, 1861-03-14

1eled as it Is, must be 1aid ut the door Of James
Buchanan. It Is for the new Administration
10 deal with realities as It finds them.
OCCASIONAL.
The Ftrat Republican Levee at the
Willie House.
Correspondence Of the Philadelphia Presa.1
WASHINGTON, March, 10, 1861.
The scene at the White House, on Friday
evening, on the occasion Of the first public re-
ception Of Mr. and Mrs. lincoln, exceeded any
previous demonstration Of the sort since the
ington "Eeason'' may be said to be over since
the House Of Representatives has adjourned
and the ides Of March are passed, yet the crowd
which besieged every door ana wln6oT Of the
Presidential man6ion on the night alluded to,
gGre totcftsi4e evidence that the !" City Of
Magnificent Distances pas not totally desert
ed Of inhabitants. Long previous to the hour
people and lines Of carriages we're on the way
to the central point Of attraction. And when
the tide Of human beings once began to surge
within, every corridor and every saloon Of the
White House SEEMED filed In few moments
The pressure was SO great that, at times, the
dressing rooms to the scene Of festivities. No
mass meeting; no opening Of new opera,
ever massed SO many people together.
The President stood near the western door
Of the Oval reception Io0m, and, with his
towering figure and commanding presence,
stood Ike hero, putting the foot down firm
Il, and breaking the stream as it swept by.
such q haud:shaking as then and there ensued
might well have exhausted the energies of
more than giant. And yet, although his Ex-
cellency shook hands at the rate Of twenty-five
per minute, (as timed By gentleman on the
dred an hour, this patient aud selfsacriGcing
ordeal was endured from eight until eleven
o'clock The President was ably sustained
during the trial by his private secretary, Mr.
J. G. Nicolay, who stood on his right, and by
Col. Ward IL 1amon, one Of his intimate per
sonal friends, who stood on his left. Every
body reeeivedat least a hand.shake and smile,
and many, especially Of the tairer part Of crea-
ton, received the honor Of halt and few
brief moments Of personal col1oquy.
Mrs: Lincoln aud her two distinguished sis
tera, Mrs. Kellogg and Mrs. Edwards. and her
two nicces, Mrs. Baker and Miss Edwards,
formed q striking group to the right of the
personal costume, We may be permitted tn
say that all the court ladies were dressed in
tile most exquisite taste. Mrs. Lincoln made
i pleasant impression upon every one Who
came near her. Had she been born and lived
her life in the court Of the Tuileries, she could
not have shown more fitness for tho position
which she so admirably adorns. Her manner
was gracious aud atfnble to the extreme, and
made fitting counterpart to the bluff, hearty
good nature Of her husband.
In such Jam it was impossible to tell who
was there, and who wasn't, but amongst the
visitors we noticed the following: Hon. Hugh
White, Of New York; Geo. Wise, Of Virginia,
| {nephew to Henry 4. Wise J Hon. Alex. RiVes,
| Of ViEglnia; Prof. shele d'Vere, Of the Uni
| versity Of Virginia; Hon ]. B. Varnum, of
| New York City; Mr.. Baker, editor Of the
I Springfield (llL) journal; Secrctas les Welles,
1 Forr oy3A rnFo3prr
Blair, (Mr: Seward being detained ct home BY
illaess;) Senator Douglas, Mrs. Douglas, and
her father, Mr. Cults, Nathan Sargent, B. B.
French, Esq, Richard Wallack and lady, Mrs.
Horalo King, JAS. T. Wise, Candidate for Po-
lice Commissioner;) Mr. Judge Mclean, Maj.
Vice President Hamlin, DR. Thomas Miller, Su
perintendent {Census) Kennedy, General Car
rington, Minister Judd ito Berlin) and his pri-
yate Secretary, Mr.: Kreismann j; D. G. Enos Of
Philadelphia, and daughters; Mr. aud Mrs. ].
Kendall, Rev. Mr.. Gurley, Rev. Byron snnder-
l.ud, Rev. DR.. Samson, President Columbian
College; Rev. Prof. Schute, Columbian Col
lege Rev, Dr.. Parker, Mr. Rice Of Boston;
Or. Wallis, Of the New York Herald, and wife,
&c, SC
Potter, Allison, Bouigny, Morris, Curtis,
Morse, Burliuglme, Tuck, English, Evans oi
Texas, Goodrich, Loyejoy, H1tehins, Farms
worth, and G. F. Adams !; and the Senate was
represented by Messrs. Baker, Wilson, King,
pearce, Chandler, Sumner, Foster, Simmons,
Bingham and Trumbull.
The army Was represented By Major HeitzeI,
Lieut. Mclean, Col. Craig (and daughter Ma.
jor McDonald, Captains Clark, Miller, GnIlum,
Cilley, Shiras, Ringold, Davis, Barry, Kings.
bury, Woodruff, Palmer, and Franklin; DR..
Wood (and LADY,, Major Ramsay, Major East,
man, Colonel Taylor, brother to Gen. Taylor},
Captain Meigs, Colonel Sumner, Colonel
Thomas, xiEuts. Beckwith aud Griffith, DC,
tSc- The navy by Captain Glasson, Lieut.,
Phelps, Captains MagrudeT and MauFy, DR..
Elliott land LADY,, Com. Smith, Commanders
Sands and Page.
Senator Do1gias aud his beautiful and &C
| comPlished lady were amongst the notable
visitors present. After the dense crowd had
gradually thfrned off from the corridors, aud
the reception room had become comfortable
enough to permit human motion from one par
OF it TO another, he1ady of the White House
escorted BY the Presidents private Secretary
made the tour Of thc oval room, paueing eye13
moment to recognize and speak with the many
friends around her. Of the incidents OF thi:
part Of the evening, perhaps the gratifying in
las was the most Interesting. The controlling
emotions that animated either party to thi
episode may we'll be imagined. After oil tha
has passed; after the special relations whicl
Atr. Lincoln and Mr. Douglas have sustained
| not simply in the Illinois chapter OF thei
lives, but more recently in the grander spher
! Of national politics, the scene alluded to gain
historic significance, Both ladies were full,
equal to the occasion, and the only strife Of
ths greater kindness, the greater magnanlmit5