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THE CAPITOL JI
AN OFFICIAL
NEW' YEAR.
Annual Public Reception
at the White House.
DETAILS OF THE FUNCTION.
How the People Meet and Greet
the President.
■IPLOMATS PAY THEIR RESPECTS.
ladies Who Will Assist Mrs. Cleveland.
How the Famous Reception Rooms Will
Be Decorated—Order of Precedence Ob
served by Callers— Foreign Representa
tives In Court Costumes—A Newspaper
Incident Connected With a Former Pres
idential Reception.
Washington, Dec. 21.—The public re
■jeption given by the president of the Unit
ed States on the Ist. of January is a stir
rival of the old fashioned custom of re
ceiving on New Year's day. It is about all
that is left of. that custom, fcr nowhere
•Isa in the country is the first day of the
year celebrated as a day for making and
receiving social visits r.s it is in Washing
ton. Here,' however, the custom is con-
Bned to the people in official circles, and
New Year’s day becomes the occasion for
the people in official lifeand the groat pub
lic as well to call on the president and wish
him many happy returns of the day. The
custom seems now likely to be permanent.
But some day a vandul president may over
turn even this colonial relic, nnd the Ist
of January may be as quiet and unevent
ful at the capital as it is in New York.
The White House reception on New
Year’s day is an odd survival anyway. No
official of the government elsewhere, no
governor of a state or mayor of a large
city, feels it necessary to hold a public re
ception on the first day of the year. If
Washington had not been so near the south,
ft is doubtful if the custom would have
survived here so long as it has. The social
life of the capital takes much of its char
acter from the customs of the south.
The White House reception, however,
serves a useful purpose. It ■ gives an op
portunity to the representatives of the na-
11 'MwE
iw
1 „ Z
ilhggiiSSE 11. - 5 -__
NEW YEAR'S CALLERS PASSING THROUGH THE WHITE HOUSE GATES.
CTons of the world to pay their respects
ioimally to the executive representative of
the United States. It gives occasion for
the legislative and judicial branches of the
government through their representatives
to meet socially and to shake hands at the
sfficial home of the head of the executive
Branch of the government, and finally it
gives the public a chance to see the White
House in its glory and to shake hands with
the president. That the public is anxious
to avail itself of this opportunity Is shown
by the long line which stands on Pennsyl
vania avenue on the day of tho reception
waiting for hours, often in snow or rain,
for the doors of tho executive mansion to
be thrown open to the public.
The People and the President.
The people of the United States, whether
they live at Washington or have homes in
other parts of the country, have a strong
feeling that the property of the govern
ment is their property. They have paid
tsixes, and with their money have been
Bought the great capitol at Washington,
site executive mansion, the department
buildings and all,tho other properties nec
essary to carry on the business of govern
ment. Even the president of tho United
States, created by their suffrages, is their
ewn. And in the case of Mrs. Cleveland
the people have an idea that the president’s
wife is in some degree public property.
For this reason tho capitol i.i thrown open,
Mid allot the department buildings, so tar
ms is consistent with the performance of
public functions, arc heptopen to thesiglit
teerali through the year. Tho government
•ven provides guides, who show the visitor,
without charge, much that is curiour.
and entertaining in the vaults of the
treasury or in tho bureau of engraving
*nd printing or in tho executive inan
•lon. But with tho * show places” of the
president’s bouse alone ti c public is not
satisfied. Betiding in the daily newspapers
descriptions of tho gorgeousness of the
White Hniivi on tho occasion of forma) ro
eoptions, it demands that a sight <>l tills,
tno, bo given to it. And so two occasion*
arc created in tlie social season when tile
ppblio Is free to the president's house.
Ono of these is tho reception on New
tear s day, when tho parlors are shut oil
from the light of day and the electric suns
•end their soft glow over exquisite floral
decorations, fl no bangings, rich upholstery
•nd beautifully gowned women while the
famous Murine band ploys in the ante
toom, and the ether is the official recep
tion to the public, which Is one of the
great .evening receptions elvep by the.prer
_,ient every year. Uy far tne 'more inter
esting of these two social occasions is the
reception given by the president on New
Year’s day, for then are mingled the rep
resentatives of official life with the people
who have no official standing, and who
have come, hat in hand, to pay their re
spects to the first citizen of the United
States and to wish him a prosperous ad
ministration of the public affairs in the
months to come.
The arrangements for the annual recep
tion this year are in the hands of Colonel
J. M. Wilson, who is the superintendent
of public buildings and has charge of the
White House, In Arthur’s term the mar
shal of the District of Columbia was the
social drum major. Ho made al) the ar
rangements for the president’s receptions
and presented the guests. When Mr. Cleve
land came into office, he assigned Colonel
Wilson of the army to perform these social
official duties. Colonel Ernst succeeded
him in the Harrison administration, but
four years later Colonel Wilson returned
to his old place.
White House Decorations.
