The Portland daily press., 1873-03-07
TERMS $500 PER ANNUM IN ADVANCE.
Edmund Yates at Washington.


Edmund Yates is writing the New York
Herald series of entertaining articles about
the Inauguration Fl ON which the following is
| taken:
. There, however, in an inner sanctum, I
| md one whose fame is world wide and whom
l have long desired to see
GENERAL SHERIDAN.
In figure and face he IS wonderfully like the
First Napoleon in his Younger eays: but his
manner, unlike that OF his prototype,
| frank and hearty. ''Sheridan's Ride" this
| morning has been from Chicago, whence he
has just arrived. With him, bright hand
some and soldier like in bearing, is his chief
OF staff, Colonel Forsyth, whom the red skin
warriors know and fear, and another friend,
keen, bue-eyed, clear-headed ex-Collector
Tom Murphy, who in Office ia New York
never allowed any man to do his duty. The
hearty genalty of General Sheridan / find
repeated in General Sherman, whom / next
visit, and who, in outward appearance, is
much more like the typical American, as we
| picture him to ourselves
AMERICAN VERSUS BRITISH OFFICERS.
One thing that must strike every English
man coming to this country is the ease with
which men in high position are approached,
and the courtesy and affability which they
display. A civilian attempting to seek an in
terview with the Duke of Cambridge, who
occupies similar position with us to that
held by General Sherman in this country
would probably be either sent to lunatie
asylum or be beheaded on Tower Hill for
high treason. A gentleman having business
at our Treasury would probably never see
anyone higher In rank than second class
clerk, whereas this morningI saw Mr.. Boat-
| well seated at his desk and engaged in an an
mated business conversation, while scores of
people, not even making pretense of having
any official communication to make to him.
but were - =.
MALE AND FEMALE LoAFERs,
strolled at their ease through his apartment,
glared at him from the sofas on which they
mad hung themselves in easy attitudes, and
passed loud criticisms upon the furniture and
great wonderment at what the monogram U.
3. l.. u. worked in the carpet could possibly
stand for. Easy of access, forsooth! What
could have been the shock to my. precon-
celyed notions on the subject of dignity
when my companion next proposed to take
me to the White House and introduce me to
the President? We found the steps of the
White House converted into the appearance
of dominoes by being dotted over with a
large number of black men, who were swarm
ing all about. Such very black men dressed
in solemn garb Many were in white chok-
ers, and looking additionally ludicrous by the
gravity of their faces. l was irresstby re-
minded of certain performance of the
Christy Minstrels, who when they first came
to London sang very doleful ditty called
"We're Band of Brothers," 11 .ssi5f 9,
IN IMITATION OF THE HUTCHINSON FAMILY.
The originals were not among us, but the
song and the gesticulations with which it was
enhanced were so frightfully absurd chat it
had great success. Making onr way through
the crowd and through the loungers collected
in the red and green drawing room, we came
into the East Room, where my first glimpse
was the back view OF little man being vio-
lently shaken hands with. When my turn
came my conductor advanced and said a few
words of introduction. The President lit
was the President, though his beard was
grayer than in his portraits and he had not
cigar in his mouth, as in lis caricatures) was
polite enough to say that he knew me well by
name, and gave me his hand to shake.
HOW THE PRESIDENT SHAKES HANDS
They say that President Lincoln used to
grippe the hands of his visitors until they
screamed for mercy. General Grants hand
shake IS of very different kind He places
in yours a soft, yielding hand; it may be the
main de fer dams le CANT de ueto,trs, but it is
supple and delicate. A few more pleasant
speeches and my interview is at an end
With it terminated the general audience,
and the President, with one hand in the hind
pocket of his coat and the other on the small
OF his back, was merged in the crowd.