The day the earth stood still

 

The first wedding at the newly built White House.

It was also known as the Presidents Mansion.

And Dolly Madisons place.

These people who had come over 

From Europe to establish themselves

In America must have been desperate

Or adventurous and crazy

They had no idea of where they were going

And they left behind civilization

The ones who survived Jamestown

And then Plymouth colony

Don't discuss those things unmentionable

But they surged forward after

The first starving years

And then they went on got taxed

Imagine the king wanted to apply

A tax on their personal letters!

All they had to put up with

And the promises they made

And half of them were hiding 

From others in England

Now they had to pay for a stamp!

Which meant their correspondence

Would come under scrutiny

Something that no generation 

Has ever allowed, private correspondence

To be read at all, until Hillarie's emails 

Became an issue with the FBI

She probably would not have made 

It to inauguration day herself

But we transgress

The Americans fought a war 

Called a Revolution

Leaving them even more isolated

From tier families and friends

Across the pond of the Atlantic.

They were a close-knit group

Half of them were related to each other

And the other half were married to each other

The Madisons were old money

Their family came from England

Their name is a mixture 

It appears to be "Horsemanden"

Meaning a place where they kept the horses

Not in barns but small areas 

Where they could graze themselves

And be cared for by a few

The name may also be 

A blend of old Scandinavian

Son of Mads

In other words, they were old England

Most of those who got to the New World

Were either those who worked 

Or those who employed.

The Reverends and Doctors

Meant they had gone to university

Which did not come cheap

Even if the families lived

Austere lives as if they were poor.

His wife's family were Sea Captains

Which also meant established authority

No one was allowed to be a merchant 

Or a ship captain without certain

Specific established rules

They had been young when they 

Stood next to the Washingtons 

And Jeffersons who came from royalty

It is not stated but understood

They were the ones to believe 

The ones to look towards

If anyone was going to do this thing

It had to be a group of men 

Who had been back home

In Europe and educated

Even if it was privately

Here they were in the Presidents mansion

He had worked hard and been part of the small group

The Washingtons and the Adams

Had to rent houses in New York 

To show the world they were not backwoods 

Heathens who had risen up against their masters

Now this swamp had been transformed

Into the District of Columbia

To force the issue that they could 

Even create their own city upon the Potomac

For all the world to see

That they were here to stay!

That is why a short time later

The British landed and burned down

The house which they had to rebuilt

But on this day,

They were going to hold the first wedding

In their own home.

It was not uncommon to have a backyard

Or interior wedding instead 

Of renting a Hall to use for the reception

They had a huge ballroom

So, use it they say.

His wife's sister had been married

To one of the Washingtons

Now a widow 

And not so young 

She had met and fallen for one of the Todds

They were a group of orphaned children

The first year of the Revolution

The father had died in battle

And then the wife died at home

Leaving a bunch of children

Todd was on associate Judge

On the Supreme Court

He was considered a steal

Thier name was Payne 

Which is understood to mean

Pagen not Christian

The old ways of Britian

His wife's family had resisted 

The Romans as he had gone

Forward against the King and his men

Now he was President of the United States

And for a day the earth stood still

As they hosted a wedding of a couple

Who had suffered much in their short lives

We're not afraid to marry a second time

Dolly got to have her big party

He got to have all those donations

Of food and wine come through

Really the things people promise

Along the way to the voting day

And here they were with the biggest party in town

Perhaps in the whole country

Actually, anyone who was anyone

Was there in person or spirit

No one would hold another 

Important even on the same day!

They even had a pianoforte

The newest thing in musical instruments

There was going to be singing and dancing

Something frowned on by their Puritans

But it was their day to celebrate 

The hardships of coming to this country

Surviving and rebelling....Lets eat some cake!