Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-11-29
A Hundred Years Ago.

A Hundred Years Ago.
AS 10 celebrating our centennials We think
lovingly of the men and women huudred
years ago. there is natural interest to know
how they lived. We want to see more Of their
ways than cau be learned from formal orations,
and we gather eagerly the relics of that day in
order the more completely to understand their
lives
So far as many material advantages 20, they
were certainly far behind their successors to-
day, and this fact is quantity emphasized by
John PhGoix, when be says of Washington
that, although for the time in which he lived
very distinguished man, his ignorance is per.
tecty Incredible. "He never travelled on a
steamboat, never saw a railroad or a locomo-
tive engine; was perfectly ignorant of the mag
Detlc telegraph, never had a daguerrotype.
Colts pistol, Sharpe's rifle or used friction
match. He ate his meals with an iron fork,
never used postage stamps on his letters,
aud knew nothing Of the application of chloro.
form to alleviate suffering or the use of gas for
illumination"
And yet Washington and his associates,
whose deficiencies are thus quantity pictured
by the humorlst, had some advantages which,
with all our boasted improvements, we seem
to miss 10 these later days.
1t Is indeed not wholly without reason that
we lament the disappearance of those gentle
men aud ladies of the old school who went out
with powdered hair, knee buckles and brocade
dresses. Their picturesque faces liuger among
us on the canvas Of Copey but their living
forms, like their manners and customs, have
long since disappeared.
The apparel. as has been said ''often pro-
claims the man, and We may add woman, and
certainly the costume OF the days of the reyo-
luton had plcturesqueness which is wanting
to our more extensive luxury. The wigs and
gowns and bands of the clergy gave them
notable appearance in the pulpit, and the cock.
ed hats which they wore 10 the streets distin-
guished them from their brethren of TODAY
whose white cravats sometimes make it diff
cult to discriminate between them and hotel
walters or ordinary diners-out.
The gentleman 10 those days wore-when he
went out-a wig, white stock, white satin en-
broidered waistcoat black satin small clothes,
with white silk stockings, fine broadcloth or
velvet coat. At home, instead of his wig, he
had 90 Velvet cap, and sometimes fine linen
one under 1t. and bis coat gave place to gown,
frequently of colored damask linen with silk
and fancy colored leather slippers.
Ladies wore those elegant silk and brocade
dresses which are still so much admired, and
their hair, dressed with powder and pomatum,
was elevated much higher above their heads
than the most OF soaring and ambitious locks
OF their fair descendants to-day.
ln those days gentleman's snuff box was
as indispensable as the cigar is now, and cour.
tesy was shown 10 taking the weed in this form
with friend. The houses 10 those DAYS. with
their Spacious halls and ample frepaces and
stairWays, were very suggestive of solid COM
tort. In the spacious mansion of Sir Henry
Frankin, on Garden Court street, in this city,
from whose windows his widow, royast to the
last, witnessed the fight oD Breeds Hill, the
great stairway was so wide and easy of ascent
that the county collector used to ride bis pony
over it.
Bright brass andirons, the use of which has
lately been revived, were common in revolu.
tlonary times, and as long ago as Governor
Endicolt's day they were features of luxuri-
Gus household. The punchbowl was also no.
table article 10 families of substantial means,
and Its contents were q customary treat for
company.
Kings were given as presents at funerals to
pallbearers and particular friends, and the
Rev. Andrew Eliot, of Boston, who died in
l77S, left mugful of those articles which had
been presented to him on such occasions. Ho.
tells on the scale of our modern caravansaries
were unknown, but there were taverns and
coffee houses where good deal Of solid COM
forts could be secured. Such are some of the
manners an1 customs of our revolutionary ap-
oestors, whose stately courtesy and dignity Gov
cred so much of genuine nobility aad worth
that We cannot but feel interested in whatever
distinguished them from their descendants of
to. .day.-Boston Globe
Including the legislatures chosen at the late
elections, the Republicans have majority in
the general assembly of sixteen States namely
Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts,, Michi-
gan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio,
Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont and
Wisconsin. The Democrats and Opposition
have majority in the legislatures of Alabama,
Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware,
Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana. Kentucky,
Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri,
North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Ten
nessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia-in all
q States. Florida, Illinois, louisiana, Mis-
slssppi, North Carolina, Oregon and PenusyI.
Vanla have Republican governors and Demo-
cratic legislatures, and Nevada, New Jersey
and New York Democratic governors and Re-
publican legislatures. As compared with the
situation year since, the Republicans have
gained control ofthe legislatures of three States
The Committee on Privileges and Elections
OF the Lew House of Delegates will have plen-
~ to do when appointed. The Clerk of the
House has so far received dispositions in the
cases Of Micou vs.. Comodore, of Middlesex;