WASHINGTON'S NOVEL POSITION--THE SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE--APPEARANCE OF
THE DEMOCRATIC ELEMENT IN SOCIETY--THE QUESTION OF A TITLE FOR THE
PRESIDENT DISCUSSED IN CONGRESS--THE RESULT--DISCRETION
NECESSARY--WASHINGTON ASKS ADVICE CONCERNING
CEREMONIALS--RESPONSES--WASHINGTON'S ARRANGEMENT FOR VISITS OF
CEREMONY--JEALOUSY OF THE PEOPLE--SILLY STORIES CONCERNING THE POMP
OF THE PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT--CUSTOMS OF THE LEVEES
ESTABLISHED--GRAND BALLS--MRS. WASHINGTON'S JOURNEY TO NEW YORK--HER
RECEPTION--HER DRAWING-ROOMS--WASHINGTON'S HABITS OF LIVING.
Washington's position was a novel one in every particular. He was the
chosen head of a people who had just abolished royal government with all
its pomp and parade, its titles and class immunities, but who were too
refined, and too conscious of their real social and political strength
as a basis for a great nation, to be willing to trample upon all
deferential forms and ceremonies that might give proper dignity to, and
respect for deserving rulers, without implying servility.
In the convention that framed the constitution, the representatives of
the people exhibited this conservative feeling in a remarkable degree;
and the extreme democratic sentiment, such as afterward sympathized with
the radicals of the French revolution, was yet only a fledgling, but
destined to grow rapidly, and to fly with swift wing over the land. Yet
the spirit was manifest, and its coalescence with the state-rights
feeling made circumspection in the arrangement of the ceremonials
connected with the president and his household extremely necessary.
Already the question of a title for the president had been discussed in
Congress, and had produced a great deal of excitement in different
quarters. The subject appears to have been suggested by Mr. Adams, the
vice-president; and on the twenty-third of April the senate appointed
Richard Henry Lee, Ralph Izard, and Tristram Dalton, a committee "to
consider and report what style or titles it will be proper to annex to
the offices of president and vice-president of the United States." On
the following day the house of representatives appointed a committee to
confer with that of the senate, and the joint committee reported that it
was "improper to annex any style or title to the respective styles or
titles of office expressed in the constitution."
The house adopted the report by unanimous vote, but the senate did not
concur. The question then arose in the senate whether the president
should not be addressed by the title of _His Excellency_, and the
subject was referred to a new committee, of which Mr. Lee was chairman.
A proposition in the house to appoint a committee to confer with the new
senate committee elicited a warm debate. The senate committee,
meanwhile, reported in favor of the title of _His Highness the President
of the United States of America, and Protector of their Liberties_; but
they did not press the matter, as the inauguration had taken place in
the meantime, and the house had addressed the chief magistrate, in reply
to his inaugural address, simply as _President of the United States_.
With a view to preserve harmonious action, the senate determined to
address him in the same way; at the same time resolving that, "from a
decent respect for the opinion and practice of civilized nations,
whether under monarchical or republican forms of government, whose
custom is to annex titles of respectability to the office of their chief
magistrate, and that, in intercourse with foreign nations, a due respect
for the majesty of the people of the United States may not be hazarded
by an appearance of singularity, the senate have been induced to be of
opinion that it would be proper to annex a respectable title to the
office of the president of the United States."
This was the last action in Congress upon the subject, but it was
discussed in the newspapers for some time afterward. The excitement upon
the subject ran high in some places for a while, and Mr. Lee and Mr.
Adams, the reputed authors of the proposition, were quite unpopular. It
gave Washington, who was averse to all titles, much uneasiness, lest, he
said, it should be supposed by some, unacquainted with the facts, that
the object they had in view was not displeasing to him. "The truth is,"
he said, "the question was moved before I arrived, without any privity
or knowledge of it on my part, and urged, after I was apprized of it,
contrary to my opinion; for I foresaw and predicted the reception it has
met with, and the use that would be made of it by the adversaries of the
government. Happily this matter is now done with, I hope never to be
revived."
The effect of this movement upon the public mind gave Washington a
perception of the necessity of great circumspection in the arrangement
of ceremonials, to which allusion has just been made. He also perceived
the greater necessity of so regulating his personal matters as to secure
the most time for attention to public business; for, immediately after
his inauguration, he found that he was master neither of himself nor his
home. "By the time I had done breakfast," he wrote to Dr. Stuart, "and
thence till dinner, and afterward till bed-time, I could not get rid of
the ceremony of one visit before I had to attend to another. In a word,
I held no leisure to read or to answer the despatches that were pouring
in upon me from all quarters."
