Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-04-01
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

/ WASH1N0TON NEWS AND GOSSIP.
Ths Presidents Levee.-UHpleasant as was
the weather, yester-even, the spacious apart
| meuts Of the White House were crowded at an
early hour 1t was the last reception Of the
season, attracting the usual fashionable and
potential throng, while hundreds of citizens who
lay no claim to either distinction, oongregated
| to pay their respects to the estimable Chief
Magistrate of the Republic. Unlike similar
galas in European lands, no serried ranks of
hireiing soldiers guarded the doors against the
intrusion of all save q select few. Every one
was welcome, and the titled diplomatist en-
tered with the daughter. Of the -humblest nat
uralized citizen. Nowhere can happier pic
ture of American Republicanism be found.
than was seen last evening, in the misoel-
laneous, yet orderly assemblage.
| The dining room, on the right of the entrance,
is on these occasions used as a ladies' dressing
room, where wrappings-up are deposited, while
the toilette receives final adjustment Visi-
| tors then traversed the inner corridor, and
passed through the drawing room into the re-
ception saloon. The White House, it will be
remembered, has recently been refurnished in
n handsome, yet transformations style, while the
| Introduction of gas lends an additional bril-.
liancy to its evening appearance.
| The President received his guests-as they
were successfully presented by the Marshal of
the District-with great dignity, and at the
same time, cordially of manner. Standing in
the centre of the saloon, without any token of
his high station, he had cordial grasp Of the
hand and kind word for all, and when the
crowd admitted of it, brief converse with his
| numerous personal aequaintances All re-
GREETED the unavoidable absence of Mrs. Pierce
whose saddened air and simple mourning cos
tune speaks forcibly to the heart-but her
place was we'll filled by relative Mrs. M
| What contrast with the reception at a mon
archial court, where the select few admitted,
arrayed in the prescribed costume, reveren-
TALLY kneel to kiss the presented hand, and
then back out; a difficult operation for the
fair ones numbered with sweeping trains.
In the Green Room were few of the diplo-
matte corps, but they were not as numerously
represented as usual. Messrs. Sartiges, Mar
coletta, Cor bett and q German attache of we'll
known bulk, wore the unpretending dress which
Mr.. Buchanan has so nobly insisted on appear
ing in at the Court of st. James.
But the East Room was the grand focus of
the evening, and an interesting sight did it
present. On every side were the great and the
gifted the learned and the lovely
| Much hoDOrfd mpu-Uith lar ha au,if,l
Whose footsteps fell as soft as echoed music.
| The sparkling eyes and flashing ornaments,
| The white arms, and the jetty raven hair,
| The braids and bracelets swan-like bosOms, and
The Necklaces rich India in Itself
Yet dazzling not the eye like what it circles,
| Whilst flowers, and perfumes, and sweet shapes
Mingled together like glorious dream.
From such wreath of beauty, it was diff
cult to select the choicest flowers, nor will our
limits even permit sketch Of their appear
ance The queen of the gay scene was Mrs
en-, of California, who moved in regal dig
nifty, her style of beauty strongly contrasting
with that of Mrs. R-y, the Louisiana bride,
who wore her orange blossoms, and dress OF
white MORE, trimmid with deep founces of
lIonitOn lace. Miss As, of Ohio, was pro-
nounced most beautiful of the fair ones, al
| d,
some asserting that it belonged to Miss CIV,
while others declared that it of right should
| be awarded to Miss C-s. Perchance the gal
liant and poetical escort of the first named
Miss called her to display the artillery of her
| glances to the greater advantage, and attract
| ed attention to her swan like beauty.
Miss Cd, of Cambridge, Massachusetts,
was much admired and Miss S-n, of Vir-
ginia, appeared anxious to join in the merry
| dance, when the band discoursed sweet music.
The Misses en-, of Washington, graceful and
| elegant, received much attention, and there
was deep regret that the inclement weather
| kept the Georgetown bellies at home. But we
| forgot that we could not say a word about the
ladies-can we forget the sparkling diamonds
Of Mrs. tn of New York; the sunny smiles
of Miss A-y, of Tennessee; or the wtching
manners of the exquisitly dressed Miss st
Among the strangers present was John Hig-
| gins, Esq, L. S. Consul to Cork. The Cabinet
was represented by Messrs. Cushing, Dobbin,
and Davis. Grave Senators and aspiring Repre-
sentatives, we're there, forgetting their unset
'leu NeDraSka Dill, anu considering no mint;
save each rosy mouth that coined pleasant
words. The naval officers were in full uni
form, and we noticed especially Major Rey-
| nolds, of the Marines, in undress. MIR. King
was surrounded by bevy of young artists
aud there was group of literary men, among
| them several newspaper correspondents here,
whose genial press are the daily delight of
thousands. At last came the hour of separa-
tion-the close of this seasons levees
No one could say not drum was heard,''
For the drum was beat horribly loud,
And the rest OF the music was greatly preferred
By the ears of the listening crowd.
No soldier discharged his farewell shot,"
As hOmeward the guests all wendell
To discuss, O'er champagne and oysters hot,
The joys of the levees just ended.
The Democratic Muss in California.-The
last mail from San Francisco brought to va
rious gentlemen in Washington, pretty full
explanations of the condition of the Harmo-
neous there, which gave rise to the anti-Ad-
mini stration and anti G win demonstration at
the famous dinner in honor of General Wool
and Ex-senator Foote, with accounts of which
all the newspapers not long since groaned.
The Broadrickites got up the celebration.
They are the supporters of the pretensions of