Perleys Reminiscences, v. 1-2 | Page 3

at the
Capitol--The Inaugural Address--President Harrison's First Reception
--Inauguration Balls.
CHAPTER XIX.
HARRISON'S ONE MONTH OF POWER. Civil Service
Reform--Differences of Opinion--Difficulty between Clay and
King--Washington Correspondents--Verbatim Reports of Debates--A
Popular British Minister--Other Foreign Diplomats-- Quarrelsome
Carolinians--Daniel Webster's Housekeeping--Illness of President
Harrison--Death--Funeral--The Last Honors.
CHAPTER XX.
THE KING IS DEAD--LONG LIVE THE KING. "Le Roi Est Mort;
Vive le Roi"--Extra Session of Congress--Trouble in the Whig
Camp--Edward Everett before the Senate--Thurlow Weed--
Dissensions among the Whigs--Cabinet Troubles--Congressional
Criticisms--Cushing and Adams, of Massachusetts--Wise, of Virginia
--Bagby, of Alabama.
CHAPTER XXI.
DIPLOMATIC AND SOCIAL LIFE OF WEBSTER. The Ashburton
Treaty--Diplomatic Negotiations--Speech by Daniel
Webster--Webster's Social Life--Mr. Clay's Nightcaps--Administration
Organs--Justice to John Tyler.

CHAPTER XXII.
THE CAPITOL AND THE DRAWING ROOMS. A Stormy
Session--John Quincy Adams at Bay--The Code of Honor--The
Supreme Court--Visit of Charles Dickens--The Secretary of State's
Party--A Reception at the White House--The President's Ball for
Children--Diplomatic Hospitality--Ole Bull--A Troublesome
Congressman.
CHAPTER XXIII.
LIGHTS AND SHADOWS. The Accidental President--Virginia
Hospitality--Second-Hand Style --The Pathfinder's Marriage--Baron de
Bodisco, of Russia--Mr. Fox, of Great Britain--The Author of "Sweet
Home"--The Daguerreotype-- The Electric Telegraph--The New York
Tribune--Resignation of Mr. Webster--Reconstruction of the
Cabinet--Fatal Accident on the Princeton--Marriage of President Tyler.
CHAPTER XXIV.
HOW TEXAS BECAME A STATE. John C. Calhoun, Secretary of
State--How Tyler was Managed--Admission of Texas--Douglas, of
Illinois--An Able House of Representatives-- An Exciting
Campaign--President Tyler's Programme--Nomination of Henry
Clay--The Democratic Ticket--Surprise of George M. Dallas-- The
Liberty Party--Exit John Tyler.
CHAPTER XXV.
PRESIDENT POLK'S ADMINISTRATION. Inauguration of Polk--His
Personal Appearance--Inauguration Balls --Mrs. Polk--Secretary
Buchanan--Governor Marcy, of New York-- Completion of the
Cabinet--The Oregon Difficulty--The Mexican War --A Change of
Organist.
CHAPTER XXVI.

DEATH OF JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. Washington Society--An Old
Whig Supper--Death of John Quincy Adams --Abraham Lincoln in the
House--Jefferson Davis as a Representative --The Democratic
Nomination--Lewis Cass, of Michigan--The Whig Convention--Daniel
Webster and Henry Clay--Nomination of General Taylor--Letter of
Acceptance--The Free-Soil Movement--Inception of the Great
Conspiracy.
CHAPTER XXVII.
MAKING THE MOST OF POWER. President Taylor and His
Secretary--Selection of the Taylor Cabinet --The Taylor
Family--Jefferson Davis--Inauguration Ceremonies-- Office
Seekers--Patronage and Spoils--The Galphin, Gardiner, and other
Claims--The Taylor Administration--The White House.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE GREAT COMPROMISE DEBATE. Stormy Scenes at the
Capitol--Crimination and Recrimination--Taylor's Only
Message--Return of Mr. Clay to the Senate--The Great Compromise
Debate--Webster's Seventh of March Speech--The Last Days of
Calhoun --Jefferson Davis' Leadership--John P. Hale, of New
Hampshire.
CHAPTER XXIX.
PROMINENT STATESMEN AND DIPLOMATS. Sam Houston, of
Texas--Seward, of New York--Buchanan, of Pennsylvania
--Agricultural Donations--Diplomatic Representatives--Social
Enjoyments--Winthrop's Farewell Supper--Fatal Illness of General
Taylor--Death of the President.
CHAPTER XXX.
FILLMORE AT THE WHITE HOUSE. President Fillmore--Funeral of
General Taylor--Webster again Secretary of State--The Compromise

