The Portland daily press., 1871-10-19

The PRESIDENTIAL PARTY.-The correspon-
dent of the Boston Journal accompanying the
Presidential party gives the following descrip.
ton OF the scene in the Presidents car. Most
people in Maine have not been accustomed to
look upon the jovial member from the Fourth
District exactly as ga SPHINX but never mind !:
A soft perfume fills the charming middle sa.
lon in which the President receives, and where,
by the way, believe he haSnot been seen with
the traditional cigar yet He is as 1nscrutable
as ever, and seems to have but little inclination
to fall into conversation. The little man with
his firm, set jaw and stern eyes, and in his
dress OF solemn black, all unbefitting for so
martial an air, is surrounded BY faces and men
which bring out his characteristics in strong
relief.
Let us look for a moment at the people in
this special car. Poor Mr.. President, you are
the idol of the moment, but you must obey the
bidding of Speaker Blaine, who at this mo-
ment as write is in his own district and knows
every stone by the wayside He speaks to Gen.
Grant: "Mr. President, you had better stand
on the platform Just bere," and the President
YEARLY obeys. Blaine, with his intense prac-
tical lace and brusqne business like air, attracts
attention every " here, and receives cheers all
along the line. There is galaxy of celebrities
seated in the grand saloon of the special car
There is Gen. Babcock, one of the Presidents
private SECRETARIES, quiet gentleman, with
the military out of WHISPER, and fund of in
formation about Washington; there is the
stout, full bearded, ripe Secretary OF Ware
BeIknap, smoking la Graft; there is Hon.
Mr.. Peters, the Maine Congressman serene as
asphinx; that tall gentleman with huge
moustache and nautical air is Admiral Alden
commander of the "Wabash;" that noble look
ing gentlemen, with long, silver gray hair and
mOustache, is Ex-Governor Chamberlain, of
Maine, and there, seated beside him, in Gen.
Horace Porter, aBother of the Presidents Sec
retaries, jauntily chatting; while next him the
spiritual face OF Senator Buckingham of Con-
nectcut, shines like star; U. S. Marshal Ush.
er strides to and fro in the carriage, watchful
of the Presidents comfort; Gen. Rufus Ingalls,
has fallen asleep in his chair, and Senator Cat
tell, OF New jersey, fresh, active and observ-
ant, is looking ont on the Maine plains thro'
which we are so rapidly running In the side
saloon Hon. Mr.. Robson, the navy's efficient
Secretary, chats cherrily with the tired Presi-
dent, and cracks jokes with Gen. Belkpap, VINO
is the life of the occasion. Secretary Robson
is OF the English type of feature, full of good
humor, affable and running over with inform
alton. Postmaster General Creswell is seated
next, quietly smoking his eternal cigar. He is
an elderly gentleman, quiet and reserved in
manner, and so devoted to his work that his
mind IS always on it. There is the familiar
face of DR.. Loring, our Massachusetts farmer
and politician, with his clear cut, manly, i'm
passive features, redolent of calm. Then there
is Hon. John Lynch, of Portland, and there is
the quiet, fine looking Gov. Perham, of Maine,
modest in his corner, and next him Senator
Sawyer, of South Carolina. Major Clayton
McMichael, Commander Of the third district of
Maine during the war, is next He is nov edi-
tor of the Philadelphia North American, and
represents the Quaker city in the party. There
is Gen. Thomas W. Hyde, who was with Sher-
idan in the Shenandoah; Gen. James A. Hall,
whose artillery did such execution at Gettys-
burg; ex-senator James W. Bradbury, ex-
Gov. Coburn, A. B. Mullett, Supervising arch
itect of the Treasury of Washington, are all
seated near by. The British Consul for Port
John Young. Lord Lisgar, of Canada, is sur
rounded by his ministers, and busily engaged
in conversation