at this period, a rather shallow and
illiberal man who disliked Mr. Webster, gives, in his recently published
correspondence, the following amusing account of the presentation of the
diplomatic corps to President Harrison,--a little bit of contemporary
gossip which carries us back to those days better than anything else could
possibly do. The diplomatic corps assembled at the house of Mr. Fox, the
British minister, who was to read a speech in behalf of the whole body, and
thence proceeded to the White House where

"the new Secretary of State, Mr. Webster, who is much embarrassed
by his new functions, came to make his arrangements with Mr. Fox.
This done, we were ranged along the wall in order of seniority, and
after too long a delay for a country where the chief magistrate has
no right to keep people waiting, the old General came in, followed
by all the members of his Cabinet, who walked in single file, and
so kept behind him. He then advanced toward Mr. Fox, whom Mr.
Webster presented to him. Mr. Fox read to him his address. Then the
President took out his spectacles and read his reply. Then, after
having shaken hands with the English minister, he walked from one
end of our line to the other, Mr. Webster presenting each of us by
name, and he shaking hands with each one without saying a word.
This ceremony finished he returned to the room whence he had come,
and reappeared with Mrs. Harrison--the widow of his eldest
son--upon his arm, whom he presented to the diplomatic corps _en
masse_. Mr. Webster, who followed, then presented to us Mrs.
Finley, the mother of this Mrs. Harrison, in the following terms:
'Gentlemen, I introduce to you Mrs. Finley, the lady who attends
Mrs. Harrison;' and observe that this good lady who attends the
others--takes care of them--is blind. Then all at once, a crowd of
people rushed into the room. They were the wives, sisters,
daughters, cousins, and lady friends of the President and of all
his ministers, who were presented to us, and _vice versa_, in the
midst of an inconceivable confusion."

Fond, however, as Mr. Webster was of society, and punctilious as he was in
matters of etiquette and propriety, M. de Bacourt to the contrary
notwithstanding, he had far more important duties to perform than those of
playing host and receiving foreign ministers. Our relations with Engl