Measures--Mrs. Millard Fillmore --A Proud Father--The Capitol
Extension--The Library of Congress-- Washington Society--Public
Amusements.
CHAPTER XXXI.
ARRAIGNMENT OF DANIEL WEBSTER. Accusation Against Mr.
Webster--The "Expounder of the Constitution" Sore at
Heart--Belligerent Mississippians--Painting and Sculpture at the
Capitol--Overland Explorations--A Washington Mob--A Washington
Correspondent.
CHAPTER XXXII.
FOREIGN INFLUENCE AND KNOW-NOTHINGISM.
"Filibustering"--The Hulsemann Letter--Kossuth, of Hungary--The
Know-Nothings--Boss Tweed, of New York--Butler, of South Carolina
--Other Prominent Senators--Exit Clay--Enter Sumner--The Officers of
the House.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
PLOTTING FOR THE PRESIDENCY. President-Making--Political
Intrigues--The Democratic Convention-- Nomination of General
Pierce--The Whig Candidates--Rivalry Between Webster and
Fillmore--The Last Whig National Convention--Death of Henry
Clay--General Scott as a Candidate--General Frank Pierce, of New
Hampshire--Death of Daniel Webster--General Pierce Elected
President.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
PIERCE BECOMES PRESIDENT. Inauguration of President
Pierce--Vice-President King--The Cabinet --Popularity of the New
President--Pryor, of Virginia--Rare Old Wines--Peale's Portraits of
Washington--Brady's Portraits--Visit of Thackeray--A Copyright
Victim--Jullien's Concerts.

CHAPTER XXXV.
CHIVALRY, AT HOME AND ABROAD. Executive
Appointments--The Ostend Manifesto--Mr. Buchanan at London --The
Kansas-Nebraska Debate--Spicy Words Between Breckinridge and
Cutting--Diplomatic Card-Playing--Assistant-Secretary Thomas--The
Amoskeag Veterans.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
CRYSTALLIZATION OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. Formation of
the Republican Party--The Election of Speaker--Mr. Banks
Triumphant--Division of the Spoils--A Protracted Session-- Assault on
Horace Greeley--Territorial Delegates--The Senate--The Virginia
Senators--"Hale," of New Hampshire.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
POLITICAL STORM AND SOCIAL SUNRISE. Sumner, of
Massachusetts--The Assault on Sumner--Troublous Times--
Congressional Courtesies--Senatorial Wit--Convention of Old Soldiers
--Social Routine at the White House--Society Gatherings.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
GROWTH OF THE METROPOLIS. The Crampton
Difficulty--Unsuccessful French Mediation--The Diplomatic
Corps--Information for Publication--Mr. Buchanan in England--
Washington Hotels--The New Hall of the House.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
THE NORTHERN CHAMPIONS. Fessenden, of Maine--The Sterling
Claim--Social Festivities--Marriage of Judge Douglas--Congressional
Scenes--Secretary of War Davis-- Art and Literature--George W.
Childs--J. R. Bartlett.

CHAPTER XL.
EXCITING PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST. Democratic Candidates for
the Presidency--James Buchanan--Stephen A. Douglas--Delegates to
the Cincinnati Convention--The Struggle-- The Disorganized
Democracy United--Opposition Nominations--The Republican
Convention--Election of Mr. Buchanan--Counting the Votes.
CHAPTER XLI.
MISS LANE IN THE WHITE HOUSE. President-elect
Buchanan--Miss Harriet Lane--The New Cabinet and the Message--The
Newspaper Organs--Inauguration of President Buchanan --The
Inauguration Ball--The Dred Scott Decision--The Minority Decision.
CHAPTER XLII.
DIPLOMACY, SOCIETY, AND CIVIL SERVICE. Foreign
Relations--Lord Napier, the British Minister--Sir William Gore
Ouseley--Society in Washington--A Fashionable Pretender--Civil
Service--Office Seeking--Choate's Handwriting--The Governors of
Kansas.
CHAPTER XLIII.
PRELUDE TO THE REBELLION. Organization