The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-02
FIRST EDITIO N
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
New Years at the National Capital.

lousy observed a. the national capital. ProoH-
bly, no city in the Union exceeds Washington in
this respect, except it be New Yock. We have
CON bination of circumstances no Rever. in
which New York is lacking, and which enables
us TO eclipse the great commercial metropolis In
our celebration Of New Years day. The Presi-
dents reception, together with those OF the
Cabinet officersg Senators and members, and
distinguished citizens, are features peculiar to
Washington.
The Reception at the white House.
There are really three distinct receptions at
the Presidential mansion; that is, different
classes are received at different hours. Tnis IS
the only exception TO the democratic level
which obtains everywhere el-c. First of ali
come the members OF the Cabinet, the foreign
ministers, the judges of the Supreme Court of
the United States, the members of the Senate
and House of Representatives, the judges OF the
Supreme Court OF the District OF ColHmbia and
of the Court OF Claims. TIE weather was un
propitious and as q consequence private car
| risges and hacks of every description were
| brought into Iequisition. New Years Is the
| only day in the year when the gates leading to
the Executive mansion are guarded by soldiers
and closed against the masses, but this is only
| for few hours. The various rooms aud parlors
| of the Executive mansion were tasteiuy deco
| rated with rare and fragrant flo wers, while the
Marine Band, famous among all other bands,
was stationed on the left of the large ante-room,
and during The reception discoursed appropriate
music.
Arrival of the Foreign Ministers and
| Cabinet Officers.
| few minutes before IL o'clock the maguia.
cent equpages of the foreign ministers and the
81 ,l., H,h
| began 10 arrive, approaching the Executive
| mansion by the eastern gate, and leaving by the
western. Entrance to the White House was by
| the n ain door, and the exit by one of the large
windows on he north front, at which tempo
rary platform was erected leading to the
pavement.
There was less ceremony this year than here.
tofcre, but still there was enough to please the
fancy of our foreign trients. The foreign dlin-
listers assembled in the red parlor according TO
custom, where they awaited the arrival of Secre.
,ary Seward to be presented to the President.
Somehow or other a number of the Cabinet
officers got mixed up with the foreigners in the
re parlor, and when Mr.. Sc ward made his ap-
pearance be saw some of his own official asso.
cates trying to make themselves agreeable as
best they could with the diplomats. The bril-.
democratic merlcan eyes. From the minister
extraordinary and plenpotentiary to the 10 vest
secretary of legation, every one is attired in
court dress. An American would feel strangely
uncomfortable in those curiously cat coats,
enc broideted all over with gold aud richly deco
rated with orders and other insignia of rank,
and the inevitable dress sword hanging at their
sides. But these men are accustomed TO it, and
1t sits upon Them as easily and as gracefully al
their official honors,
Presentation OF the Guests.
The President and the ladies of the Executive
manslon-Mrs. Senator Patterson and Mrs
Colonel sto0er-were in the blue parlor prom otly
at IL o'clock waiting the arrival of the visitors
On the LETT OF the President was the Hon
Daniel s. Goocing, Marshal Of the District, who
presented the visitors to the President. The
ladies occupied position near the centre o
the room, with General MichIer, Com missioner
of Public Buildings, upon their left, who per-
formed the ceremony of presenting them. Firs
of all, the President received the members o.
the Cabinet and their families Secretary
Seward and Miss Carpenter, of Auburn, N. Y.
Secretary Browning and daughter; Postmaster
General Randall ard lady; Secretary WelIei
and lady; Secretary McCulloch and lady
Attorney. General Eyarts and lady; Secretary
schoield and lady; and Assistant Secretary
W. Seward.
They were followed by the Diplomatic Corp
in iull court costume and side arms, who wert
presented to the President by Secretary Seward
as follows: Sir Edward Thornton, the Englsl
Minister, and lady; Francis Clare Ford anC
lady, W. P. Freeman and lady, Edmund d. V
Fame, and Henry Howard, Esq, all of the Eng
ltsh legation; n. J. Berthemy, the Frencl
Minister; NJ. G. Vcomte st. .Feriol and Nj
Baredetti, his secretaries; Mr.. Rangabee tn
Grecan Minister, and Mr.. Leon Rangabee, hi
secretary; Baron Franckenstein, Charge d'A'
fairs, Austria; senor BIest Cana, Charge d'A
fairs, Chill, and Senior Mackenna, his secretary
Baron Gerot, the Prussian Minister, lady an
daughter, and Count Lottum, his secretary
NJ. Waldemar de Bodisco and lady, of the Rus
sian legation; Senor Goni, the Spanish Minis
ter; .Senor Potestad Don Manuel de Azcarrags
and Don p. Diaz de Rivera, his secretaries
Baron N. W. de Wetterstedt the Swedish Minis
ter; n. Blaeque, the Turkish Minister, an
lady, and Nj. Baltazzi, his secretary; Consu
General Hiz, OF Switzerland, aud Mr.. Ost, hi
secretary; Mr., Billie, Danish Minister, and n
Raaslof, Danish Secretary Of War, now on
visit to this country.
! Next came the Judges Of the Supreme Cour
y and their families, in the follow wing orders:
Chief Justice Chase, Associate Justices Griel
Clifford and lady, Davis and lady Muller an
lady, and Field. These were folio wed by jude
George P. Fisher and A. Wyie, of the Distrit
Supreme Court, and Judge Casey, of the Coul
of Claims.