The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-23 00:00:00

a keen-witted and warm-hearted man, and enjoys
fine society as much as he does the contest of poli-
tics or the dignities of office. He is nimble in con-
versation, and always on the qui vice for the calls
of business or relaxation. He is, perhaps, the
most popular man of the Cabinet, and Lord Na-
pier holds him in especial regard. His family is
still in Georgia. Governor Floyd, the Secretary
of War, arrived with military exactness among the
earliest guests. He seems cut out to preside over
the War-office, from his really martial appearance
and martial air. It is difficult to believe that his
vocation is the pen and not the sword. His charm-
ing wife accompanied him to this brilliant field of
action, and her Revolutionary descent makes ample
amends for the unmilitary origin of her spouse.
"All must have noticed a tall man of pleasant,
offhand manners, moving to and fro through the
rooms with a searching, critical, disputatious coun-
tenance, as though its owner had an especial fond-
ness for Gordian knots. This was Judge Black, the
Attorney-General, and one of the most awkward
customers in a law argument any antagonist could
meet with. His wife is a phenomenon, not of
beauty only, but of extraordinary youth. Her
daughter is grown up, and it is not easy to say
which is the senior of the two.
" A very unpretending, sedate, easy sort of a
man is the Assistant Secretary of State, lion. John
Appleton, who seemed vastly to enjoy the ball ;
for serious people are often very fond of levities.
His eye is remarkably bright and keen, indicating
the clearness and sharpness of his mind, which is
further shown in his precise language and distinct
enunciation. He is an admirable adjunct to Gen.
Cass, who is just the very reverse in his free-and-
easy ways to his exact, minute, and careful Assist-
ant Secretary. Mrs. Appleton is a sprightly and
highly-cultivated person, admirably adapted for
society, and it is no wonder therefore, that she
eeemed_ quite at home_at the ball. Seated comfort-
ably on a sofa in aside roam we remarked a stout •
man whose complacency seemed quite impregnable.
His face and manner displayed a contented repose
really enviable, yet his eye peeped out occasionally
from its covert, and exhibited energy, will, and in-
tellect not unmixed with uncommon cuteness.
This was the new Postmaster-General, Governor
Brown. His wife, a handsome woman, of frank,
unaffected bearing, and of a-cordial and kindly na-
ture, was promenading about with her eldest
daughter by a former marriage, Miss Saunders.
This young lady is destined for a rashington belle.
Sprightly and graceful in manners, quick and
pointed in repartee, a face beaming with intelli-
gence and sparkling with beauty, highly cultivated
with every accomplishment, Miss Saunders cannot
fail to shine in the salons of Washington.
" In closing my notice of the functionaries of the
Government I may not omit a glance at a pleasant
jolly-looking person, who contemplated the
scene aronnd him somewhat in the light of
an inoffensive joke that had little interest for him
of any kind. This was Mr. Clayton, Assistant-Se-
cretary of the Treasury, and one of the best busi-
ness men of this important department. The sto-
ries told of his detection of the smallest errors in
financial statements are almost fabulous. His wife,
the mother of a numerous progeny, was one of the
youngest and prettiest women at the ball. It was
observed with surprise that the Secretary of the
Interior, Mr. Thompson, and his accomplished wife
were not among Lord Napier's guests, which was
much regretted by the noble host. It was rumoured
that temporary indisposition had alone prevented
the worthy secretary from joining in this festive
gathering. The nephew of the President, and his
private secretary, Mr. Buchanan Henry, attended
the ball. This gentleman's pleasing address and
conciliatory disposition have won him already,
troops of friends, though occupying a post that ex-
poses him to cavil, and which requires the utmost
good temper to meet all the exigencies attached to
it. His position, however enviable in some re-
spects, is far from a sinecure, for such is the inde-
fatigable industry of the President that his luckless
secretary is a prisoner in his office from eight a.m.,
generally, to four and five p.m. No wonder, after
such taskwork as this, that he looked so happy at
the ball. Among the general company there were
many from distinction and talent abundantly en-
titled to a passing remark, but I have already ex-
ceeded your limits, and must rapidly pass by many
I would fain stop to contemplate. That solemn,
formal man, with so little pretension of manner as
to remind one of a country parson, is perhaps,
without exception, the moat learned and accom-
plished scholar in the country, the Hon. Edward
Everett. What a contrast in bearing and vivacity
is the sprightly lady near him, who converses with
such incredible fluency and elegance upon all
topics alike, whether serious or light—that is
his daughter, Mrs. Lieutenant Wise. That neat,
spruce-looking person, with such an intelligent
face and brisk movement, is Mr. W. B. Reed,
the new commissioner to China, and the lady
he is talking to is unquestionably one of the most
elegant persons present, and admitted to be la
grande dame of Washington ; her massive black
hair is exquisitely coiffe ; her faultless toilette, ease
of manner, with a certain grace and pliancy of step,
all indicate that she is of a Southern clime, while
her intelligent remarks smack of Northern culture ;
she is the wife of the Hon. J. Sliddell, of Louisiana,
and a Creole by birth. Decidedly one of the best
dressed and most captivating beauties of the ball-
room was the lovely daughter of Capt. Ingraham,
so well known for his bold rescue of the Haugarian.
