas Jefferson by the farming citizens of Cheshire. Mass, during the latter gentieman's incumbency at the Waite House.
 The Jefferson cheese. weighed 750 pounds and upon its acceptance was placed in the then unfinished East Room. Jefferson was an authority on inc cheeses and published several brochures on the subject, but there h nothing in history to show whether or not ne CQHb4QCECQ bAAU SASohAkO CAAUC9C a delicacy or as to whether it was privately or publicly distributed. It Is fairly safe to assume. relying on President Jefferson's caracteristio dig nity, that the affair was private.
 Four Feet in Diameter
 Colonel Meecham succeeded in pro- ducing a cheese that weighed 1.40o pounds, was four feet in diameter and two feet thick. It was transported throught the State of New York with great parade to the point from where it was shipped and presented. decked with a large wreath of roses and with deal of ceremony. to President Jack son, who promptly ordered it placed securely away to properly and sut1- cientIy age.
 At the expiration of the year an offi- cial announcement was promulgated from the White House, then called the Palace" that on February 22. ISsf. President Jackson proposed to cut the mammoth cheese and extended to his fellow citizens a cordial invitation to visit the palace, from to 3 in the afternoon, and test the flavor and del- tcacy of the cheese. And with that notice the excitement began.
 The Washington Sun. a newspaper of that period, remarked editorially that although there had been consid- erable excitement of late, the aboli- tion excitement. the Texas excite ment--the cheese excitement was the greatest of all"
 It was in the nature of a farewell feast on the part of President Jack cheese cutting Martin Van Buren took the oath of office.
 Whole City on Move.
 Early in the morning of the mo- mentous day the whole city of Wash inEton was on the move. Pennaylva- mia Avenue was animated with belles and beaux Vehicles of every shape and description were put Into requi- sition; stage coaches. omnibuses. pri- vate carriages. hacks and gigs. buzz gies and sulkies, all rumbled and rattled along. The cars from Balti- more were damned and packed with crowds of loyal, idle, and curious citi- | zens, making tracks for the palace The people poured in from the coun- try in squads. The stages and boats l from Alexandria were so full as to threaten serious detriment to boats and passengers.
 The Senate caught the spirit of the hour-or the odor of the cheese-and adjourned like good fellows. at 1 o'clock. The House of Representatives ballotted for three hours as to whether that honorable body should or should not stand adjourned and @ scant majority decided in the nega- tive, much to the disgust of the min ority members, whose mouths fairly watered for a succulent crumb of the | famous cheese.
 The spectacle at the palace beggar- ed description and was of memor able novelty. The very air around the White House was impregnated with the cheese. The corridors were slippery with cheese. and every man, woman. and child spsaFed to be pos. sessed of and redolent with hunks oi