The decorations for a White House func
tion come from the government conserva
tories. In the east parlor the large win
dows will be screened with fan and date
palms. The three crystal chandeliers will
be hung with ropes of smilax. Beneath
the long mirrors will be banks of small
palms and foliage plants, varied with pots
and jardinieres, brilliant with flowers.
Scattered about the blue parlor will be
a few chairs, but the space behind the re
ceiving line will be crowded during most
of the morning by the people who have
been invited to assist Mrs. Cleveland.
Among these will probably be Mrs. John
Sherman, Mrs. Francis Newlands, Mrs. A.
A. Wilson, Mrs. Thomas B. Reed. Mrs.
Calvin S. Brice, the Misses Brice, Mrs.
Benjamin Micou, Mrs. T. C. Catchings.
Mrs. R. R. Hitt, Mrs. Roger Q. Mills,
Mrs. Colonel Heywood, the Misses Ham
lin, Miss Nott, Mrs. Shelby M. Cullom,
Miss Wetmore, Mrs. Wharton, Mrs. Stan
ley Matthews, Mrs. S. W. Cobb, Mrs. Mel
ville Fuller, Miss Fuller, Miss Stevenson,
Miss Quay, Miss Harmon, Miss Wilson,
Miss Scott, Mrs. Minot, Mrs. John M.
Wilson, Miss Boyd, Mrs. George M. Stern
berg, Mrs. Admiral Ramsay, Mrs. Nelson
Miles and Miss Gray.
These ladies are the supplemental re
ceiving party. The principal receiving
party will formaline between the east and
west doors of the blue parlor. It will be
composed of the president, Mrs. Cleveland,
Mrs. Stevenson,'Mrs. Olney, Mrs. Carlisle,
Mrs. Lamont, Miss Herbert, Mrs. Har
mon, Mrs. Francis, Mrs. Wilson and Miss
Morton. The president will wear the con
ventional black frock coat, with dark
trousers, and lie will hold a pair of gloves
in his left hand. Mrs. Cleveland and the
other. L'wlies will >’>e in full.reception gowns
Behind 'the line' the ladies 'Will be in
gorgeous reception toilet. Most of the mon
will be in frock and cutaway coats. The
exceptions will be the people in uniform
or court costume and tho one man in a
dress coat.’ That solitary dress coat is an
unfailing feature of a New Year’s recep
tion.
The Reception Hour.
The hour fixed for the beginning of the
reception is 11 o’clock. Before that time
the ladies of the receiving party have ar
rived, some of them with their husbands.
But men, with one exception, cut a very
small figure at the Now Year’s reception.
The members of the cabinet and their ladies
go up stairs. Tho other ladies are ushered
into the blue parlor behind the line of
chairs which extends from the western al
most to the eastern door. Some of this
ushering is done by tho doorkeepers of the
White House and some by the übiquitous
and obliging Thurber.
In the lobby is stationed the Marine
band, gorgeous in red and blue uniforms,
which vie in brilliancy with the costumes
of the diplomats hurrying to their places
In tho red parlor. At just 11 o'clock Thur
ber rushes frantically to the head of the
stairway leading from the second floor of
the mansion to the floor below. He waves
his hand. The signal is passed along, and
as the president and Mrs. Cleveland ap
pear at the head of the stairs, desconding,
the band strikes up the well worn but in
evitable ‘‘Hail to the Chief.” Behind the
Clevelands are the vice president and his
wife and the cabinet people in pairs. The
procession moves down tho stairs and
through the hallway to the blue parlor,
where the vice president and all the cab
inet members but Mr. Olney disappear
behind the line. The president and Mrs.
Cleveland and her assistants form the line
across the east parlor, Mr. Olney takes his
place at the president's left, and the an
nual parade begins with the presentation
of Sir Julian Pauncefoto, Mrs. Paunce
fote, Miss Pauncefoto, Mias Sibyl Paunce
fote and Mias Audrey Pauncefoto. Sir
Julian, as the dean of the corps diplo
matique, loads the embassadors, ministers
and attaches of the legations. He is in
brilliant scarlet and gold uniform, wear
ing a sword which threatens to trip him
up at intervals In his progress down the
line. The other diplomats, as a rule, are
In uniforms more or less gaudy, and the
Chinese minister and his suit are in parti
colored silk robes.
When the diplomats have passed, Mrs.
Cleveland will remove her right glove, so
that she -ner shake hands with ths Amer
THE ROME TRIBUNE, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1898.
loan citizens, official and unofficial, who
will follow them. Mr. Olney will retire,
•nd Colonel John M. Wilson will take his
place at the president’s left to make the
introductions. A junior army officer will
stand IxiHide Mrs. Cleveland to introduce
the guests to her.
The Order of Precedence.
First will come the members of the su
preme court of the United States and the
District judiciary, led by Chief Justice
Fuller, then the members of the senate
and house, officials of tbe District govern
ment, minor officials of the departments,
and then the army and navy officers. At
tending the New Year’s reception is a duty
with these officers, and they come in full
uniform, adding a brilliant touch of color
to the scene. After theip will come the
Mexican veterans and other organizations,
recognized by name in the orders for the
day, down to the Oldest Inhabitants’ as
sociation.
