Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-03
White House Luxury Grew Slowly

And 1t was about this time that Con-
greSs had walked up to the necessity for
properly furnishing the mansion, in
Guiding drawing-room furniture and
curtains, a piano and guitar, and china
for public banquets, and then-the
British set fire to the place. With red
hot Goals from a nearby beer Saloon-an
in the name of the King!
But Dolly Madison was not going to
have all those new things burned up,
not she. So, with a sense of values not
usually credited to women, she first
packed the cabinet papers. the Declara-
ton Of Independence, etc.--and after
wards household goods, including part
Of the new drawing-room furniture.
She even takes chance on@crawling a
hasty note to her sister:
Three o'clock in the morning-will
you believe it, my sister? We have had
a battle or skirmish near Bladensburg,
and here am I still within sound of
cannon. At this late hour a wagon has
arrived, and I have filled it with plate
and the most portable articles belonging
to the house. Our kind friend, Mr.. Car
roll. has come to hasten my departure
and is in very bad humor with me be-
cause I insist on waiting until a very
large portrait Of Gen. Washington Is
secured. It requires to be unscrewed
from the wall But this process is found
too tedious for these perilous moments,
so have ordered the frame broken and
the canvas taken out. 1t Is done and
the precious portrait placed in the
hands of two gentlemen from New York
for safekeeping"
So Dolly Madison escapes at dawn
with two cavaliers and the portrait Of
George Washington, while the British
soldiers shovel coal and drink beer.
The Inauguration Of James Monroe
found the mansion partially restored
from the ravages OF fire. And H. was
then that Congress purchased the Louis
XVIII furniture from Paris, also mas
sive silver service for the state dining
room. So our Republic lifted up its
scorched head once more. 1t was then
that Monroe got naughty, as some said,
and promulgated mis- famous Doctrine.
He also recommended to Congress the
creation Of the Office of permanent
agent, to be responsible for safekeeping
of properties purchased for the Execu-
tive Mansion, which same failed of ap-
proval, to the subsequent loss to the
Nation.
During the term Of the second Adams,
sen OF the first President of that name,
the public audience chamber, where his
mother had dried her weekly wash, came
into its own. Finished and furnished
it was used for the grand levees In
honor of the Marquis de Lafayette.
And then came fighting Andrew
Jackson, the herald of democracy. How
ever, sad tales are told Of the behavior
OF some Of the people" at his recep-
ff0s1-t,V.Soy fI.a 1,,,y1raeeioV1 that Ofa-
mocracy" meant hoodlumisn. The
President on one occasion, it's said, had
to escape through private entrance
from the more exuberant Of his adj
mirers. This might be called frenzied
democracy. However, during this adj
ministration the mansion acquired a
facade, erection Of the grand vestibute
on the north side of It's porte cochere
and Ionic columns. The back had now
officially become the front, although
the original plans had designated the
south side for the front, as the mansion
was supposed to overlook the river.
The succeeding administrations Of
Van Buren,, Harrison, Tyler, Polk and
Taylor are all devoid Of interest in the
evolution Of the place, so far as deco
rative or architectural features are
concerned, the improvements being along
practical lines In what are today merely
everyday and house-to-hOuse affairs, as
hot baths, gas lighting In place of can
dies and improvements in heating anu
ventilation.
But the administration Of James Bu-
chanan assumed the air Of q republican
court, as regards entertainments, In
clucing the visit Of the Prince Of Wales
edward VID. This was also the
period Of creation of Executive avenue,
run right through the kitchen garden.
A BRAf1AM LrNCOLN'S regime, being
o period Of civil war and tragedy,
could not concern Itself with interior
decorations or entertainment Of princes.
The house guests were now soldiers
camped In parts Of tie mansion, sleep.
ing on sofas, carpets or anything In
sight. Army fashion. One can imagine
Lincoln's gaunt form stepping softly
a-ound at night. pausing here and there
with kindly, anxious face TO see how his
guest0 OF the night might be sleeping.
Yet the last words he heard on earth
were "Sic Semper Tyannus."
Under his successor. Andrew john
son. appropriations were necessary Tor
restoring defaced features. And during
this term the red. blue and green par
lgn were introduced BY way Of . color
Nv w /. vE H .ss N. e ,I Ii', M.