“As to the Presidency, this was the situation: We were opposed to the use of wines and liquors in our household. We continued at Washington the habits of our Ohio home. A bright and persistent correspondent, who failed to get the office he wanted, attacked us savagely on all occasions. He started many ill-natured stories showing that we were too economical, and repeatedly charged that the total abstinence rule at the White House was due to a desire to save expenses. We did nothing that even seemed to warrant this attack. We spent in hospitality, charities, and generous living the whole amount. My belief is that no others ever spent as much in the White House as we did. Many old congressmen (Messrs. Stevens, Fernando Wood, and, I think, S. S. Cox) said repeatedly that they had known and heard of no one who entertained as much. Mrs. Hayes took pains always to have young ladies as guests from all parts of the country, South as well as North. Special entertainments were frequent. And the regular routine of affairs was made exceptionally brilliant and expensive. Many new dinners and entertainments were added to the ‘of course’ affairs. Mrs. Hayes was busy with her whole-hearted energy in looking up the needy.
“When we left Washington a story was started that I had saved about twenty thousand dollars during my term. This was shown by the reduction of my indebtedness to that amount. This had an appearance of truth, and was perhaps derived from one of the family. But on looking up affairs at home it turned out that a large part of this reduction of my debts was from collections on real estate sales made before I left home. I left Washington with less than one thousand dollars.”
In January, 1878, Mrs. Hayes held her first reception of the season. Thoroughly emancipated in her ideas as to what was suitable and proper for her, she chose to abide by the style of hairdressing she had always followed, and refused flatly to consider allowing her hair to be arranged according to the style of the hour, in great structures of frizzed false hair. She wore hers parted plainly and drawn down, looped over her ears, and loosely coiled at the nape of the neck. In the matter of her gowns she also had her own definite ideas. The décolleté so extreme through the Lincoln and Grant régimes, the huge bustles and lengthy trains, were not to her liking. She appeared at the New Year’s reception in a princess gown of black silk of rich texture and quality, cut with a graceful train, and elaborately trimmed with handsome jet passementerie. Her concession to the mode was a V-neck, filled in with delicate Spanish lace. A silver comb set off her black hair. Her appearance brought forth much favourable comment, and many who came prepared to censure and criticize remained to praise, since the effect was regal, and she received with a grace and dignity that won all of her critics.
She was assisted by Mrs. Evarts in elegant black velvet, Mrs. Sherman in old gold satin with court train of black velvet, red roses arranged about the corsage. Among the diplomatic guests, especially notable was Madame Yoshida, wife of the Japanese Minister, since she had discarded her native dress for American garments.
One of the President’s early appointments was that of Marshal of the District of Columbia. Frederick Douglass, a well-indorsed applicant, was chosen. Frederick Douglass, a Negro, an American journalist and orator, had once been a slave. He was born in southern Maryland and ran away from his master about 1838. He made his way North and established himself at New Bedford, Mass. Possessed of much natural ability, he began to lecture on slavery, later publishing a full account of his own experiences. He visited England, lecturing extensively. When the war opened, he advocated the use of coloured troops and aided in organizing regiments of them.
After the war, he became editor of the National Era at Washington.
His wife was a white woman.
As it was not possible for Frederick Douglass to fulfil the duties of his office in the White House as his predecessors had done, the President’s second son, Webb Hayes, served as confidential secretary. In this capacity, the young man presented all callers to his father, while Colonel T. L. Casey, of the Corps of Engineers, made the introductions to Mrs. Hayes.
Among the notable functions, the first was the state dinner in honour of His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Alexis Alexandrovitch, of Russia, on April 19, 1877, at 7 o’clock, the only function at which wine was served. This had been arranged by Secretary Evarts.
In the opening days of his administration, President Hayes gave a brilliant state dinner, which was long discussed and over which there was much speculation. Secretary Evarts had expressed his distress over the lack of wines long and fervently. When the dessert of oranges was served, there were expressive glances exchanged between guests. They enjoyed the delicious concoction and were frankly not averse to more. They were convinced that the chef had been liberal with Santa Croix rum and were accordingly delighted to think the First Lady of the Land had been hoodwinked. The President, “one of those demmed literary fellers” as he was often called, appeared to be wholly ignorant of anything to cause unusual satisfaction. He did not partake of the fruit. Rumour claims that he enjoyed the situation thoroughly. No one suspected that he was aware that his guests were of the opinion that the white ribbon rule had been rudely jarred, if not broken. He kept his counsel. The guests whispered the story around and the popularity of the orange dessert grew. It was often served. None discovered until long afterward that the joke was on the guests—the President and the chef had conferred—a flavouring had been found that so completely duplicated the taste of the famous rum as to require an expert to detect the difference.