Humphreys, were among them) awaiting him. He came dressed for the
day, and brought with him the letters and despatches of the
preceding day, and a short memoranda of the answers to be made; also
the substance of orders to be issued. When breakfast was over, these
papers were distributed among his aids, to be put into form. Soon
afterward he mounted his horse to visit the troops, and expected to
find on his return, before noon, all the papers prepared for his
inspection and signature. There was no familiarity in his presence;
it was all sobriety and business. His mode of life was abstemious
and temperate. He had a decided preference for certain sorts of
food, probably from early associations. Throughout the war, as it
was understood in his military family, he gave a part of every day
to private prayer and devotion.

"While he lived in Philadelphia, as president, he rose at four in
the morning; and the general rule of his house was, that the fires
should be covered and the lights extinguished at a certain hour:
whether this was nine or ten is not recollected.

"In the early part of his administration, great complaints were made
by the opposition of the aristocratic and royal demeanor of the
president. Mr. Jefferson makes some commentaries on this subject,
which do no credit to his heart or his head. These are too _little_
to be transcribed from the works of this '_great and good man_.'
Doctor Stuart, of Virginia, wrote to him of the dissatisfaction
which prevailed on this subject in Virginia. In the fifth volume of
Marshall, page 164, will be found an extract of Washington's
vindication of his conduct, and a most satisfactory one, which shows
the proper character of Mr. Jefferson's 'Anas.' These complaints
related, in particular, to the manner of receiving such visitors as
came from respect or from curiosity, of which there were multitudes.
The purpose of Washington was, that such visitors should accomplish
their objects without a sacrifice of time, which he considered
indispensable to the performance of his public duties.

"He devoted one hour every other Tuesday, from three to four, to
these visits. He understood himself to be visited as the _president_
of the United States, and not on his own account. He was then to be
seen by anybody and ever