As usual, Washington sought the advice of those in whom he had
confidence. To Vice-President Adams, Jay, Hamilton, and Madison, he
addressed a series of nine questions, and desired them to reflect upon
and answer them. These all had reference to his intercourse with the
public: whether a line of conduct equally distant from an association
with all kinds of company on the one hand, and from a total seclusion
from society on the other, would be proper; how such a system should
best be made known to the public; whether one day in every week would
not be sufficient to devote to visits of compliment; whether he should
receive direct applications from those having business with him, setting
apart a certain hour every morning; whether the customs of the
presidents of the old Congress, in giving large dinner-parties to both
sexes twice a-week, ought not to be abolished, and invitations to dine
at the president's house, informal or otherwise, be limited, in regard
to persons, to six, eight, or ten official characters, including in
rotation the members of both houses of Congress, on days fixed for
receiving company; whether the public would be satisfied if he should
give four great entertainments in a year, on such occasions as the
anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the alliance with
France, the peace with Great Britain, and the organization of the
general government; whether the president should make and receive
informal visits from friends and acquaintances, for purposes of
sociability and civility, and, if so, in what way they should be made so
as not to be construed into visits from the president of the United
States; and finally, whether it might not be advantageous for the
president to make a tour through the United States during the recess of
Congress, in order to become better acquainted with the people, and the
circumstances and resources of the country.
"The president," he said at the close of his queries, "in all matters of
business and etiquette, can have no object but to demean himself in his
public character in such a manner as to maintain the dignity of his
office, without subjecting himself to the imputation of
superciliousness or unnecessary reserve."
To these queries the gentlemen addressed promptly responded in writing.
The vice-president, who, as minister abroad, had seen much of royal
etiquette, and become somewhat fascinated, as Jefferson said, "by the
glare of royalty and nobility," spoke of chamberlains, aids-de-camp,
and masters of ceremonies; for he regarded the presidential office
"equal to any in the world." "The royal office in Poland," he said, "is
a mere shadow in comparison with it;" and he thought that "if the state
and pomp essential to that great department were not in a good degree
preserved, it would be in vain for America to hope for consideration
with foreign powers." He thought it would be necessary to devote two
days each week to the reception of complimentary visits; that
application to a minister of state should be made by those who desired
an interview with the president; and in every case the character and
business of the visitor should be communicated to the chamberlain or
gentleman in waiting, who should judge whom to admit and whom to
exclude. He thought the time for receiving visits should be limited to
one hour each day; that the president might informally invite small
parties of official characters and strangers of distinction to dine with
him, without exciting public clamor; and that he might, as a private
gentleman, make and receive visits; but in his official character, he
should have no other intercourse with society than such as pertained to
public business.
Hamilton desired the dignity of the presidential office to be well
sustained, but intimated that care would be necessary "to avoid
extensive disgust or discontent." Although men's minds were prepared, he
said, for a "pretty high tone in the demeanor of the executive," he
doubted whether so high as might be desirable would be tolerated, for
the notions of equality were too strong to admit of a great distance
being placed between the president and other branches of the government.
He advised a public _levee_ of half an hour once a-week; that formal
entertainments should be given, at most, four times a year, on the days
mentioned by Washington; that informal invitations to family dinners
might be given to official characters; that heads of departments,
foreign ministers of some descriptions, and senators, should alone have
direct access to the person of the president, and only in matters
pertaining to the public business.
The opinions of his friends so nearly coinciding with that of his own,
Washington proceeded to act upon them, but with a wise discretion. He
had already adopted the plan of designating certain times for visits of
compliment, and he gave a public intimation that these would be on
Tuesday and Friday of each week, between the hours of two and three
o'clock. On these occasions there was no ostentatious display. On the
contrary, the president received his visitors in a simple manner;
conversed with them freely after introduction, if opportunities were
afforded; and in every respect, while maintaining perfect dignity, he
made all feel that he was their fellow-citizen.
"These visits are optional," he said in a letter to Dr. Stuart; "they
are made without invitation.... Gentlemen, often in great numbers, come
and go, chat with each other, and act as they please. A porter shows
them into the room, and they retire from it when they choose, without
ceremony. At their first entrance they salute me, and I them, and as
many as I can, I talk to. What 'pomp' there is in all this I am unable
to discover."
The last clause refers to a sentence in Dr. Stuart's letter, in which he
spoke of public clamors, in some places in Virginia, originating
generally with the opponents of the constitution and the government
organized under it, on account of alleged practices on the part of the
president and vice-president, which were regarded as monarchical in
their tendency. An untrue report was circulated that the vice-president
(who, it must be confessed, was quite high in his notions) never
appeared publicly except with a coach and six horses! It created much
excitement in Virginia, and the opponents of the government made much
use of it.
The _levees_ of the president were cited as examples of the rapid growth
of aristocracy. Among other stories, it was alleged that at the first
_levee_ an ante-chamber and presence-room were provided in the
presidential mansion; and that, when those who were to pay court were
assembled, the president, preceded by Colonel Humphreys as herald,
passed through the ante-chamber to the door of the inner room. This was
first entered, according to the untruthful account, by Humphreys, who
called out, with a loud voice, "The president of the United States!"
