White House China

[BettyO]

Just found this morning a wonderful site regarding the Lincoln Administration China. This article is a Smithsonian publication and includes some rather interesting things that I didn't know - That Mrs. Lincoln purchased fine china in the amount of $1106.73 in 1864 and was thus accused of purchasing china at the extend of Federal funds - "The personal china was an indiscreet purchase, at best, and Mrs. Lincoln was soon accused of buying the china out of public funds. In the midst of the campaign in which Lincoln ran for re-election in 1864 an opposition newspaper, The New York World, published a bitter attack on the President and his wife charging that the bill submitted by Haughwout for the State service had been padded to include the cost of the personal china."

In January of 1865, Mrs. Lincoln purchased an additional set for $1,700.00... and I thought I was bad with shopping for books!!

URL: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/36082/360...6082-h.htm

For the PDF go here: http://rogerjnorton.com/whitehousechina.pdf