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Show INFORMALLY RECEIVED. How a Foreign Minister Presented His Credentials to Jackson. Although "Old Hickory" 'was a blunt man in all matters of business and reached reach-ed his purposes by the slraightest road," said an old newspaper man, "still, he wa.s courteous in an eminent degree and had a high respect for the forms of social intercourse. W'hile president of the United Unit-ed States his reception of foreign min--isters and eminent citizens was distinguished distin-guished bv courtly etiquette and noble bearing, it is related that on one' occasion oc-casion a foreign minister just arrived had a dav and hour appointed by Mr. I McLane. then secretary of state, to be presented to the president, and. misunderstanding misunder-standing the premier's French and per-I per-I fcctly at fault by the apparent simplicity simplic-ity of republican manners, the minister minis-ter at thi appointed time, proceeded to the White House alone and rang the hell. . "Je suis ver"a vmr Monsieur le president."- said ine plenipotentiary to the Jrish servant. "An' what the divil does that mean.' muttered Pat, and continued. "He says president, though, an' 1 'spose he wishes to see the general." "Oui oui,"' said the minister, bowing. Without further ceremony the gentleman gentle-man was ushered into the green room, where the general sat complacently smoking smok-ing his corncob pipe, and on the instant he commenced a meremonions hanogue in French, of which "Old Hickory did not understand one word. "What does the man want. Patrick, asked the general, without concealing his surprise at what, he witnessed. "It's French that he's spakin' in, an , with your lave. I'll sind for the cook to find out what lh glntleman wants." In due time the presiding officer of the kitchen arrived: the mystery was explained, ex-plained, and. to the astonishment of the i eoojc the servant and the old general, I an accredited minlter from a foreign government was d'veloped. Fortunately at the instant the secretary came in, a cerimonious introduction took piace and all rarties were soon at ease. |