Transcriber’s Note:
The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
The White House
THE
Ladies of the White House;
OR,
In the Home of the Presidents.
Being a Complete History of the Social and Domestic Lives of the Presidents from Washington to the Present Time—1789–1881.
PREFACE.
The Ladies of the White House have had no biographers. Thecustom of the Republic, which relegates back to private life thosewho have served it, has made it difficult to gather much of stirringinterest concerning the women who have made the social history ofthe different administrations. From privacy they came, to privacythey were returned, and the world took little cognizance of thembeyond noting the entertainments they gave, and the success that attendedtheir dinners and receptions.
In the historical works of the age—even in the biographies of thePresidents themselves—not much has been said of women, who, forthe most part, were powerful adjuncts to their popularity, and exertedgreat influence over their lives. The most that has been written ofthem heretofore were descriptions in the daily papers of the appearanceof the lady of the White House on some public occasion, andwith this the world has been content until now. We have had ahundred years of domestic honor in the White House—a hundredyears which has added much to the glory of the country abroad, andit is but fitting that women, who have held the highest social andsemi-official position in the nation, should be made historic subjects.No better time than the present could be found for filling this seriousgap in general American history. The moral influence that has beenexerted by the untarnished reputations and high social qualities of thewomen who have successively filled the position of Hostess of thePresidents’ House, cannot be estimated. Without the effective andintelligent aid they rendered, no administration would have beensatisfactory; and though the political historian may ignore such service,the r