Finally the doors will bo thown open to
the public, and the long line of patient
men and women which has stood outside
the White House grounds all morning
will begin to move. It is about 12:80 usu
ally when the public is admitted, and at 2
o’clock the reception ends. Last year Mr.
and Mrs. Cleveland shook hands with
about 8,000 people.
The White House reception on New
Year's day is n great event for the local pa
pers. It affords an opportunity for descrip
tive talent nnd for the rehearsal of decora
tions and costumes at almost Interminable
length. Usually some of the best mon and
women working on the local papers are as
signed to the duty of writing about the rc
ception, and since calling and receiving on
the first of the year have become so infre
quent outside official circles the papers of
the first day of the year always devote the
major part of their news space to the great
White House event.
A few years ago the White House recep
tion was no less important a news event,
but tbe newspapers did not have so many
.IT H i? i; i *. 4
I Moiuli 1 j
THE MAN WITH THE DRESS SUIT.
reporters at their command, and only one
man was assigned to tho White House.
This man was always a good space writer,
who could fill two or three columns with
descriptive matter, leaving a like space to
be occupied by tho official programme, the
names of the people in the receiving party
and other matter which could be supplied
in advance. A certain evening paper one
year assigned a man who shall be known
as Mac to write the descriptive story be
cause of his experience in handling similar
stories in other years and because of his
ability as a descriptive writer. In those
days—and even now, for all I know—Mao
was known, as an expert poker player and
one much interested in card combinations,
such as 1 full houses,” “straights,” “flush
es, ” etc. On the morning of the Ist of
January some other correspondents of daily
newspapers at the capital, having no po
litical dispatches to write, prepared for a
little game of “draw.” Mao was invited
in advance to join the party. He hated to
let the opportunity slip. It involved, I
believe, even the matter of revenge for past
losses to the same crowd. So after due de
liberation be sat down in his room, and,
with an official programme of the White
House reception before him, wrote in ad
vance a very elaborate description of the
event. He had seen so many receptions at
the White House that bo could write about
one just us well in his office as in the east
parlor.
The description of the reception was
written, divided into half a dozen parts,
so as to appear as though it was a running
account and placed in numbered envelopes.
Thon an order was left with tho messenger
company for a boy • j call every' half hour
at the room where tho poker game was to
be played, and Miso threw himself heart
and soul into the spirit of the play.
At the hour when the president's recep
tion was about to open a reporter of the
evening paper, passing the White House,
saw a great commotion and. noticed .tha 1
J |’H T F E
C p | ?
xIW-G
B A
GROUND PLAN OF WHITE HOUSE, WITH ROUTE
OE CALLEBS.
A,' entrance; B, exit; C, Marine band in
lobby; D, main hallway; E, state dining room;
F, red parlor; G, blue parlor; H, green par
lor; J, east parlor; K, entrance to conserva
tory.
people were 'hurrying away instead ol go
ing into thoroception. Ho inquired of one
of the officers on duty nt the pates and
learned that a member of the diplomatic
corps had dropped dead at the beginning
of the reception and that the president nnd
the members of tho receiving party had re
tired immediately nnd ordered the White
House closed. The reporter wont to tbe
mansion and looked about for Mac, who
ho knew was assigned to write the story of
the reception. Mac was not in sight, and
no one bad seen him. So tho reporter gath
ered hastily what facte ho could obtain
and hurried down to the office of tho pa
per with thorn. Two or three men were
sent out to hunt up other facts, and a
story was put together hastily for publica
tion in a special edition. Meantime noth
ing hn.d Ijfen heard Mac. I’respntlv
a messenger C.*,ne' fuQTtM focal room
of tbe paper breathless. “From the White
House,’’ he said ns lie threw down an envel
ope addressed in Mao's well known hand.
Tbe city editor tore It open. To his amaze
ment, instead of a story of the death in the
diplomatic corps, he found a carefully
worded description cf the reception as it
might have looked at that time but for tbe
calamity which had interfered with it. He
put the envelope aside and waited; half
an hour later, another breathless messeu
ger and another installment of the story of
the reception as it might have been; thir
ty minutes later, more copy from Mac. In
throe hours the reception had been brought
to a triumphant close with the usual hand
shaking of public and president. Meantime
none of Mac’s copy had gone to the print
er. It had been saved by the city editor as
an exhibit; to bo used inter.
That afternoon word readied the poker
game of the calamity at the White House.
Mac got up from tho table and made a
hurried trip to tho office of the newspaper.
The city editor smilingly handed to him
the copy which lie had been sending to the
office in half hourly installments through
the afternoon. “It will he useful next
year perhaps,” he said softly.
The White House reception is not the
only official function on New Year’s day.
The secretary of state always gives a break
fast to the mcn.bersof tho corps diploma
tlque, and tho other cabinet people, tbe
vice president, the senior general of the
army and the senior admiral of the navy
stationed here give receptions at their
homes. Gbant Hamilton-
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