Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-11-28
AMERICAS WHITE HOUSE
Strange Associations With Historic
Building.
The HOME OF The PRESIDENTS
Once Very Democratic and at Other
Times Favored With Aristeeraey---
Some Famous Presents-ineidents
that Have Become Memorable. .r


Recent interest in the White House.
because of the visits there Of the king
of the Belgians and the Prince OF
Wales, was the occasion for issuance
by the National Geographic Society OF
two bulletins concerning the presi-
dents home, of which this is the
second:
"The open house of Jackson and
jefferson, needless to say, was in con-
trast to the more stately regime OF
John Adams. first occupant OF the
White House, to the brilliant but more
discriminating entertainments Of Dolly
Madison's salon, and to the elegant
little dinners Of the naturally exclu-
sive Van Buren,
Mrs. Monroe established some
social precedents which are as binding
today in Sixteenth Street drawing
rooms as is her, husbands famous
doctrine in the senate chamber. The
ubiGuitous Dolly Madison set hard
mace for her. successors to travel. Her
personal charm was undeniable. II
she rouged, writes one observing lady,
she did It so -del!cately that none could
bs sure, and she snuffs;' observes
another, but in her hands the snuff
box seems only a gracious implement
with which to charm Truly, to para
phrase an artist, she mixed her rouge
and herr snuff with brains, and to this
tndefinable charm she added activities
so strenuous that the White House
scarcely saw her equal until Roosevelt
enteredsit.
For. her self protection Mrs. Monroe
made the rule that the first lady OF the
land need return no calls, nor must be
expected to make any. Mrs. Monroe
and her dashing daughter, Mrs. Hay
also had a part in the decision that 1t
was not proper for president to, call
at foreign embassy.
The Monroes not only laid the foun-
datimsfor White House social customs
but they began its furnishing, an evo-
lutionary process which Is modified by
every mistress Of the mansion.
After their official home had been
burned by the British in 1914, the
Madi,ons moved for the rest OF
'Jemny,s' term 20 the home OF Col.
Taylee, better known as the octagon
Houa, which still is a Washington
Landmark.
The 1914 invaders of the National
capital, not being Huns; destroyed only
public buildings, did that for military
= reasns and had specific orders not 70
loot. They partook Of the dinner al
read, prepared at the White House,
but Iefore they did SO Admiral Cock
burn drank to the leath Of President
Madison.
I'm pre-war days, when the White
Hous was accessible to sight seers, an
Object Of special interest was the por-
trait Of George Washington, now in the
Red Room, known as the Iansdowne
Stuart because it is copy OF an
original painting done for the Marquis
of I.msdowne. Mrs. Madison had this
portrait cut from its frame and IN
trusted it to the care of friends Tor
safe keeping, while she went to Vir-
ginia to join her husband. 1t was
shown to the Prince Of Wales when he
called at the White House.
When the White House was rebuilt
the walls were intact, in part, but they
had TO be painted to hide the charreo
surfaces. So originated, first as
nickname, the designation White
House., by which the mansion later
was officially known.
o THE original structure was the first
official building in Washington. George
Washington was authorized to select
site, because he had been surveyor,
but sentiment, rather than topography,
is thought to have determined his
choice; for the south windows OF the
White House overlooked the Potomac
toward his beloved Mt. Vernon.
washington did not live in the
White House. He is said to have walk"
ed through the rooms a short time be-
fore his death. John Adams, its first
occupant, thought it ought to have
been nearer the capitol. Mrs. Adams
wrote, in 1900, that the river, which
runs up to Alexandria, is in full view
of my window, and see the vessels
pass and repass.'
But that is ahead Of the story.
When q site was selected a prize was
offered, in 1892, OF $500, or gold
medal, for a plan. Capt. James Hoban.
a native of Ireland and q resident Of
Charleston, S. c., won the contest. with
a design similar to that Of tho family
seat Of the Dukes Of Leinster. Dublin.
Fortunately Hoban was alive when the
work of rebuilding was undertaken
after the fire Of 1914. and when the
structure was completed again, in 1913,
it more nearly followed the original
plans. Moreover, when the present
wings, one for executive offices and
the other for a public entrance corridor,
were added in 1903, further features
contained in the Hoban designs were
included.
Scarcely q congress came and went
for half a century without an attack
A.. nIo-al NJ avnandi-