Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-03-07
WASHINGTON SOCIETY.
President Jel.nsOn's Last Reception
The Most Successful Party of the

Season.
Correspondence of the New York Herald.
| WASHINGTON, March 2.-Presi-
dent johnson held levee tonight
that far exceeded any other that
has been held in the White House
within the memory of the Oldest
lnhabitant for brilliancy and the
immensely of the throng. Even as
early as seven o'clock, before the
doors of the White House were
opened, there were indications that
an unusually large number of peo-
| pie would wend their way to the
presidential mansion during the
evening. AT eight o'clock large
crowd had gathered in front of the
doors; the roomy portieo was
densely packed and the mass of
| people extended a considerable dis
lance down the pavement. This
crowd was oceasi0ned by the peo-
pie arriving faster than they could
be admitted at the doors. Inside
somewhat different arrangements
were made than such as prevailed
on former occasions. The ladies
were shown to their dressing room
on the right of the entrance and
met their gentlemen escort at the
door of the Red Room; but in the
main hall and in the corridor the
crowd of men was almost impene-
trable. The police force were on
duty in greater numbers than com
| mon, and thus the crowd was pre-
vented from pushing through the
doors ofthe Blue and Green Rooms.
The President and Mrs. Patterson
entered through the reception
room few minutes before eight
o'clock, and the stream of visitors
began to pour through into the east
parlor. 1t seemed as though the
whole city had turned out en- masse
to bid farewell to Andrew Johnson,
but it was evident that the greater
portion of the visitors were stran-
gers in the city, here to attend the
Inauguration ceremonies. The
President looked exceedingly well,
and received everybody with
marked cordially. 1t was amusing
to witness the broad stare of those
who entered the Blue Room, when
they had greeted the President
and had taken their stand near by
to have a good survey Of the illus
trious man so soon to pass into the
shades Of private life. Andy
Johnson is a much finer looking
man than his picture represents
him." said one. "He is shorter
man than L had supposed" re-
marked another" as he gazed long
and fxedly over his spectacles. II
am Republican" said a benevo-
lent Western looking man, "and l
have voted right along with that
party, but to-day is the first time l
ever had a favorable opinion of
Johnson He is a conscientious
and patriotic man, | can tell that
by one glance at his face" Mrs.
Patterson even exceeded her usual
cordial and winsome manner. She
was surrounded throughout the
evening by a very brilliant party,
composed of the most distinguished
people in the city. She was dressed
in black corded silk, hounced,
and wore a lace shawl. Her hair
was trimmed with a single pink ia
ponica. At nine o'clock the crowd
became 80 densely packed and the
crushing was so great that the
doors of the mansion had to be
closed until a portion of those in
side could escape. Several ladies
were hurt in the terrible jam, and
to add to the excitement the police
arrested a brace of pickpockets,
who were plying their nefariousvo-
cation, but could not get them out
of the building, so closely were the
halls packed. About half past nine
Lieut.. Gen. Sherman arrived. His
carriage could not get within a
hundred yards. He was very anx-
iOus to get in, and a newspaper cor
respondent recognizing him volun-
teered his services to secure an en-
trance by private passage. He
found the commander of the guard,
Capt. McKeever, who took the Gen.
eral and his party to the President
through the subterranean apart
ments. The crowd of carriages
extended all the way down Penn
sylvania avenue to the Treasury
building as late as eleven o'clock.
Correspondence of the New York WOrld,l
WASHINGTON, March 2.-The final
reception of the President tonight
was the most crowded and most dis
tinguished in its attendance of any
that has characterized the eyentful
term drawing to its close. There
was an estimate of at least five
thousand people present, and every
one of the parlors and other rooms
thrown open to the public was
densely filled with ladies and gen
tlemen, among whom were repre-
scented the whole Of our depart
ments Of government the entire
delegations from foreign courts to
this republic, and citizens from
every State and section of the I'm
ion. The guests began to arrive at
8 o'clock, and the carriages from
that hour until quite IL poured forth
a succession of people. The events
of greeting were sadly different
from those Of similar occasions, in
asmuch as they involved farewell,
and the significance of the time in
this respect, while it forbade the hi
larity and even the gayety current
heretofore at leYees, stamped upon
the night heartiness and a sim
certify as deep as they were genuine.
The most notable personages who
attended were the Chief Justice and
his daughter, and Justices Miller,
Clifford, Swayne, and Davis, accom-
panied by their wives. and, in some
instances, other ladies, members of
their families Attorney General
Evarts and Mrs. and Miss Evarts
Mr.. and Mrs. Secretary McCulloch;
Secretary Browning and Mrs. and
Miss Browning; Miss o. Bannon and
Miss Ball, visiting the Brownings
Hons. VIM. II. and F. W. Seward.
and Mrs. F. W. Seward Gems.
Sherman, Slocum, Thomas, Town