The White House

There are a naniber of stories in oirculation going to show why tbe exeoutive mansion was called the White House, and by whom it was flrst called suoh, said a local historian, "but I think the best evidence tends to give that credit to James Madison, who was the fonrth presideut, and who was driven ont of tbe executive mansión when the British bnrned it in 1814. Tho executive mansion is built of freestone, wbich was quarried down on the Potomac river. The capitol proper was oonstructed out of the same stone, though, of conrse the wings for the senate and house of representatives are built of marble, with grauite foundations. "At the time the British burned the executive mansión they did a lot of other damage, and tbe country -was pressed for money to repair the same. The walls of tbe mansion wore but little damaged, other than beiup; blaokeued by smoke. As I said, money was soarce, and congress made an appropri' ation to havs the ontside of the house painted. White was selected as the best The capitol was not painted for nearly Í30 years afterwards. Madisoü, in a letter to a personal and politica! friend, wrote 'Come in and see rrie at auy time. You will always find me at tbs White House.' "The execntive mansion may have been oalled the White House before that, but I have never been able to find any record of it. The letter from Madison had an important politica] bearing, and was very extensively cirpulated. If therefore Madisou did aot officiate at the cnristening, he cortainJy took a prominent part in publishing the faot that tbe White House was forever from that time to be the uame of the mansion.. Up to that time the execntive mansión, wbich is the legal name for it, was geoerally spoken of as