The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-07-22
The First Circles Of the Capital.
The Thing Called Society in Washington.

capital. The ex-Secrctary of War was
distinguished figure in Washington society.
No entertainment was thought complete
that was not graced by his handsome pres
ence and agreeable conversation and in
the gayeties Of the season the Belknaps
always played a prominent part. There is
no fashionable society in any part of the
world which bears much resemblance to
that of our Republican court. Here alone
Democracy asserts itself at the private
dinner-table and the evening party, and
social extremes meet on terms Of equality
in the parlor. The best company and the
worst mingle with outward show Of cor
diality. The most fastidious of gentle
men, whose thorough good breeding is in
hcrited from two centuries Of gentle
ancestors, and with whom elegance is II
second nature, bends over the hand of a
Congrossman's wife who has not yet learned
that n verb must agree with its nominative
case, and that the nose is not one of the
organs of speech while Lady Clara We're
dc We're gives her arm to a d-faccd legis-
lator with a dyed mustache who fitted
himself for Congress by keeping liquor
shop If any personal qualifications are
necessary for admission to the first circles
of Washington, it would be hard to define
what they are. Good manners are no. re-
CURED, nor good education, nor ready
speech. Official title is passport, but
even they may be dispensed with. A re-
putable moral character is not needed, for
prisoners undergoing trial for felony attend
the festivities of the White House, and
notorious thief holds his head quite as
high as blue-blooded ambassador. Any
body with decent clothes is good enough
for guest, and anybody with money
enough to give ball becomes leader of
fashion.
1t is natural perhaps in country like
ours, where opportunities for education and
culture are seldom hereditary, and it is
almost always new men and half-traincd
women who bear the chief burdens Of
society, that refinement and vulgarity
should be found in close companionship,
chatting together on the same sofa and
dancing in the same set. But there has
never been any society in America whose
average of culture and morality has been
so low as that Of Washington during the
past six years. Washington lacks many
Of the refining forces which affect the
tastes and habits Of life in the large cities,
the influence Of the liberal professions,
the constant contact of persons Of high
and noble pursuits, and
the abundance of amusements which bring
with them some sort of mental improve
ment. In the Federal capital there is
no life except official life, and
what that has become we do not wait to
be told. The policy of the ruling power
has been to drive out of Congress the last
remnants of craftsmanship, and to crush
the ambition which digni6cs a political
career In both parties of course there
are now, and there always have been,
bright examples Of upright life, patriotic
purpose, digni6ed behavior, elegant educa-
ton. But with every session the number
Of such examples has grown less and less,
and the intellectual and moral tone in all
branches of the Government service has
fallen lower and lower Politics is no
longer career, but speculation. A seat
in Congress, place in the Administration,
is no longer valued for the honor it con-
fers, but for the opportunities of gain
which it opens. In this country quite as
much rs 10 the monarchies of the old
world the life Of the capital takes its char
acter in great measure from the head Of
the state. A social influence radiates from
the White House no less than from Buck
ingham Palace. If We find avarice and
respect for money in the Presidency We
need look for nothing better in the first
circles of the capital.
A demoralizing haste to be rich, vul-
gar, consuming passion for display, have
thus como to be the strongest characteris-
ties of Washington life The court favor
ties arc the men who give the most costly
balls, live in the most costly houses, drive
the most costly equipages. The Boss
Plumber, who has built palace for him
self by driving the District Government to
the verge of bankruptcy the public officer
who spends twice his income and gets rich
on the deficiency; the mining Spectator
who disgraces his country in Lombard
street; the practical politician" who has
made a fortune by managing elections =
these are--we do not say exactly the lead
ers of fashion, but the most prominent and
most onvied of Washington characters.
Not man in the White House circle has
distinguished himself by his intellectual
ability, his accomplishments, his wit, his
learning, his virtue, by any services to the
country, by any grace of manner, by any
thing in short except wealth, quickly made
and ostentatiously spent. The consequent
ces are obvious and inevitable. '.Get
rich, get rich" is the advice whispered to
every pushing family which finds itself
within the influence Of the greenback arts
tocracy. Get rich, and you may dine with
the President and dance with all the
diplomatic corps. Get rich, and your
name shall be in the newspapers, and a
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