Koszta. A Washington belle, Miss Markoe; showed
in her fine bearing and bon ton unmistakeable signs
of having inherited from an old stock these rare
and attractive traits. One of the greatest favourites
of Washington society, Mrs. Stout, $ daughter of
Commodore Aullick, dispensed her gracious smiles
and sparkling Alit with even more than her usual
liberality. The Hon. R. Johnson and his imposing-
looking wife thought the occasion worthy of an un-
usual act of homage, and came down from Balti-
more in honour of the ball. Most persons re-
marked the smiling face and comfortable air of a
stout, pleasant-looking man, who seemed well con
tented with his lot in life, and would doubtless
have wondered to hear there was such a thing as
disappointment in the world, as lie had never met
it. This was Mr. Corcoran, the naillionnaire, who,
out of Government loans and attention to business,
has amassed a princely fortune, with an only
daughter, a charming girl, to inherit it. The mayor
of Washington, Mr. Magruder, one of the best
natured of men, though a vigilant and effective offi-
cer, was at the ball, with his young and pretty
wife. Last on the list I must say a word of a per-
son whose presence in Lord Napier's house excited
no little curiosity, which was all the more increased
by the evident goodwill existing between the noble
host and his well-known guest, the Chevalier
Wikoff. One would have thought, after ail. the dire
mishaps that have befallen the Chevalier at the
hands of the Britishers, from LOrd Palmerston
down to the redoubted Consul Brown, that he
would have recoiled in terror, if not in hostility,
from another English diplomatist. But the Cheva-
lier, whatever his faults, has a mixture of philossa-
phy and good nature about him that makes an ad-
mirable cement, which will serve again, as before,
to rebuild his fortunes. Consequently, instead of
harbouring a puerile resentment against his old pa-
tron; Lord Palmerston, he cheerfully seized the
first occasion to make his bow to his representative
in Washington. Lord Napier, not in the least
dismayed at this unexpected rencontre, inferred
with that sagacity and tact characteristic of the man
that the Chevalier's advances were well meant, and
that on his own ground he was not a foe tobe despised.
The best understanding has been the result, and I
should not at all wonder if the Chevalier Wikoff
should yet receive another invitation 'to dine and
sleep' at Broadlands, or, even, snirabile dicta, that
vindictive Consul Brown should politely 'ask him
to step into St. Andrea once more, only for the de-
light of getting him out, which, however,
Chevalier would
not advise the ex-prisoner to risk. The
seemed quite at home at Lord Napier's ball, and
many who had not seen him before were surprised,
it is said, at his quiet demeanour and unaffected
conversation. Among the incidents of the evening
may be mentioned a quadrille, danced by the entire
diplomatic corps, Lord Napier leading off with
Countess Sartiges. A trait of good fellowship may
be noticed en passant, though it escaped the at-
tention of the company. After supper most of the
diplomatic corps, ladies and gentlemen, met at the
buffet, as though preconcerted, and each, with a
glass of champaigne in hand, drank to the other's
health with a jovial-heartedness which showed that
even in the diplomatic world good feeling is not
always effaced by form and rival interests. I
should not neglect to mention that more than once
during the evening a sincere regret Was expressed
at the absence of one "bright, particular star"
whom a recent melancholy bereavement has com-
pelled to withdraw temporarily from society. I
speak of Miss Lane, the beautiful and accomplished
niece of the President. Her admirable taste and
correct feelinc, were evinced by a well-timed com-
pliment in honour of the day by sending
to Lord
and Lady Napier a profusion of choice flowers,
who showed their n
appreciation of this flatten g
civility by grouping them in largo china vases and
setting them, apart for the special admixati94