True Democrat., 1863-01-21
Life in Washington.

A. az vivacity that reminds us of the New Orleans Picayume in the olden, golden time The edi- tor of the Rebel has seen, read and studied much; writes with careless yet graceful pen, and his editorials sparkle like champagne.- Here is one of them:
 Northern society, illustrated by the last sum- mer holidays by the sea side, and the opening winter gaietles in New York and Washington is as noisy and corrupt as ever. Nothing seems to cast a shadow over the glare of that brand which, like the caduccs of Roman lust, is waved far and wide, lighthouse of moral infamv.- | The purifying fires of war, the cha stening in | huence of prevailing malady of blood, and the more substantial checks of hard times and empty pockets, are alke intellectual, and leave the mis named bean monde no better than it was in the days when Mrs Dan Sickles '' nirt~ ed' with Philip Barton Key, and Madame Gun nigham put that incxorable spider in the dump ling of Dr. Burdell. There are runaway l matches, and ''pistol matches" and ''elope- 1 ments' for the romantic and the rakish; there ~are balls and pallets for the Gcm lon; and for a there is giddy whirl of excitement and | folly.
 | We can not say that We much envy them these displays of depravity and pride. The
 routS' of Madison Square, the 2" hops" at Wilard's, and the " rouses" at Johnny Coyles, have. long since descended from merrment to indecency. Even those pinnacles o good b. e d | ing, hospitality and culture, the levees" of My Lord Lincoln, would not be able to make us violate the tenth commandment. Indeed, such lltimed mirth rather shocks and disgusts the more refined sense, and resembles most the leer of the drunkard by the solemn bed Of death.
 There was day when these things. if cor, rupting, were yet fascinating. Flora Mclm> Sey, ard her attending train of waiting women and courlers, was real parsonage, and if false and fickfe was still interesting, if for no other reason than that she and they had notl- ing to wear" When the bright Southern ele- ment was infused and injected into the social system of the great metropolitan cities, and cs- pecially that named after the first citizen, giv- ing to it its body and brilliancy, and restrain> tug at least part of its immodesty, the West End and the regions around Lafayette square. .' For smiling age and whispering lovers made,' were famous resorts for old and young, grave and gay. Life then truly made up of Jgoi- den days and nocfes oB,br0sialtoe. It was one b ght dream of wisdom, wit and beauty. With the festive cheer which evolved round " club not inferior to the Monks of the Screw,' and an array of x female lovcness" of Cabinet, Congress and the world at large, it was not sur passed by the royal time of the merriest of monarchs, " when the utmost stretch of a morning study mt no farther than the choice Of sword knot, or the adjustment of a side cur when the soul spoke out in all the pleas~ ing elegance of dress; and beaux and bees, enalnored Ot themselves in one anciher's follv lluttere4 !ik.. gildad butterflies in gddy mazes through the walks of St. James Park.
 Bat these days are over. Their old haunts are deserted. The riot of power and the rava ges of war every hand, choke up the sum shine and shut out the past Highway and by, way are traversed by new men and women, bearing the sharp and peaked characteristics of the Yankee visage, or uncouth grossness of the wnotnrn hnnripr O11 WaehinGtnp Is nn mora Its brilliant, fascinating, unprincipled society; its grand assemblage of wit and wisdom; it's z feast of reason and flow of soul;'' its roaring, soaring ocean of humanity, high and low, with its quiet, exclusive little world of culture and grace-ail, all are gone, never to be again. Albert Pike will never sing his Fine Arkansas Gentleman," nor be "waked' more. We shall never hear the Good Saint Anthony from that Prince of wits and good fellows, John Savage. Robert F. Ould has given up all im' t4ton of Shell for the more serious duties of cartel commis Since his rascaly con- finemcnt at Richmond, even Arnold Harris has half forgotten ' Miss Patsey." Forney, Covle and Caperton have sold out to the enemy. JO Jefferson, disgused, has gone to Australia Jackson, after playing out al poker, concluded to play renegade, by going to Congress and be- coming Yankee General. He fell as he de- served st Perryville. Alexander Dimitrv. the royal, the magnificent, is as mute as an Egyp- tan mummy in Richmond Kingman still writes under the signature of |" Ion," but the
 inspiration has departed. Last of all, Ihe glossy brown hair of Brrcknridge is chinked with gray and he grown to be- from the elegant, the accomplished young Senator and man of the world grave soldier and General. And SO with all the rest
 "All, all are gone, the old familiar fces.'
 Where the merry jest once rung, the drum now beats-where music tloated on the starlit | air, hoarse calls and alien sounds din the ear with a dism al and unearthly cadence-where peace. with its pure robes of white and erinine, ripped once so lightly, seen the bloody gar ments and tiger eyes of despotsm, and usurpa ton, and war-and for the diurnal, pleasant pquant and picturesque, we have nothing left us but the dreary chronicles of either sufierin 2 or dishonor, perpetually presented to our view "a shadow and a fear hangs over the scene the last act of the tragedy which began in pag- eantry and in pomp, is closing amid mysterious mutterings and strange noises, ominous of a hnal catastrophe of death and ruin.
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