, 1876-11-25
OUR-WAsHINGTON LETTER.

OUR-WASHINGTON LETTER.
after the Baiae-Scenes at the National
Capitdl-Hoao the 1aeaos ards received
I al the White House--1he. feeling IN
the Departments Ho,o the change ,1iH
affect US The approaching session Of
Congress - TIE gay season, the l'1au-
g1ual, ETC., ETC.
To THE EDITOR OF THE DISPATCH:
Now when the battle is over and the
smoke has. in meas ure, cleared away,
it is interesting to recall and vote down
the many varied scenes and incidents of
the great political struggle that has just
come to close. There is no city in
the Unicn where the result of Presi-
Dental election is looked forward to
with SO much anxiety,as here, or where
its influence is more severely felt, for
the reason that such very large pro-
portion of the Inhabitants of Washing
ton, of both sexes, are Government en-
ployees. dependent for their bread and
utter upon the bounty of"Uncle Sam"
and to whom change Of administra-
ton is, therefore. fought with the most
disastrous consequences. Val! Victis! is
the nightmare that is hunting those un-
fortunate ones, and their name is legion
who. preferring the easy going life and
munifcent salary of a clerkship in one
Of the Departments, for the harder
work, longer hours, and smaller pay of
private drudgery, have left their native
towns and States, backed by the requis-
ite political influence, to seek social
status and political prefermert (such as
they areD at the Nationsl Capital! 1t
is not to be wondered at, therefore, that
Washington was in white heat of fe-
verish excitement last night. During
the day. little or no public business
had been transacted in tue Depart
ments; those of the male employees who
had not "gone home to vote" assem-
bling in groups in the halls and corri-
ders to discuss the prospe cts and prob-
abilities. Scarcely less excitement was
manifested by
THE LAD, CLERKS;
And for once the Centennial and the La
test fashions ceased to be subject of
conversation among the fair ones, and
politics usurped their place. To not a
few of these the question as to whether
or not they could afford new silk dress
and winter bonnet in which to attend
the Presidential and Crbinst receptions
during the coming seas. II. wonld have
to be deferred until after the result of
the election became known, and would
then receive IA favorable answer only in
the event of certain contingency the
election of the republican candidate
Should the election 60 the other way
then farewell to velvet cloaks and Pa
risian hats, for most stringent economy
would be imperative during the few
months of Office holding that remained.
AS the day wore on and dispatches
began to be received, the anxiety in
creased especially as the news We're
not of character to bring much encour-
agement and comfort to the anxious
ones. The newspaper AMI telegraph
off ces were soon beseiged by crowds
thirstirg for the news, whllc prominent
officials assembled in cosy rooms to
which special wires had been conducted
and where the news were received by
the aid OF our operator, direct from all
parts of the country
AT1HE WHITE HOUSE.
President Grant and few invited guests
among whom were Secretaries Fish and
and Morrill,, Attorney-General Taft,
Generals Sherman, Barnes, Babcock
and Cation, Judge Macarthur, and some
others, were assembled in the Presi-
dents library, awaiting the news which
were flashed into the ante>room through
a special wire direct from the Western
Union telegraph offices. In the drawing
room, back of the library. were Mrs.
Grant, Mrs. Sartoris. (the daughter of
the President). Mrs. Fish, and three or
four other ladies of distinction, who
were scarcely less anxious to hear the
news than the gentlemen. When the
first dispatch arrived, a little before
eight O'Clock, announcing that the State
of New York had probably gone Demo-
cratic, the President said nothing but
merely knocked the ashes off his cigar
and sent the dispatch in to Mrs. Grant.
Other dispatches now began to arrive
in quick succession. but nearly all of
an unfavorable character, and by de-
grees. the Presidential face began to
lengthen and the conversation to be
less animated and hopeful. Shortly ,af-
ter eleven o'clock the party adjourned
to the State dining room. on the floor
below. whore magnificent collation.
had been spread, to which all present did
ample Justice. At the Republican head
quarters, on F street, there was con-
siderable enthusiasm manifested early
in the evening; but it died out by de-
~.anc if