As we begin to once again change the occupants of the White House, we are starting to see stories about both outgoing and incoming First Ladies. Predictably, not all of the stories are either complimentary or even kind, as if is okay to blame the wives of presidents for the political policies of their husbands.
Being the First Lady has to be right down there on the shit list of the most horrible jobs imaginable—somewhere between being Wolverine’s proctologist and Donald Trump’s speechwriter. No one would want to volunteer to do that rotten job, much less be forced into the role by an overly ambitious spouse. Still, the job today is better than it used to be, and for that we can thank the woman who really created the role—Dolley Madison.
During the two terms of President Washington, his wife Martha worked diligently to make her role the social head of the government. Though she staged parties, as the wife of the president, she eschewed European fashions, wearing instead homespun American clothing envisioning her role as making the head of a new socially conscious American government. Her successor, Abigail Adams, had a different vision, and sought to make her role as the political partner of her husband, the President.
The Adams were the first to live in the newly completed White House, and perhaps the city of Washington was just not yet up to the role of grand capital. The streets were rutted muddy swamps with vast open distances between the few buildings and houses. Poor Abigail had to hang the laundry up in the East Wing to get anything to dry.
Thomas Jefferson was a widower, and once again, had a different idea about White House parties—mostly, he didn’t want any. Nor was Jefferson a great believer in bipartisan efforts, usually inviting the men of his party to the White House—without their wives—to argue and hammer out policy. Then Jefferson would invite the men of the opposition to the same kind of meeting. The results were predictable—fistfights and the occasional duel and damn near no cooperation between the parties. Believing that formal protocol and courtly fashions had no place in a democracy, Jefferson went out of his way to act informally, frequently answering the front door in slippers and casual clothing—a deliberate ploy to demonstrate that he thought that even the President
should be a common man.
Even Jefferson had to host a few parties a year where the wives were invited, and the customs of the time required the president to have a female hostess as a chaperone. When this happened, he usually asked the wife of his Secretary of State—Dolly Madison—to handle the chore. Jefferson’s biographers are still debating whether he didn’t know proper protocol or was just deliberately ignoring it to make a political point. At a state dinner, the President was supposed to take the arm of the British ambassador’s wife and escort her to dinner, but chose instead to escort Dolly. Anthony Merry, the British ambassador was so indignant at the insult, called the Merry Affair, that he arranged a social boycott among the European diplomatic corps. Jefferson ignored them and eventually the affair was dropped.
After Jefferson, James Madison became the president and he and his wife moved in to finally begin the process of turning the White House into a home suitable for the functions required by the head of state. For the first time, the government bought furniture for the building and began decorating it for the state dinners and social functions that had to be conducted there, all under the personal supervision of Dolley Madison. In essence, she was the first wife of a president to realize that the job required the social functions of Martha Washington and the political partnership of Abigail Adams. Washington benefitted greatly from this, and during these parties a lot of important business was conducted.
Dolley ignored the American homespun cloth, and imported French silk for her gowns, which were cut scandalously low. Much like Jacquelyn Kennedy, who later admitted Dolley was her inspiration, Dolly Madison was a fashion trendsetter. Under her guidance, the large drafty Executive Mansion became a stylish home that hosted large and formal parties.
Unfortunately, this was work she had to do twice, as we all know that during the War of 1812, the British burned the White House as poor Dolley fled after rescuing the famous Washington portrait. Well, sort of...Actually, she had the White House slaves gather up the best china and some important papers (including her husband’s notes on drafting the Constitution), sending everything away on carts. While the slaves were doing the real work, Dolley was writing a letter to her sister, detailing the events. (Not that it matters, but the Washington portrait that Dolley saved was a copy.)
While the White House was being rebuilt, the Madisons moved into the Octagon House, about two blocks from the ruined executive mansion. This house survived the general destruction because the owners had arranged to have the French flag flown on the building, indicating it was part of the French embassy. The British were temporarily at peace with the French, so they left the house standing.
After the Madisons left the White House, they returned to their beloved home, Montpelier. Following the death of her husband, Dolley eventually moved back to Washington, becoming something of the social queen of the city, famous for her ability to work with politicians from both parties. The House of Representatives, in recognition of her bipartisan work, gave her an honorary seat in Congress. When Henry Clay said, “Everyone loves Dolley Madison,” she answered, “That is because she loves everyone.”
Dolley Madison was famous for creating conditions in which the two parties could work together, both formally and informally. Perhaps it is time for a little more of the Madison spirit—and a little less of the Jefferson system—to return to Washington.
You have to admire the woman. Wile her husband was running for the hills, she was loading up the valuables and to hell with the British.
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