The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-05-25
PAST AND PRESENT.


The recent revelations in the inner
structure of Washington society,
while they occasion no surprise a.
mong those who have had the advan-
tages of personal observation and ex-
perience, bring forward into every
decided and emphatic prominence
the significant change which has oc-
Cured in the moral atmosphere of
the national capitol during the last
sixteen years. In the good old fash
Toned days ahen the wife of John
Adams stretched her clothes lines in
the unfinished east room of the White
House, and Thomas Jefferson rode
through the deep mud CT unpaved
Pennsylvania avenue, ties his horse
to the wooden paling in front ofthe
capitol, and went in alone to take the
Inauguration oath as President ofthe
United States, the city which now
shows some signs of European splen-
dor, and gives evidence of more than
European corruption, was an uncouth
and unpleasant country village, with
the smallest attraction for strangers
from this or the other side of the At
lantic. The tastes and habits ofthe
residents were, indeed, almost as
primitive as their municipal sur
rouadings. The families ofthe chief
magistrate, head of departments and
subordinate officials brought with
them, of course, the best culture and
refinement of the period, and thereby
lightened the gloom of what they
considered voluntary exile from the
pheasant places and things of the
world; and, at the same time, con-
tributed to the enjoyment of foreign
and domestic visitors. But pomp
and show there was none. An al
most rural simplicity prevailed: The
men were honest, the women virtu-
ous, and so few and far between were
the temptations to ~looseness of NOR
als, that no great courage was requir-
ed to resist them. Public robbers
and public or-sprivate strumpetry
were alike unknown. AS the nation
increased in prosperity and power, its
seat of government naturally under
went a gradual transformation.
streets and buildings were improved;
the social circle and the social usag-
es raised their standards to cores
pond; and the irresistible influence
of wealth and fashion began to nan
ifest itself in every direction. Yet
the consequent decentralization was
even less than might have been an
ticipated. The money beginning to
be lavishly expended by citizens and
transient guests was honestly earned,
No notorious scoundrel dared fauni
his ill-gotten gains in the face of o
,lcemmunity which still regarded un.
sullied honor as the most precious o.
earthly possessions. No female lob,
Fbyist dazzled her modest sisters with
a georgous display of equipage Oh
raiment, for decency was still regard
ed as superior to dollars. The mod
ern invention called ''style" had ther
no existence outside of Presidential
receptions and dinner parties, and ,
few soirees and balls, while Congress:
was in session, constituted the dissi
patton of the season. Thirty years
ago it was no unusual sight to SCI
fDaniel Webster, Henry Clay ant
Thomas H. Benton walking home
from early morning market, eacl
with a basket on his arm; and thu.
exemplyfying, in an exceedingly
practical manner, that democratic
unpretentiousness which their sue
cessors would deem the height o
lsulgarity.
Those who were in Washington a
the memorable first inauguration 0
President Lincoln, cannot have for
gotten the motley multitude which
crowded all the hotels, boarding
houses and restaurants, and received
constant reinforcements by each ar
irving train. Nine-tenths of thes,
strangers carried carpet bags-ar
ominons sign-and the lean and hun
CRY look on their faces and clothes
and the eager glances bestowed up
on everybody and everything, tolt
the dwellers in the capital that th'
old regime had passed away and
new one begun. For these were tn
advance guard of that Republican ar
my which has held Washington eve
%since; the self-chosen and yet typi
cal representatives of that party
which, claiming to be the exponen
of "God and morality and swearing
allegiance to purity and economy il
the administration of public affairs
has exhibited all the characteristic,
vices of the worst form of misgoy
eminent without a blush of shame o
a murmur of apology. What Wash
ington might have been under re
publican rule, had there been n,
war, we do not undertake to say; bu
what that rule. aided by the war
has made it, is plain to the dulles
vision.
A thorough and sweeping revolu
ton has destroyed the ancient land
marks of society, broken down thu
ancient barriers, and in place of re
spectaoility, established and confirm
ed the reign of shoddy. Money il
now the "open sesame" to ever,
door; money, and the things which
money buys, the idols which crool
the hinges of every knee-money, nj
matter how procured, SO it is freel,
spent. A few weeks sgo the Wash
ington papers contained glowing de
scriptions of a superb entertainment
at which the President, his cabinet
and all the principal dignitaries ant
most brilliant bellies of the city wer
present. The giver of that enter
tainment was a plumber by trade
and obtained his first start by re
pairing a water-closet in Stanton
office. Then became a small, ant