Red Wing sentinel. [volume] (Red Wing, M.T. [i.e. Minn.]) 1855-1861, 1860-04-18
WASHINGTON DINNERS.

WASHINGTON DINNERS.
OCCASIONAL" in his letter to the Pres. of
the 9th inst, discourses as follows on Wash:
ington dinners:
:" spoke in my despatch of yesterday of
the refined Inequalities Of the leading men
OF the capitol, and alluded to the fact that
the hre-eaters are getting over their indig-
nation, and as before, are now willing to put
their legs under the republican mahogany
OF Mr.. Seward. This is we'll. There is
nothing that so mollfes ill temper as a
good dinner. Your angry legislator forsets
his treats of the morning over glass Of
nutty Madeira and looks with mild and
mellow radiance upon his political oppo-
nents as he feels the generous champagne
coursing through his veins. lie sees that
his adversary is.still his fellow man, he en-.
joys his jokes, re:echocs his laugh, and tells
his own stories to increase the merriment
OF the jolly company.
wish the thousands of readers of "Oc.
caslonal'' could enjoy one Of those Apician
feasts: The hour is generally fixed at six
O'Clock +. NJ. the time when millions are
taking their supper You receive a card
about the size Of an ordinary playing card,
and If you are invited by the President the
dimensions of the card are double, and gen
orally read as follows:
"Ihe President requests the honor OF
your company TO dinner, on Friday, April
., at 6 o'clock P. N. An early answer is
requested''
1t you go to the Presidents you are ex-
pccted to dress in your best clothes, and to
wear white gloves. You are introduced in
to the small reception room where YOU find
the President, Miss Lane, Mrs. Judge Roose-
welt, Jas. buchanan, Jr., and the rest of the
household. After being duly presented to
them, you wait the arrival of other guests.
The private secretary, M. Buchanan, jr.,
privately informs you that you are to escort
to the dinner such a lady, whom he now
Introduces to you, and the lady in your com
pany is presented to another gentleman, who
Is to be her companion during the fea st.-
lhe hour having arrived, the company move
into the large drawing room, where they
arc dazzled by the gorgeous display of plate
and gaslisht, and sec a number of graceful
waters, also in white gloves, whose ba mess
It Is to attend to the guests.
Inc President takes his scat not at the
mead .: the table, but on the side. exactly
midway, Miss Lane acting as his sis.u- u.s.
You find Your name beautifully written on
card laid upon tie plate, before the seat
you are to occupy, and the entertainment,
begins. The c'okins is generally French
cooking, the wines costly and rare and you
VIII soon lave an opportunity of hearing
the great ma!i' talk. You need not be
inform q that Mr.. Buchanan is one of the
mos; delightful diners in the world He has
'nnl o.! small talk for the ladies', a variety
OF OLD fashioned anecdotes, and, as he is by
40 means sparng Of the juice of the grape,
nc gro 5 more easy, and more atfable, and
more agreeable as tho repast goes on, call.
ing out one after the other of the company
and paying compliments to the ladies', occa
s'onaity taking wine with them You new
er ask the President to take wine with you,
but wait to be invited by him. After re-
naming in this delightful society for sever
al hours, at given signal from the Presi
dent the company rise, return to the rccep
ton room, where they are served with cof-
lee and A4Hers, or, if they prefer it, with
brandy, after which you take Your leave and
% nome to remember the hospitaiitics you
have enjoyed. Some of these dinners are
dull and stately enough, but have known
them to be as delightful AS the most genial
could desire.
II You are invited to dine with NJ. S|i-
dell, Mr.. Seward, or with the New Jersey
Knight Of Gwyn, CHR. Speaker Pennington
You are seated around Il large circular table,
and pass through nearly the same routine
rs have described at the Presidents, the
difference being that there is more freed On.
more fun. more jokes, and sometimes hard :
;er drinking.
treat things are frequently accomplished
AT these reunions. Combinations are formed,
p'iltica! s>ues discussed, public men re-
V'cwe' AL more than one important idea
evolved, wnci carried to the capital build
'nSS, makes the heart of the people thrill.
or causes the Union itself to lrclnb!e to its
center.
The Southern representatives are, think,
your best diners out. Such men as Col
heitt, OF South Carolina Toombs. of Gvor-
ga; Boulisny, Of Louisiana: Pryor, of
Virginia Secretary Cobb, Of Georgia; Sec
rotary Floyd, Of Virginia Vice President
l;rccklnrldge and Humphrey Marshall, of
Nentucky, seem to be always prepared with
their best anecdotes, and always ready for
rapartee. They make the cold Northerners
stare as they detail scenes OF Southern life,
ana sketch famous characters in Southern
history talk about Culpepper, Dinwiddie,
Caroline, John Taylor, Nat Macon, General
Jackson and not unficqnently you are re-
called by some old Virginian who tells do
mestic stories OF General WASHINGTON And
the fathers of the Constitution. Nearly all
these men are connected with the old fami-
lies. Some Of these days I hope to give
you sketch Of the manner in which the
great names of Virginia, South Carolina
and kcntucy arc related to each other by
blood and marriage. The ease with which
these men enter the parlor, and the grace
and good nature with which they tell their
stories, cannot be described. lie who un .
delstands the arts Of hospitalitv in Wash .