The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-04-18

INTERESTING coRREsPoNDENcE.
WASHINGTON, d. c., April IL, 1850

Presidents Ievee. l have been unablc 10 write
them out until the present time Believing that
they will be found interesting, | send you the de-
scrrtion
once told you that the City of Washington was
an immense hotel, filled with regular and transient
boarders. | might have added, that on those
nights when His Excellency, the President, re-
ceves company, the White House is the great par
Tor where any of the guests of the hotel are per-
mitted to assemble, without let or hindrance. All
persons putting up at the great tavern, can have
access to the public parlor.
Tonight has been a reception evening-the doors
OF the public parlor flung open at o'clock,
and the honored head waiter of all the public ser
wants stood in his accustomed place to receive the
company.
/ shall drop the word levee, for one of the at
taches of the new French Minister fresh from Paris
informs me that it is not proper word, and never
used in the French model Republic. shall adopt
in place of it, "ev enng receptions"
Now, for fair start Tonight was reception
evening at the White House, and though COM
menced raining as early as hafpast seven, it did
not stop an enormous crowd from gathering, and
by nine o'clock the rooms were full to OVERLOOKING
j will say, that no reception night" the past
season, has there been such gathering of beauty
magnificent creatures there of the feminine gender
both old and young. On our arrival, we proceeded
directly to the President, and received as cordial
shake from his gloved right hand any body else
got, without any consciousness on his part of whose
hand he was shaking in fact, if it had been tn
hand of an automaton, il would have been shaken
with equal feror No sooner was this premi
nary ceremony through with, (although il is not
necessary to shake hands with the President, unless
llraG ny anfa' altyaS cnAt
OF the General, so that we could see all that was
going on II was really curious sight TO watch
The expression of the faces Of the strange corners,
as they approached Old lack. The eyes of the
girls sparkled like diamonds, unmixed delight was
visible upon their countenances, and they looked
though they really would have enjoyed the fun of
giving the old gentleman hearty kissing, parcu-
Iarly the wing girls, for the faces indicated 10 which
party their papas belonged. There was any guam
iity of outside people. They invariably stop and
turn round when they have passed and shaken
hands with the President, TO take another look at
him. Now and then the crowd gets jammed and
the General good naturally informs them, " Pass
on, ladies and gentlemen, you will lind plenty of
room beyond" and then the gentlemen who have
ladies with them, go on a few steps 10 pay their
sl)ects to Mrs. Bliss. SThe General kept his place
by the door until man came with pink ribbon
about his neck for cravat, with key attached to
IL. There was lady with him. Old lack shook
hands and walked on with them TO where Mrs.
Betty was standing al the round table, and seemed
20 Introduce them. This aroused our curiosity,
could make the President so particularly civil,
but we could not ascertain at the moment,
those about us were no wiser than we were,
and our only alternative was to ask the man
himself, or seek out our uncommonly intelligent
friend, who knows everybody, and who has render
ed US such essential service on former occasions.
pair Of excruciatingy fierce moustaches warned
us that the first proceeding might cause a muss,
and 80 we adopted the second, and forthwith pro-
coed TO the east room, which perfect jam.
Luck befriended us, and we saw our man by
TnIl md fRh 10 Iara of ha .hut .Ial,a
Ferguson, my boy, how are you what makes
YOU so lateF' I've been waiting for you this last
century"
Sorry for that, mon ami Jones but have been
attending TO the President and seeing the new
comers. What's out p
Nothing much. Heard of McClernand's COM
premise, that's to be offered next week in the
q Yes, to be sure stuff, CANNON and spinage- |
its no go South won't swallow it. Besides, |
McClemand is the most unpopular man in the |
House, and for his sake alone il will be voted down,
even though IT might not, if 1t came from any othe
I'm bet you drinks it will 60 down 1t has all |
been talked over and concocted, by fifty Of the |
leading members, from all sections"
- Who will vote for il ~
"There are twenty-five Northern democrats and
seventeen Northern wings who will vote for it
there are forty-two votes to begin with and the
Southern men will vote for II TO man. Howell
Cobb says So"
ssHe DE id, What does he know about il
lie rs one of your men that goes for party, and
himself. II the party can only be kept together, he
don't care a curse for the Union, or the interest of
the Southern section. The South won't vote for it,
j say, Jones, who is that man coming this way,
with lady on his arm, and another man talking
about his neck p
That man, why the French minister, TO be sure
and the lady, his wife"
els il possible She is pleasant looking lady;
but he don't look though he would set Goose
.creek--thc Washington Theron fire, Ell
N hui he ma IN ton ms pun In ahn
M. Clayton, our astonishing Secretary Of State
by the way, where is Clayton Is he here to-
night %
lor's cabinet ducks here tonight except Preston.
Clayton is too busy TO waste his time in soft nom
sense. saw him just before dark, hurryng down |
X. street, from the State Department building"
"Thcy say he is working himself TO death" |
"Exactly-fussng about detail work, which any |
clerk could do as well as himself, II not better,
for he writes a miserable hist. He is not fitted |
upon my soul, If he continues in office, hard work /
and other hard things will use him up. lie looks, |
now, like Death on the pale horse:
" don't know anything about his looking like |
Death on pale horse, but believe he is death on
pale brandy"
Jones, will you go away You have said
enough just leave me; don't want any thing
more TO say TO you tonight"
"Holy Mary, only look yonder, Who in the |
name Of all that is lovely and good is that p
"Where lidont see-caramba- IL an
That Is no Washington girl! must ind out who /
che is-hold on until come back"
The young lady who had caused such surprise, /
which was shared in by all the room, was indeed /
beautiful. She could scarcely have seen seven |
teen summers, and more perfect vision Of lowell
mess never trod the floors Of the White House
Her eyes were coal black, and soft as gazele's
Her hair was raven dark, and fell in long ringlets
by the side Of her cheeks, which were as red and
healthy fresh blown rose. Her dress was sim
pie white, and no ornament, save pink ribbon for
iii no fat buf node sfefra
fimid as a young fawn, and chung to the arm Of an
elderly gentleman, with very striking features who /
evidently seemed TO be her father All eyes /
TUNED towards her, and, the two strangers, fa-
ther and daughter approached Mrs. Bliss, the lat
Ger involuntary uttered exclamation of surprise.
The father was dressed in the garb Of clergyman,
and, after leaving Mrs. Bliss, with whom they ex- |
changed no words, the two passed TO the rear OF
abe round table Of Mrs. b., and for long time |
watched the President and his daughter, and those
about them, as though the scene was strange and |