Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-01-01
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WHITE HOUSE
CUSTOM A CENTURY OLD
Madison Instituted These
Popular Receptions

Washington, d. c., Dec. 31.-When
President Taft holds his New Year )
reception tomorrow he will be carry
ing out a custom more than 100 years
Did The first levee of the kind was
held as far back as 1910, when Presi-
dent Madison, who had witnessed a
! New Years reception in New York in
$50, began a white house custom
which has been followed ever since.
Washington Irving attended the re-
ception in 1911
President Madison was unable to
receive in the white house IN 1874,
because it had been burned the August
previous by the British, but he re
moved to the residence of Col John
Tayloe known as the Octagon, and
there held his reception President
Monroe's first New Years reception
was held in 1918, at time when
Washington society was made up of
many distinguished and cultured wo-
men and men.
The custom of having the Marine
band play at the white house on these
occasions was begun in 1922, and in
1924, the precedent of throwing open
the doors of the white house to the
general public was inaugurated 1t
was noted at the time that the public
deported itself in a most dignifed and
gratifying manner
The Marquis de Lafayette who had
just received 100000 from congress
for his revolutionary war services,
was the principal guest at the recep-
ton in 1925 The levee that year
was particularly brilliant, and among
the many prominent guests were Dan
lei Webster Clay, Calhoun, Rufus
King, Harrison Gray Otis and Gov.
Gore, of Massachusetts.
1t was in 1880 that the first private
home in Washington was opened for
a New Year reception, and then Ogle
Tayloe began the custom which plays
such prominent part in the social
life of Washington today At Mr.. Tay-
loe's home the guests who had been at
the white house were accustomed to
gather later, and there the president
himself and his wife often went Pres
ident John Quincy Adams continued
the white house receptions, and also
went to Mr.. Tayloe's home
President Jackson's receptions from
1880 to 1887, were marked by less
formality than were those of his pred
Iecessors. He furnished refreshments
| for the first time, and in 1886 he or
dered the distribution of a large
Icheese, 1t is related that much of it
got on the floor and made a terrible
odor. President Van Buren, discontin-
ued the serving of refreshments on
New Years day receptions at the
white house.
President Fillmore and President
Pierce, his successor, also held large
receptions to welcome the new year in,
and President Buchanan observed The
dal in the same manner. During this
time it had become necessary for pri-
vate citizens to open their houses on
the first day of the year. so that the
wife af practically every prom
nent government official began to hold
New Years receptions.
Back in the days of President Madi-
son, Washington was a struggling viii
lage without pavements, street lamps
or other signs of metropolitan civiE-
zaton. The white house itself was in
closed by a common post and rail
fence, while all the other reservations
we're without ornaments. Carriages,
it is related, were often stuck in the
mud.
Washington changed almost entirely
after the civil war. Northern capital
moved in and fine architecture began
10 prevail in private dwellings. The
form of government was altered, and
the streets began to be properly pa
ed. The New Year receptions were
continued by one executive after an
other down to the present day, with
but slight changes in the details.
In latter days the New Year re-
ceptions have been quite formal IN
some ways and very informal in 9TH |
ers More than 5000 persons attend
the reception each year now, bit the
number varies greatly in accordance
with the weather This will be Pres
ldent Tafts fourth and last reception
of this kind, and. therefore, will be in .
the nature Of goodbye to the people
OF Washington He returned here
from Panama today.
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