, 1865-03-13
TEE INAUGURATION BALL.
Magnificent Finale Of the Season.
Full and Graphic Description Of the
Ceremonies and FestiVitieA

Full and Graphic Description Of the
Ceremonies and FestiVities.
SPLENDID AND nAGNlRICEsY TOILETFES
OF TIE LADIES.
TEER1r1c CRUSH At TIE su1-
PER TABLE.
Especial Correspondence Of the New York Times.1
WAsHEo7oS, Tuesday, March =.
The Washington " seaton" is past, and
there certainly could not have been q more
4aenl1cant or graceful finale; not alone to
the winters gayeties,. but to tue ceremonies
whieh hare mace Abraham Lincoln our Pres
!aen1 again Tor the next four years, than lhc
ttme;honored National Inauguration Bail
which came off last night; and. 1t is entirely
appropriate that not alone with firing of can
nor and waving Of banners, in which men
alone participate, but with mnslc and dancing
should We meet and. celebrate this signal oc-
cas1on, When the gentlemen arc expected to
pe as gallant, and the ladies as lovely as pos
sible.
The marble halls of the Patent office were
selected ns the most commoiious and best
adapted ID this city. The hall appropriated
to dancing Is two hundred and eighty feet
long, BY about sixty feet in width; and the
teoF Is LAID n large blocks Of blue and white
marble. Its decorations were. really beautt-
tnl-emblems, banners nnd devices being
tastefullY disposed on the wills, while the
e:aloratcly frescoed ceiling impaired an nir
Of decided grandeur. Among the decorations
the American flag WRs mosk prominent, while
the various flags Of ths different army corps
ft;1med an appropriate accompaniment. Agal-
leTy1t tie east end was occupied By fine brass
bsnd, which gave music for the promenade,
! while in the center, on the south side, q
splendid str1ng band Furnished music for the
dance
Beside this spacions'hall, a wing, three hun
drcd feet In length, was appropriated for the
| promenade, and corresponding one on the
opposite side for the suppcr-room. The music
| was excellent, and had the severll halls and
| the entire building been thoroughly lighted,
which they we're not, the effect would haye
| teen nucD finer, But gas Is certainly not
| good in Washington, though said to hc very
! were sofas and chairs In blue and gold for
| the Plceidcut and family.
| AL the arrangements seemed to be under
! The management Of capability end dfstinc-
| ton, The tickets for the indies were vary
elaborate and prettily designed, six By ten
! of the President and Vice President, beside
| two very good Hkenesses of the American
eagle.
As enrly as o'clock the carriages began 10
| arrive, and soou the ballroom Nus thronged.
The excellent bands cf music soon set the
Of the dance. At about 1880 O'Clock an
atuzt courier cleared the way from the main
entrance, when his Excellency, accompanied
by Speaker Co'fax, entered the hall. Follow
| ing was Mrs. Lincoln upon the arm. of Sena-
tor Sumner, They walked down TIE center
end returned midway to the dais, when they
became seated. Mr.. Lincoln was evidently
trying to throw off care for the time; but
| with an1her Ill success, md looked very old ;
yet he seemed pleased and Eratlfed' as he 1
black suit and white gloves.
| Mrs. Lincoln looked extremely well, aud
| WAS at1ired In the most elegant manner her
d1css was made Of white satin, very ample
| and rich, but almost entirely covered BY q
| tunIc or rather skirt Of the finest point dp-
! plique. Her corsage, which was low, and the
| short sleeves, were orna1nented richly by q
| berth Of the some material, and the shawl,
also Of the same rich lace, was most cIqals-
lie. Pdssen.e.&eT5e Of narrow futed satin rib
bon and nouds completed the dress. Her
earrings, brooch and bracelets. Her hair,
which was put plainly back from her face,
was ornnmented with trailing 1essamine and
clustering yiolets most gracsfu1lJ. She looked
exceedingly well with her soft, white cou1-
| plexion, and her toilet sTas fau1tlcss. Her
l
Mr.. Robert Lincoln, tine-lookinr young
MN, wearing the uniform of q Captain IN the
| regular army, was also present.
About II O'Clock Secretaries Seward and
Welles, Attorney General Speed, aud q large
number Of diplomats, accompanied by their
Mrs. Secretary Welles, a lady Of "a Iher petite
| figure, WAS dressed In q mode colored silk,
| with Black lace shawl. Mrs. Secretary uaher,
Of about the same stature. wore rich dress
otgarnet satin, yerT plainly but richly made
Mrs. Postmaster General Dennfson, who Is q
dress OF heavy black velvet, brilliant Jewels.
| and hair plainly dressed. Her daughter was
in white muslin, embroidered with black.
