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The Farm
Vienna, Va.
Route 1.
GEORGE ROTHWELL BROWN
WASHINGTON, D. c.
January 17,
The President,
The White House,
Washington, D. C.
Dear Mr. President:
I hope you will go ahead with the famous balcony
bathtub comparison is not a happy one since there are better
scene, notwithstanding the uproar, but I do think that your
ones you could make.
My grandmother, who was born in Washington, told
me that her great-grandfather, who came here from Bucks
County, Pennsylvania, in 1800-- he had been Gen. Washington's
dispatch bearer at Valley Forge as a boy-- told her that in
the time of Adams and Jefferson the "President's Palace"
had outside green blinds at all the windows. Doubtless they
made good kindling when the British burned it in 1814.
And what an uproar there was when the green
blinds were done away with, and the sandstone walls were
painted white to hide the scars left by the invaders. But
listen, Mr. Pregident, you ain't heard nothing yet:
James Hoban, who designed the President's
model a typical Southern plantation house, green shutters
Palace, had lived in Charleston, S. C., and he took as a
and all. In the beginning the mansion faced the river and
Tiber Creek, so that what is now the South portico was the
front of the house. The North side was plain and bare,
its windows looking out on pig pens, stables, a dirt road,
and a graveyard in what is now Lafayette Square.
During the Jackson Administration the North
portico was built, thus turning the Whote House around.
Believe it or not, the outcries at this desecration rose to
high Heaven. Old Hickory, by the Eternal, told the critics
of a place they could go to that was warmer than Washington
in August. I don't believe that anybody today would want
the green blinds back, or the beautiful North portico torn
down. I have as much veneration for tradition as anybody,
but I am bound to say Sir, that my only objection to the
balcony is based on a feeling that maybe President Wallace
won't like it.
With assurances of my esteem,Mr. President,
Right heartily,
6.5
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"ocrText": "The Farm\nVienna, Va.\nRoute 1.\nGEORGE ROTHWELL BROWN\nWASHINGTON, D. c.\nJanuary 17,\nThe President,\nThe White House,\nWashington, D. C.\nDear Mr. President:\nI hope you will go ahead with the famous balcony\nbathtub comparison is not a happy one since there are better\nscene, notwithstanding the uproar, but I do think that your\nones you could make.\nMy grandmother, who was born in Washington, told\nme that her great-grandfather, who came here from Bucks\nCounty, Pennsylvania, in 1800-- he had been Gen. Washington's\ndispatch bearer at Valley Forge as a boy-- told her that in\nthe time of Adams and Jefferson the \"President's Palace\"\nhad outside green blinds at all the windows. Doubtless they\nmade good kindling when the British burned it in 1814.\nAnd what an uproar there was when the green\nblinds were done away with, and the sandstone walls were\npainted white to hide the scars left by the invaders. But\nlisten, Mr. Pregident, you ain't heard nothing yet:\nJames Hoban, who designed the President's\nmodel a typical Southern plantation house, green shutters\nPalace, had lived in Charleston, S. C., and he took as a\nand all. In the beginning the mansion faced the river and\nTiber Creek, so that what is now the South portico was the\nfront of the house. The North side was plain and bare,\nits windows looking out on pig pens, stables, a dirt road,\nand a graveyard in what is now Lafayette Square.\nDuring the Jackson Administration the North\nportico was built, thus turning the Whote House around.\nBelieve it or not, the outcries at this desecration rose to\nhigh Heaven. Old Hickory, by the Eternal, told the critics\nof a place they could go to that was warmer than Washington\nin August. I don't believe that anybody today would want\nthe green blinds back, or the beautiful North portico torn\ndown. I have as much veneration for tradition as anybody,\nbut I am bound to say Sir, that my only objection to the\nbalcony is based on a feeling that maybe President Wallace\nwon't like it.\nWith assurances of my esteem,Mr. President,\nRight heartily,\n6.5"
}