Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-04

Jefferson escorted lady who stood near
him to dinner, and Mr. Madison. Secre-
tary of State, took some one else out,
while Senators and Representatives,
preferring family custom to court ETH
quette or perhaps any etiquette at all.
took their wives to the table. The
shocked Mr.. Merry ordered his carriage,
then escorted Mrs. Merry to the table,
and, of course, did not enjoy the food,
leaving Immediately after the repast.
Mr.. Merry and other diplomats had a
hard life while Mr.. Jefferson was
President, for the customs of the White
Huse obtained in the cabinet, and so
they refused all invitations, Mr.. Merry
going to the White House when neces-
sary, but not to dine. Still another
ignominy was heaped upon Mr.. Merry
when the matter Of where he should sit
when visiting the upper house was
debated in the Senate and it was de-
cided that he could not occupy the
chair at the right of the Vice President,
an honor accorded in the two previous
administrations, the question being put
to vote and carried against him by
large majority.
Jefferson Lavish Host.
However, Mr. Jefferson was not par
simonious host, though he lived in
bachelor style, for the wines of his first
year in the White House cost him
S2,622.33 and his best wines were or
dered from Madrid through the Spanish
Minister, the Marquis Casa de- Yrujo.
In the eight years he was President
his bill for wines and liquors amounted
to $10,855. 80, while In addition to his
enormous market bills in Georgetown,
wagons were constantly employed be-
tween Washington and Monticello in
bringing supplies from his plantation.
Charming Mistress Madison, wife OF
States, seemed to smooth the way be-
tween diplomats and officials to great
extent, the onslaught Of the British
when they took and burned the Capitol
and White House and other buildings
apparently taking the mind OF the pub
lie from such subjects. Or II social
ructions existed there was no time in
which to record them.
John Quincy Adams had rather
difficult task before him while serving
as Secretary of State in the Monroe
administration and his diary attests the
way in which he solved knotty ques-
tons, or at least attempted to.
1t took cabinet meeting before the
President would adopt Mr.. Adams sug-
gestion to receive diplomats half hour
ahead of other guests in holding his
first New Year day reception. The
dispatched to members of the corps.
thus ending a long argued subject.
Life, socially speaking, however, was
just one darned thing after another,
and as soon as precedence for the dip
lomatic corps was settled there arose
the question Of making calls-a matter
that to this day agitates certain
branches Of society. Dolly Madison
brewed trouble for future First Ladies
by her free way of making calls and
receiving visitors and Mrs. Monroe and
her daughter, Mrs. Hay, wished to
change the custom. Mrs. Madison had
even taxed herself with first calls on
all newcomers.
Recorded in Diary.
Mr.. Adams records in his diary Of
January %, 1918, that Mrs. Adams, as
the wife of the Secretary Of State, re-
turned all calls, but made no first visits,
! and she advised Mrs. Monroe. who sent
{ for her to visit the White House, to
/ adhere to her principle, but that She
/ Mrs Adams-did not exact Of any lady
4 to visit her.
Mrs. Hay, therefore, assumed the
duties for her mother and made calls
and excuses at one and the same time,
| the proxy visits not at all satisfying the
Official set. However, the question OF
paying calls and attending entertain
ments continued all through Monroe's
first administration, John Quincy
Adams distinctly saying that Mrs. Hay
was "one of the principal causes OF
raising this senseless war OF etiquette
visiting"
At each turn poor Adams had more
to do with State etiquette than with
his real duties as Secretary OF State.
The French Minister, Mr.. Hyde de Neu-
vile, was to give a grand ball IN honor
of the evacuation of France by the
allied troops Of Russia. Germany Great
Britain and Austria and he wished to
glorify it by having the President and
| his family attend. Mr.. Adams went to
the White House to talk 1t over. Presi-
dent Monroe said that II any President
before him had accepted q foreign Min