Mrs.. Fred. Sewa1d, wife Of the Assistant Sec.
reta1y Of State, was atttred ln q pretty rose.
co1ored silk, handsomely trimmed. Mrs. Sen,
preserved English lady, wore q most elegant
dress Of corn -colored silk, trimmed with potn.
applique. Mrs: Senator McDougall WIS also
richly nttired. The wife Of our artist Carpen.
ter was dressed in light silk, with q fuchn ol
tulle. Ono Of the most elaborate and rich
| dresses in the room Was worn By Mrs. George
| Francis Train it Was yerT finely plnided
blue silk, trimmed with dounce of thread
lace, almost as deep as her skirt, and other
hces to match. Her hair was powdered with
gold. Mr.. Train WAS also present. -...~,
The multitude Of recherche dresses worn
By ladies' Of distinction, it would be impossl-
bic to cnumerntc. There was preponder-
nncc Of sensible, high.nccked dresses; but q
few, and some not American, wore corslges
shocking1y 3tco1ttie<- Many ladies who wore
with hoops altogether, thereby displaying,
their good taste as yell as their regard for
| the appreciation of some approximation to
the female form which still inheres or fingers
In the mind OF man one, . matron and cvl.
IDENTIFY Spanish lady, wore dress Of cloth
- $.uA 11Hynt A1t%
such an one as is seldom seen In this country,
OF atfo1dcd in any other. In her hatr she
wore cluster OF five or six enormous dia
moud rings, strung on q bandeau Of velvet
Her laccs were a!eo Of the finest quality. In
her hand she carried large fan Of the EaFesi
and most brilliant Workmanship, Which
seemed to give breeze OF more ardent clint
than OURS. 4 MORE antique dress, high
necked and amp1c4kirted, Of the moat deit
by young lady, was indeed exquisite
and also vs1y ght layendfs en e. nGi,s eir, an
wajst t with long silver ffnee, was superb
silks predom1n6ted over the more airy tex
tures, Diamonds and oth.r precious Jewell
were worn In great abundance, and rich Ia
ces were plentiful. Some ladies displayed tn
bad taste Of wearing their rings over thel
sior somebodY's clse"-hair, which Is friz
zled and puffed and curled in the most extsu
stye manner, and Is powdered frequently wisl
diamond and gold dust. One dress of mauy
velvet, trimmed with deep point lace, "
must not omit to mention. It was royal.
were representcd, to : limited degree; bu
"oil" will tell very toon, as it spreads
rapidly, md cloth not unfrequent!y make
the man. There were not, however, any col
cred peJsons present, a. the Washington &c
cesstdnists insisted would be the case.
THE SUPPER.
It had been rnmored-and the fDundatto
for the report was only rumor-t6at the s1E
per was to be something extraordinary. "
were surprised at this, because We knew goo
taste and modern custom, In small places lik
! New York, have, Of late years, literally 6
! chcwcd the practice Of immense suppers a
} public bal1s; and this reform has been neccs
; STATED by the lact that such attempts ha
generally ended in catastrophes to the toilet
: and tcmpers Of all participants. It wal
, | therefore, with misgiytnEs that we saw it NJ
nounced that 3 grand supper would be serve
i | in one Of the corridors OF the extensive built
. ing. The American people, IN general, - y
: to behave at table and that species OF ct
auette, not loo prevalent IN private, is ce
E fajnlv always absent at public suppers. 8
it was not strange that NO should have ha
+ warning visions Of q grand rush, then crusl
] and demolition in the twinkling Of IN G.
:. OF all Inc c0nlecttonef - AanhiMois, tne Ma
f tic snatchfpg Of viands from the tables, Il
: brandishipg aloft Of wine cup, and plate, 81
+ cut]sry. laden with articles alike dangerol
e to toilet and stomach; Of munching 81
e c,unchipg aons etre,nosie; Of dcflement nr
d ruin to precious apparel, the result pefhalI
$ / Of weeks Of the dIessmaker's effort; Of Il
: loss Of temper, md loud eties OF complain
ouence that o graceful assemblagge Of d!suii:
@ lsdies and gentlemen might be transtorme
b as II BY the wand Of some evil spirit, into
q | eotYol ffIe vhfre he who was FudeSt BhOu