Another silly story went abroad, that at the ball given in honor of the
president, soon after his inauguration, he and Mrs. Washington were
seated in state upon a raised sofa at the head of the room; that each
gentleman, when going to dance, led his partner to the foot of the sofa
and made a low bow, and that when the dance was over, he again took his
partner to make obeisance to the president and his lady before they
retired to their chairs!
The subject of etiquette in the president's home, and in his intercourse
with the public at large, was of far more consequence, under the
circumstances, than might appear at first thought. It seems to have been
left chiefly to Colonel Humphreys, who had lately been Jefferson's
secretary of legation in Paris, to arrange the whole matter; yet several
months elapsed before Washington felt that he was treading upon sure
ground. As late as November, he made the following entry in his diary:
"Received an Invitation to attend the funeral of Mrs. Roosevelt (the
wife of a senator of this state), but declined complying with it--first,
because the propriety of accepting any invitation of this sort appeared
very questionable; and, secondly (though to do it in this instance might
not be improper), because it might be difficult to discriminate in cases
which might thereafter happen."
The customs established during Washington's administration concerning
_levees_, the president not returning visits, et cetera, have ever since
prevailed, and the chief magistrate of the republic is never seen in the
position of a private citizen.
We have alluded to the ball given in honor of Washington after his
inauguration. It was a brilliant affair, and surpassed anything of the
kind ever before seen in New York. Preparations had been made by the
managers of the city assemblies to have the ball on the evening of the
inauguration day; but, hearing that Mrs. Washington could not accompany
her husband, it was postponed. The time when she would arrive being
uncertain, the ball was given a week afterward. It was attended by the
president and vice-president, a large majority of the members of both
houses of Congress, the governor and other New York state officers,
foreign ministers, many military characters, and a large number of
distinguished citizens. "The collection of ladies," wrote one who was
present, "was numerous and brilliant, and they were dressed with
consummate taste and elegance."
"On this occasion," says Griswold, "an agreeable surprise was prepared
by the managers for every woman who attended. A sufficient number of
fans had been made for the purpose in Paris, the ivory frames of which
displayed, as they were opened, between the hinges and the elegant paper
covering, an extremely well-executed medallion portrait of Washington
in profile, and a page was appointed to present one, with the
compliments of the managers, as each couple passed the receiver of the
tickets."[17]
On the evening of the fourteenth of May, the Count de Moustier, the
French minister, gave a splendid ball in honor of the president, at his
residence in M'Comb's house, in Broadway, afterward occupied by
Washington as the presidential mansion. The whole arrangement was
directed by his sister, the Marchioness de Brienne, who was an amateur
artist of considerable distinction. "I heard the marchioness declare,"
wrote a lady who was present, "she had exhausted every resource to
produce an entertainment worthy of France."
Mrs. Washington did not leave Mount Vernon until Tuesday, the nineteenth
of May, when she set out for New York in her travelling carriage, drawn
by four horses, accompanied by her two grandchildren, Eleanor Parke and
George Washington Parke Custis, and a small escort of horse. She was
everywhere greeted with demonstrations of the greatest affection. When
she approached Baltimore she was met by a cavalcade of citizens. In the
evening, fireworks were discharged in honor of the fair guest, and a
band of musicians serenaded her. When she approached Philadelphia she
was met by the president of the commonwealth, the speaker of the
assembly, two troops of dragoons, and a large number of citizens, who
escorted her toward the Schuylkill. Seven miles from Philadelphia she
was met by a large company of women in carriages, who formed an escort,
and at Gray's ferry all partook of a collation. There Mrs. Robert Morris
joined Mrs. Washington in her carriage, and as the procession entered
the city the bells rang out a merry peal, and cannon thundered a cordial
welcome.
Mrs. Washington remained in Philadelphia, a guest of Mrs. Morris, until
Monday morning, when she set out for New York, accompanied by that lady.
All through New Jersey she received the most affectionate attentions,
and at Elizabethtown was the guest of Governor Livingston. At
Elizabethtown Point she was met by her husband, who, attended by Robert
Morris and other distinguished men, had come from New York in his
splendid barge to receive her. As they approached the city they were
saluted by thirteen discharges of cannon, and were followed to their
residence by a crowd of the citizens.
On the day after Mrs. Washington's arrival, the president invited a few
official characters to a family dinner. No clergyman being present,
Washington himself asked a blessing before the company took their seat
at table. The dinner was simple, and no special etiquette was observed
on that occasion. A single glass of wine was offered to each guest, with
the toast which Washington invariably gave on such occasions--"To all
our friends;" and when it was drunk, the president arose, led the way to
the drawing-room, and each one departed when he pleased, without
ceremony. Such continued to be the simple hospitality of President
Washington's table.
