The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-01-20

TEE wnrn's FAsHloNAMx SEAsss m wSn-
nsroS.-The iedsyal City i described by tAs
Earl of Carlisle parcel of villages scattered
. goose commonly Randolph, Of Roanoke, a. |
ciry Of magnificent distances and by Dickens |
- q city Of magnificent intentions. When Amin |
Bey was told that small place was selected for |
our capital in order to be removed from the power
Of he mob, and revolutionary barbados, it is |
said that he answered il was wise thing. And
the liberal minded Turk was, perhaps, correct. He
belongs TO the Union party, and 80 do we, and we
stick to i while plank of the Castle Garden plat
form is left o stand upon.
But in a sparsely settled and widely scattered
pi ce like Washington, with population of about
. 900 whites, 5000 slaves, and TO- 900 free people
Of color all told and with full 600 of the white
population in the suburbs, there must be some de-
hciencies in the society, considered in metropolis
tan sense. foreigner, or traveller accustomed
TO the unapproschable Rayety Of Paris, the royal
magnihcence of the aristocracy of London, and
the ia cnations of the old continental capitals,
even Of the little subdivisions of Germany
or the semi civilized and semi barbaric attrac.
tons of Constantnople or the Spanish hos
pitalires Of Rio Janeiro, or the luxurious climate
and sunny society of Havana, will fiod it rather
monotonous in the capital OF mighty repablic,
if his object the pleasures Of great and wealthy
city.
Washington is rather poor place-without COM
merce, without manufactures, without a localized
wealthy. aristocracy, even of the Goldfish order;
and mainly dependent upon the annual appropria-
ton bills The President must be republican.
He cannot afford TO treat all the people to ball
and rich supper; and it would be treason to be
as exclusive as Louis Napoleon. The secretaries,
upon SIX thousand year, do the best hey can,
but they occupy rented houses-the rooms are small,
and every entertainment is a susfocating jam. The
diplomatic corps have TO submit to the same in
convenlences. The winter assemblies are expen-
sive enough to be select but the same old set from
year to year, make them heavy. Operas are out
Of the question the National Theatre was burnt
down the night after Col Folks Inauguration and
but fol Barnum and Jenny Lind, it never could
have been reclaimed even for the purpose OF a
circus The lectures at the Smithsonian institu-
ton are admirably adapted to the religious orders;
but fashion requires more lively stimulans. In
point of fact, in everything except boundary lines,
public printing, political tricksters, and office
seekers. Washington Is a limited place-hmited In
| socety-hmed in amusements-lmed in all the
legitimate pa times of national capital. IN sub
terranean drinking establishments, and in faro
banks where many law maker Is fieeced OF his
pay and mileage and in other institutions of a cor
responding character, our federal city is thrifty
imitaor of the vices Of older and more noted
places but with this branch of the subject we have
nothing to do in this instance.
The winters gay season at Washington has
been about as usual, excepting the visit Of Jenny
Lind weekly gathering in the Easi Room.
weekly round of p4rt among The Secretaries,
and an occasional sat home by an M. C. or d.
plomat a monthly assembly, panorama now and
then, and, once IN a while, an amateur concert,
| comprise the atalegue OF fash enable amusements;
but we have been informed that the guests OF the
! National Ho e. mbracing number of newly
married members of both hoases-have organized,
with tie advice aud corsent of the landlord, q
/ series ~ weekly hops, upon new and very exclu-
sive plan that they are well attended, and are
! quite the thing. But, after all, the debates in
Congress, the lions of the day, the public build
ings, and the political plots, must be the chief de-
/ pendence of a winters stay in Washington. Their
crowded parties are only agreeable TO the stranger
/ from the advantage they give Of familiar contact
with disun guished people snd huuAls Office seek-
And il is, perhaps, all for the best that Wash
ington is nothing more than parcel OF " villages
scattered over a goose common" Ii is well ven-
tated and il il has but little Of the society, and
but few of the amusements Of greater cities, II Is
doubtless advantage TO the treasury, and safe
guard against too rapid development Of political
/ corruptious