Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1867-03-29
Etiquette in Washington
GOSSIP OF SOCIETY.
TIE lnS ana Outs.
From a Lady Correspondent

From Lady Corrcs pon,leut
WASHINGTON. March I. 1861.
There are questions here as gravely and
eagerly discussed. and As pertinaciously
fought out. as that OF reconstruction. about
which nevertheless no word gets into the
papers, and of which few of you mc:i are
ever permitted 10 know anything. Such a
question. which has been agitating WASH
ington all winter. and for what know for
half dozen years, is the question of prccc-
Lence.
This Is matter in which stupid ''men-
creatures" takono interest and advise
them. therefore. to turn over at once. when
they have got far rs this to the next
page. where they may read about recon-
str,ptioiL or tariff. or tax bills. or some
other stuff of that kind, OF which iTs.n, by
long perverSDn OF taste. get fond Of as they
do Of tobacco and brandy. This letter is
addressed to the women who read the Ev
ENiNG POST; it is to he full of scandal and
gossip; mean to set down in it the sub
stance of what have heard discussed in
the morning hour in private parlors a
Wizards. what has formed the topic of con-
vers:ttion at the houses where have made
calls. what we have interested ourselves in
while waiting for our husbands to return
home from the Capitol i'll the evening.
Thi, is the great and important question
ofsocial precedence. Not the general qnes
tim, understand, for that is settled BY rules
Very well understood. and against which
no one has set up a rebellion, so far. That
the President calls upon no one: that the
Cabinet take precedence of Senator'S and
Senators of Representatives. This is very
Melk known, hope. to those who may
read ths-tor is it not all laid down in
clarn,ingiy snobbi>h but useful little vol
ume OH Etiquette in Washington" written
by Mr.. L. L. T;lsistr6, late of the State De-
yrtIncnt:
Next to the cabinet ministers. Mr. Tas-
istro tell us, precedence properly belongs
to the judges of the United States Supreme
Court. the Acknowledgement There was
no General when he wrotc1 senators.
members Of the House OF Representatives.
judges of the Court of Appeals and District
Courts. army and navy officers according
to rahk. distilgui she'd stran.e's and private
citizens. There you have the foundation of
Washington society. the Framework There
j. the law-but, unluckily, it is a law which
dies no. cover quite all tho dcbatable
grosui%.
Cabinet ministers. judges ofthe United
States Supreme Court and Court of Claims,
and heads Of bureaus, says Mr.. Tasistro,
are by common consent absolved from Wis
ting. lie omits TO say. however. what
am told is the fact. that the wives of the
House are expected to c;sN first on Sena-
10 the great question. which is this: Should
the Speakers wife call on the Senators
wives. OF may she insist on the Senators
wives calling on her:
The present Speaker lsss no wife-the
question Is not therefore 4 practical one;
but would like to know whether that
makes ii less interesting or Important
assure you we have discussed it here with
a lively an appreciation rs though MIR. Col
i. pr n hl. IN led f0-lnnrrnw.
For only suppose he, or amy other speaker.
acre married. would not the question be of
immediate importance and is it not best
therefore. 10 settle it now beforehand: On
ly stupid men put Offthinga; when we WON
en- 90 to Congress we shall settle all qucs-
tons in advance.
Ought the Speaker of the House to call
on the Senator's? The persons who main-
tain the affirmative say that all members
of the House call on Senators; the Speak
er is member Of the House: therefore the
Speaker ought to call on the Senator's
This is an example of that contemplate
logical formula known as a ''syllogisin."
An logic is hateful. and syhogism is the
vilest development Of 4 bad act. Suppose
should say all donkeys like apples: men
like apples: therefore men are ''donkeys.
Eli. Whenever look down fro III the gal
lerics see some Congressuen mmching
AN apple. But don't 90 and make Il syl-
logi>n about ii.
The ladies who maint ain the negative say
that the speakerof the House is one of the
highest officers of the government; that in
certain contingencies he may become Pres
ident. to fill vacancy; and that his case
therefore stands alone, and must be dccid-
ed on its own merits and not by general
rule.
Please understand that do not take sides
in this controversy. am not counting Mr..
Colfax, and do not expect to become Mrs.
Co!faS; my poor. dear husband, at home.
busy with his Gotten goods, shall never have
cause 10 be jealous IF mt. / am All outsid-
er and have no right TO opiniolIs-but |
know that il were to decide should not
let a mere syllogism carry the day
You must know that all the authorities
have been questioned, all rrcccdcnts hunt
ed up. so Tar in vain. to settle this impor-
taut question. am told that several SEN
ators have been commanded by their wives
to question Mr.. Seward. who, having been
long here, Is suppo sed by some to be an
oraele. Mr.. Seward, / hear. gave judg-
inen ia favor OF the senators-but then
everybody remembers that he was long a
senator. and probably stands by his order.
At any rate his decision counts for nothing
One great authority there Is, one oracle.
ulaose voice would really decide-fhis ia
the venerable Justice Wayne. lie lived in
Washington before sou and we're born
he has moved In society here. aader most
ofthe Presidents. 1 believe; on all que stiens
of etiquette Ne lis the suesreme arbiter. lie
has been consulteG--fLisk nat4 what eager
s,ess his decision Was hooked fer--&nd then
saa think that the dear odd IMAM abeosnteiy
aeft,ses to decide!
Fnr INV essat think his get1eence uncoE-
sitstts.,ial. bsrt mhes 1 ssii& go the other day
dn y seuator-wtsll. WON'T fsSl ~. sia'ne-