On the evening of the twenty-eighth, two days after her arrival, Mrs.
Washington held her first _levee_, or drawing-room. It was attended by
nearly all of the leading characters in social and political life then
in the federal metropolis. "There was no place for the intrusion of the
rabble in crowds, or for the mere coarse and boisterous partisan," says
Colonel Stone in some remarks upon these receptions. "There was no place
for the vulgar electioneerer or impudent place-hunter. On the contrary,
they were select, and more courtly than have been given by any of
Washington's successors. Proud of her husband's exalted fame, and
jealous of the honors due, not only to his own lofty character, but to
the dignified station to which a grateful country had called him, Mrs.
Washington was careful, in her drawing-rooms, to exact those courtesies
to which she knew he was entitled, as well on account of personal merit
as of official consideration. None, therefore, were admitted to the
_levees_ but those who had either a right by official station to be
there, or were entitled to the privilege by established merit and
character."
Mrs. Washington's receptions were on Friday evenings, and were always
closed at precisely nine o'clock. Notwithstanding the entire absence of
all pomp or parade on these occasions, cavilers spoke of them sometimes
in ill-natured and offensive terms, as "court levees" and "queenly
drawing-rooms."[18]
Washington always held the Sabbath-day sacred to worship and repose, and
no visitors were received by him on that day. Sometimes an intimate
acquaintance would spend the evening with him. He usually attended
public worship with his family in the morning, and in the afternoon he
retired to study, to read, to meditate, or to write private letters.
In public as in private life, he was temperate in all things, and frugal
in his household expenses. He employed the celebrated tavern-keeper,
Samuel Fraunces (whose daughter, it will be remembered, once saved
Washington's life by revealing the murderous intentions of one of his
life-guard) as his steward. Everything was governed by a well-regulated
economy, which had a most salutary effect in restraining extravagant
living, toward which New York society had then a strong tendency. The
president's example in that particular was powerful.
Washington preserved, in his movements, a certain degree of state, not
offensive to the well-informed or right-minded. He had a fine coach,
and, as at Mount Vernon, he kept superb horses, six of which, on some
few occasions, were driven at one time before his carriage. The family
carriage was generally drawn by four horses, when rides were taken in
the country for exercise, with "Mrs. Washington and the children." His
servants usually wore livery, and he sometimes was accompanied by
outriders. Such was the state in which many wealthy gentlemen moved at
that day, especially in Virginia; and none knew better than those who
made these things an occasion to revile the new government, that nothing
was further from the mind and heart of Washington, in the practice of
these customs, than a desire for ostentatious display.
FOOTNOTES:
[17] Griswold's _Republican Court_, page 156.
[18] The late Mr. Custis, Mrs. Washington's grandson, giving an
account of these receptions at the presidential mansion in Philadelphia,
says:--
"When Mrs. Washington received company it was on Friday, commencing
about seven, and ending about nine o'clock. Two rooms were thrown
open. The furniture that was thought handsome in those days would
be considered barely decent in modern times. The principal ornament
was a glass chandelier in the largest room, burning wax lights. The
chair of the lady of the president was a plain arm-chair lined with
green morocco leather.
"The ladies visiting the drawing-room were always attended by
gentlemen. It was not the habit for very young girls to be present
at the drawing-room, but only those of the age when it is proper
for ladies to go into company. Upon the ladies being introduced
they were seated, and the president, who always attended the
drawing-room, passed round the circle, paying his respects to each
in succession; and it was a common remark, among the chit-chat of
the drawing-room, that the chief was no inconsiderable judge of
female beauty, since he was observed to tarry longer than usual
when paying his compliments to Miss Sophia Chew, a charming belle
of Philadelphia in that time.
"Refreshments were handed round by servants in livery; and about
that period first appeared the luxury, now so universal, of
ice-cream. Introductions to eminent personages and conversation
formed the entertainments of the drawing-room. Cards were
altogether unknown.
"But the leading and most imposing feature of the drawing-room was
the men of mark, the 'Revolutionaries,' both civil and military,
who were to be seen there. The old officers delighted to pay their
respects to the wife of Washington, and to call up the
reminiscences of the headquarters, and of the 'times that tried
men's souls.' These glorious old chevaliers were the greatest beaux
of the age, and the recollections of their gallant achievements,
together with their elegant manners, made them acceptable to the
ladies everywhere. They formed the _élite_ of the drawing-room.
General Wayne--the renowned 'Mad Anthony'--with his aids-de-camp,
Lewis and De Butts, frequently attended, with Mifflin, Walter
Stewart, Colonel Hartley, and many others. Indeed, there was often
to be met with at the mansion of the first president an assemblage
of intellect and honor, public virtue and private worth, exalted
merit and illustrious services, such as the world will never see
again."