The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1874-01-04
THE SOCIAL WAR AT WASH.
INGTON.


the republic whom questions of rank an
etiquette have acquired vast public con.
Germ 10 official circles a, Washington.
Inc gradual disappearance Of tho forty
-FOUR million reserve is of less moment
IMAM whether Mrs. A, by virtue Of her
husbands office, Is entitled 20 precedence
at the dinner-tablo over Mrs. II, the wife
OF another official. The Vireinius cues
lion 10 of comparative insicnifcance
alongside that other question, Shall the
wives OF Senators make the first calls
upon ssShE In the oiden Tina ,'. ayo y,
wsil-bred lady maintained her own social
position by recognizing the equality of
otner weii-brod ladies. In those days,
tne official rank of the husband no
matter how high, did not en-
title tho wife to any social recoc.
milton which she might not otherwise
claim. Ladies took their position upon
their own character and accomplishment
without reference to the rank Of their hus.
bands. The times have changed. Anew
generation has succeeded and now rank
furnishes the recognized credentials 20 40.
cial position. The Presidents family is.
OF course, always exceptional. The wife
OF the President never calls on any nor |
son. But AFTER the wife Of the President
10 conceded her position, then comes the |
question which just now agitates Wash.
ington City TO its center, to-wit: In what
order shall the wives OF the Vice. Pre,i-
dent, Cabinet officers, Chief Just,ce. Also.
ciate Justices, Senators, Rsprosentativos
foreign Ambassadors, Admirals, Major,
Generals, Commodores and BripsdIers
take precedence? Upon the decision of
this question depends the relative position
OF these ladies at State dinners, and also
OF the momentous point, Who shall make
the first call?
A special furry has arisen over tho now
vacant chief-justicoship. Judge Taney
WAS chief-justice until 1864, but his wife
was advanced in years and not seen in so
eiety. Chisf-Justice Chase was n wild
over. But, now that his successor ia 10
DO appointed, the social position to DO oc.
cupied BY his wife becomes highly impor-
tant, or at least is SO regarded. The Wife
Of. Attorney General Williams has excited ..
personal hostility toward herself in off, ,
cial society at Washington. This has pro-
ceeoed 90 far ~ to result in open declara-
uen OF war between the pro- w iliams
and anti Williams factions. The presi.
dent has nominated Williams for chief . .
ushcs whereupon society is up in arms
!e" the wife OF q cabinet officer
seoooed by certain ladies of equal
rank may ~ the wife Of the q
Chief Justice, take precedence of all her I,
enemies, and, ranking next to tho wife a
Of the President, demand tho first call q
from the wives of all other officials, and V
and outrsnk them all al state dinners. c
IL 10 stated that many dinners are now
given st Washington where the hos,
AVOIDS all controversy and squsbblinr
among his guests on these questions Of
precedence BY giving separate dinner TO
ne members Of each class. In this wav n,
'tense 10 avoided, and there ia no nm. o.
semly exhibition Of outraged Republican in
ceiling BY putting Mrs. A at a higher 90
'lAce ct the table than Mrs. Is. Tbl. ia n
truly noble invention, but it does no, an
olive the present difficulty, This social 81
'ar, added TO other things, has probably u,
ooked the dish Of Mr.. Williams as chief g,
issics, and, unles, the President shall n,
sleot widower or a bachelor, he must y,
70 that the wife Of his appoint.e ia not re
q ectionable TO the wives of the other n,
metals, and that she will not set up a 70
AIM TO take precedence of other ladies' in Al
10 social world ~ Washington. nj
There have been exc citing questions CO n =
'rning of3ciAl etiquette at Washington NJ
sfors. In 1928, General Eaton, u Senator a,
the United States, married Mrs. Tim 4;
'rlake, who had been Peggy O'Noil, the ~
.sghter OF . tavern keeper. A year b,
tor, General Eaton was appointed Sec
tary Of War by General Jackson, where -,
BON old scandals, rife during her former Nv
arriagc, were revived. Society made -,
n upon Mrs. Eaton. Tho wives of other a.
lbinst officers declined 10 visit her: sa,
ives Of portion of the Diplomatic an
rps refused to recognize her, and tho in or
entities were carried 10 the extern. Of re- mn
sing TO cit ut the same table with her. No.
It General jackson stood by her. and a.,
% brought on Cabinet crisis, ct the end ,no
which General Eaton was appointed 49,
mister to Spain. Mrs. Eston's after ~
was even more painfully troubled. ia
Q married for her third husband a bow No,
10, who seven years after robbed her a.
ran of with her grand daughter. The bn,
Ter case was that OF Madame Catacazy TAI
wife of the Russian minister. She 's
. handsome woman, highly accom- Ill
ihed, who had abandoned her frs, hus- 40,
Id. A portion Of Washington society
alarmed at her advancement. and ,
was made upon her, which ended in
demand that Cataeszy be recalled by se'
Russian government. How or when are
present social war will end nobody Not
tell. The president has m sde point sAli
having Williams confirmed. lie re mS
cd to DO very obstinate man, and IL ,n o.
sticks TO bis purpose, something worse w,
n cabinet crisis may ensue. H.