The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-02-09

GAIETIES OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
FASHIONABLE MIGRATION TO New Y0RK.-In
another column will be found several racy and
amusing letters from Washington, giving an ac-
count of the last weeks fashionable doings in
that city. At no period within the recollection
of its habtufs has the capital, it seems, been
gayer or more thronged than it is at present
The hotels are all filled to overlooking, and
strangers are CONTINUALLY pouring in to increase
the difficulties of accommodation. For the next
three weeks, until Congress breaks up Washing
ton will present scene of hustle, intrigue and
dissipation almost carnivalesque in its character
Dinners, sorte, receptions and balls will succeed
each other with overwhelming rapidity, so that
between these temptations and the lobbying, the
wire pulling, the President making and the
scheming generally, which are their daily occu-
pations, the politicians who compose the society
of the capital will find tthemselves pretty well
used up by the beginning of March. When
Congress rises there will, of course, be a
general scattering. Those who have exhausted
their energies and their money will 60 home to
recuperate. The small politicians and politi-
clans wives, who are not familiarized to such q
perpetual round of excitement and exertion, will
carry with them into their respective localities
q painful recollection of their nocturnal labors,
and but faint "reminiscences Of enjoyment. The
only benefit which they will derive from their
visit to the seat of national legislation will be
the opportunity of crushing, by the grandeur Of
their temporary associations, their country
rivals. or course those who have figured at the
Presidents receptions, hObnobbed with the
Cabinet, and sported their quaint costumes at
the Secretaries balls, will have right to hold
their heads higher and to talk more patroniz-
ingly than their less fortunate neighbors.
OF the small proportion who really constitute
the elite of the fashionable society Of the capital,
the majority will come on here. Those who come
from distant parts of the Union rarely or never
return home without paying visit to the great
centre of all the social, artistic, literary and COM
mercial Influences which rule the country. Many
have friends here who are glad to receive them
during their brief sojourn, whilst the greater
part make their arrangements for longer stay.
It should be the object of our citizens to multi
ply the inducements which bring on these visi-
tiers, and so increase their number. Those
who have fine houses and the means of receiving
should make it point Of extending their
usual Inequalities; the managers Of the Opera
and of the theatres should enter into arrange
ments to render their entertainments as brilliant
and effective as their resources will warrant.
Then, as we advance into the summer, the
owners of country seats in the environs of New
York-in picturesque neighborhoods, for in
stance, like Fort Washington. Fort Hamilton or
Staten Island-might keep the ball rolling by q
series Of fetes champre, or other rural entertain
ments. BY continual succession Of these at
fractions we shall not only retain amongst us
for heightened period all that is most refined
and distinguished amongst the first class society
scattered over the Union, but we shall arrest to
great extent the periodical summer migration
Of our own leading families. Thus the trade,
the artistic interests and the social character of
our city will be benefited, rendering it in other
respects, as it is commercially, the fitting me-
tropolis of the country.