Figure io. — Biirnkd-out smki i. of thk White House, sketched in 1814 by 

 Strickland. (/'//»/» (nurhsy Library of Congress.) 



Dolley and Latrobe was not exorbitant. The Mis- 

 cellaneous Treasury Accounts in the National Archives 

 give as $12,669.31 the amount of the expenditures 

 from April 2, 1809, to January 31, 1811, for looking 

 glasses, silver, china, and crockeryware, house and 

 table linens, "piano forte" and guitar, books for 

 the Presidential library, cabinet and upholstery work, 

 iron mongering, and kitchen furniture. This includes 

 Latrobe's commission at 2 percent.-' 



In 1811, when war with England seemed imminent. 

 Congress failed to appropriate any funds with which 

 to continue construction of the Capitol or work on 

 the President's house. Thus, Latrobe's position as 

 Surveyor of Public Buildings in Washington came to 

 an end. 



A graphic account of the interior of the house is 

 recorded in the diary of a young man from Massa- 

 chusetts, Elbridge Gerry, Jr. While visiting his father, 

 then Vice President, during the summer of 1813, the 

 young Gerry was at the White House on July 9 and 

 10. He has left us a very complete description of the 

 work done by Benjamin Latrobe and the First Lady: 



The President's house is a perfect palace. You enter 

 the front door, and are at once in a large hall, which 

 is an entry, etc. Pillars of immense size are dispersed 

 thro' this, and it is handsomely furnished etc, and has 

 lar^e lamps for the whole length. On the side opposite 

 til ihc cnirance are doors opening to four rooms. The 



It 24.181. voucher 1. 



corner is the dining room and is very spacious, and 

 twice the height of modern parlours and 3 times as 

 large. This is furnished in the most elegant manner and 

 the furniture is so large, that Mrs. Cutts says, the side 

 board would cover the whole side of a large parlour. 

 At the head of the room, General Washington is repre- 

 sented as large as life. This room opens by a single door 

 into Mrs. Madison's sitting-room which is half as large. 

 This furnished equally as well and has more elegant and 

 delicate furniture. Her portrait is here seen. This room 

 in the same way, enters into the drawing room, which 

 is an immense and magnificent room, in an oval form, 

 and which form is preserved in those above and even to 

 the cellar. A door opens at each end, one into the hall 

 and opposite, one into the terrace, from whence you 

 have an elegant view of all the rivers, etc. The windows 

 are nearly the height of the room and have superb 

 red silk velvet curtains which cost $4 a yard. The chairs 

 are wood painted with worked bottoms and each has 

 a red velvet large cushion. They are arranged on the 

 side and are divided into four divisions by sofas. These 

 three rooms are all open on levee nights. Next to the 

 drawing room is the President's sitting-room which has no 

 communication with the former and opens to the hall. 

 This corresponds to Mrs. Madison's parlour, and is 

 handsomely furnished. This opens to his cabinet which 

 I did not see. The cabinet is divided by a temporary 

 petition from the grand council chamber which runs the 

 whole breadth of the house and is more than twice the 

 breadth of common halls. This room is unfinished. 

 Opposite to the dining room is one of the same size for 

 the private secretary and between that and the door, 

 one smaller for the porter who is always at the door. 



P.\PER 49 : BKN J.\-\1I.\ L.\TROBE .\NU DOLLEY ALVWISON DECOR.\TE THE \VHITE HOUSE 



163 



