New-York tribune., 1871-03-31
WASHINGTON SKETCHES.
HOME AGAIN-A DRAMATIC HANGING-LITERARf
DoINGs-NR. SUMMERS SPEECH.

ro,p,xr areside will be accorded TO me. For over
week now have been at home yet have seen little Of
poltical or parliamentary interest TO comment upon
The fact is have enjoyed much change, and free
DOM and fresh air this past Winter that the monoony
constraint, and impure atmosphere of the Senate ana
House are almost ntolerable to They are having In
both Houses the lu after the storm. Sti the air is
murky with occasional spiteul spits Of rain and rows
OF suen thunder. Nothing is clear. Doctors OF politics
disagree every question-Amnesty Tariff Santo DO
mingo KuKlux. Senator Nye tells melancholy story
Of Southern outrage and murder in powerful impas
stoned appeal driven home with eoQuence and cnnched
with Scripture texts, and Senator Scott in calm,
earnest welstuded wel-slfted statement and neither
make any impression on the cool skepticsm or ptess
partisanship Of the Democratic side of the chamber
n political life has been during the last week, dull
and decorous at the capital social life has been as you
may have noticed, uncommOnly rich in incident and
sensation. We have had O recherche wedding in high
hfe followed by the most dramatic hanging that ever
came of in the District Jenkins who did himself great
honor the first occasion, really surpassed himself on
the second All the sayings and doings Of the condemned
during the last days of his wretched life minutey
chroniced and fondy embelished; his last fearful let
ters stepped in british ignorance sefrghteousness'
vanity bravado and unconscious blasphemy were Vaie
fully copied and paraded In all the papers.
Ii seems to that the circumstances Of this execution
can but most demOralizng in their effect monster
of vice cruelty who for his unspeakable crime WOu
like brute rather than the romantic reporter says
he perished like man." and who would perhaps even
here have so died, had not his Nctlm Deeh ou' anu
poor and friendess-was made hero OIL had aInosI
said martyr Utterly unrepentant Tor all that appears
he was taught 70 believe himself ready and ripe for
heaven yet encouraged in appealing to the sympathes
and eredulty of the people, denouncing witnesses for
falseswearng judges and jury for injustice, ana even
the President for ignorance OF law ana want OF
"bearL" There is doubt but that he oleu
confidently and cOolly enough. That man mas
a chance to exhibit this brutal bravado, Is stm-
Mated 70 keep ii up TO the last and die game" is
OF the most horrible of this most horrible hang
ing system Our Washington papers OF the past week,
containing not one word OF manly ind gnatlon for out
ragged womanhOod. of ehivalrous pity for helpless old
age would afford pleasant reading for certain young
soldier in the British army, not perhaps "sender in
frame' or handsome; !" not it may be, possessed OF
Charge black eyes, lustrous and searching, but the
"Only son OF his mother, and she widow the mur-
dered woman.
Very elegant and polite cards of invitation were issued
for the ceremony OF this execution. Owing 10 the l-
tied capacity Of the jaiyard the company rather
select than suited TO our democratic prine-
PIES and the indignant excluded public did not hesitate
70 take advantage Of garret windows and housetops TO
Gery considerable extent. Even some women and chill
dren it is sad thus enabled TO witness the edfy-
ing spectacle There is always something lacking in all
great parades and ceremonies in Washington This exc
cution for instance too public for private enter
tainment and too private for public display II hang
ings must be made show Of let the jaiyard farce be
abandOned let the high tragedies take place on the
eastern front OF the Capitol before those awful groups
Of PerscO in the presence of high church oclas the
President and Cabinet and the Supreme Court Judges in
their black gowns. Call out the troops, and let the
Marine Band play its best and solemnest.
In art or literature have little to touch on hear
high praise bestowed on the statue Of Roger Will
liams lately placed in the old Hall Of Representatives
have except through its canvas wrappings
1t was unvaed day. hear but the modest elderly
gentleman catching sight Of Winnie Reams Lincoln went
into profound retirement again, Immediately, and has
not been since The Lincoln statue since the break
ing OF the proclamation scroll, small liable OF stone,
is strongly protected against the alteration OF the popu
lace.
Mrs Celia Logan Kellogg made her first essay as lee
furer in this city, on Monday night Her appearance
was pleasing, youthful, and graceful She was SIMPLY
and becomngy dressed yet evidently not bent on making
grand dress-parade. She read her lecture, having the
moral support OF the desk throughout vet not being
closely confined to her manuscript She did not prance
or trot back forth before her audience swinging her
train and tOting her paner. She did not once make
the grand Of the PLATFORM which was behavior novel
and agreeable Her lecture on "English Hearts and
Homes" was rather superficial and incomplete, but had
in 1t many sparkling passages and good bits OF descrp
ton The adys voice bears the marks OF stage training
and would be very effective her reading less rapid
Yet do not why with practice and study she can
not make in this sphere for clever women
AtMr Kings Literary Reunion, Saturday night,
Mr. Don Piatt gave very humorous account OF DIP
lomatic life Europe. have heard nothing so good OF
It's kind for long time dry, and dro and divertlng
AT this feast OF reason and flow Of soul there was as
great crush and crowd could meet at Cabinet
Minister'S free lunch At time, Hterdh stood six
deep my train.
BY the way find myself soundly berated here for an
article which appeared in THE TRIBUNE during my
Fash ahl Washington, very
little into that society, know little Of their tricks
and their manner and to the best Of my knowledge and
belief did not write that article but suspect by the
effect 1t has produced, that some one has been
speaking the truth with more planness and courage
than should probably have spoken it. Yet think
have wholesome and sufficient horror Of promiscuous
Rounddances as immodest, unhealthfu and ungracetu
They are most dismayng and dsheartenDg exhibitions
TO any woman who has the elevation and enfranchise
ment OF womanhoOd at heart. Yet after ALL but
remember that when was young-I should say when
was younger than am now-I deplorably fond Of
the waltz. l saw the reprehensble nature OF the pas
time at las and gave 1t up forever. gave 1t up at
about the time abandoned riding breakneck and
leaning walls and bitches STILL submit that the old
fashioned threetime waltz is no more like the mad,
pungfng backing gaopiDg round dances Of to-day than
Mozart Is like Ofenbach.
asth-I was present at the great occasion Of yes
ferday in the Senate. The scene certainly a
most impressiye one. The immense crowd in the
Galleries and Hobbies, filing all the steps, blocking
M all the doors-ladies Quorum rars J"D in
vading even the sacred floor OF the Senate-the
notwithstanding Senate ITSELF the great statesman
and scholar Of Massachusetts, laundering 1orth DIS long
prepared arraignmen with much OF his OLD classic eie
ganee massive eoquence and more than ms od sar
cas and severty-the effect which each count In the In
dictment produced on that vast, varied assembly-a
made up picture and a memory which can never pass
from nv mind 1t was great scene-a great exhibition