Evening star., 1940-12-29
Custom Was
Originated by
jefferson
Last One Given by
President Hoover
Eight Years Ago
By John Ciaseff Proctor.


New Year public reception at the
White House, which began here
during the first administration OF
Thomas Jefferson and ended with
President Hoover on January /, 1882,
for Mr.. Hoover was In Florida the
following January /. However,
when we consider that on January
/, 1890, Mr.. Hoover shook hands
with $3.50 persons, and that, with
the rapid increase in population IN
the District, this number would
naturally become greater each year,
one can easily see that these recep-
tions just had to be abandoned,
sooner or later, though we regret
fully miss them.
OF course, President Jefferson
could do many things in public
way that could not be done, or would
be unwiSe to do, today, and besides
receiving the public on January l
it was also the custom of this Presi-
dent to receive on Independence
Day. And so he was the first Chief
Executive in the new Capital to
receive the public on July 4, 1901,
and subsequently all those who pre-
sented themselves on January l.,
1902.
No doubt President John Adams
would have inaugurated the custom
here had he occupied the White
House longer, but he did not arrive
in this city until November !, 1900,
and left without formality on the
morning of March 4. He did hold
in the White House what were then
called levees, one II days after his
arrival here and another on De-
cember 9, but evidently these were
for men only, since Mrs. Thornton,
who chronicled the events. speaks
OF her husband attending both,
while she and her mother, at least
upon the first occasion, went to
Georgetown
Building Unfinished.
AS a matter of fact, the White
House was then not in condition
in which to hold a public recep-
ton. The plastering, which had
only been begun in the spring Of
that year, was still uncompleted,
and not an apartment was finished.
The east room-Whare the carpen-
ter's shavings still remained-was
used for laundry purposes in which
to hang out the family wash, and
to add to his other troubles, Mr..
Adams experienced a scarcity of fire.
wood with which to keep the then
barn-like structure warm. 1t is even
said that as late as 1903 "the walls
of some of the bed chambers, OF
the great room at the east end of
the house, and of the principal stairs
were still naked" Indeed, one STAIR
way had not yet been built. Not
only are these conditions referred
to by contemporaneous writers, but
one of a satirical turn of mind called
attention to the enormous size of the
building by saying that it was big
enough for "two emperors, one Pope
and the Grand Lama in the bargain" :"
Jefferson's wines were famous and
abundant, and at the first New Year
reception those who went to the
White House to greet the President
were permitted to partake of his cake
and drink of his wine and then view
'the mammoth room" and see the
mammoth cheese" which weighed
some / 800 pounds, and was presented
through John Leland, Baptist min
lister, who had brought it on a sleigh
from Cheshire, Mass. Four years
hence it was served with cake and
punch at the New Year reception
Receiving Time.
Mr.. Jefferson was quite generous
with his time. Perhaps he could
then afford to be, for we are told
by Mrs. Samuel Harrison Smith that
he had no levees, but received
visitors every morning at certain
hours, excepting on New Years Day
and the Fourth Of July" Mrs. Smith
further informs us:
"On these grand occasions visitors
not only went to the Presidents
House, but asked to be informed
which was his birthday, as they
wished to celebrate it with proper
respect. The only birthday I ever
commemorate replied he, is that
of our independence, the Fourth Of
July During his administration it
was in truth a gala day in our city.
The well-informed and well-ap-
pointed militia of the District, the
Marine Corps and often other mill
tary companies, paraded through the
avenues and formed on the open
space in front OF the President s
House, their gay appearance and
martial music enlivening the scene,
exhilarating the spirits of the
throngs of people who poured in
from the country and adjacent
towns.
"At that time there were no build.
ings, no Enclosures in the vicinity of
the Presidents House, but a wide
extended, pleasant and grassy COM
mon, where the inhabitants found
pleasant walks and the herds and
f1ocks abundant pasture. 1t ex-
laibited really charming and lively
scene of this national festival. Tenn
porary tents and booths were scat
tered over the surface for the ac-
commodation of the gay crowds, who
here amused themselves, and from
whence there was good view of the
troops as they marched in front OF
the Presidents House and OF the
President, the heads of depart
ments, and the foreign ministers who
stood around him on the big steps
of the house, receiving and return
ing their salutations as they passed
in review. Mr.. Jefferson's tall fig
ure and gray locks waving in the all
(for he always on these occasions
stood with uncovered head wert
easily distinguished among the other
oficial persenages who surrounded
him"
Fond Of Birds and Flowers.
MIR. Jefferson was great lover oil
nature. and was especially fond OF
birds and flowers. During his occu-
pancy of the White House he fitted