The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-03-10
WASHINGTON SOCIETY.
social Extremes Meet-The Lady Clara
We're de Veres' and Red NOscd
l'OOgreSSmcn. l.tF

social Extremes Neet-The Lady alar,
We're de veres ana Rea.NOscd
COngrcssmlcn. 1Hl0
r From the New York Tribune.l
1 The fall of Gen. Belknap has created
a painful sensation in the first circles o
the capital. The ex-Secretary of Wa
was a distinguished figure in Washing
ton society. No entertainment was
thought complete that was not graced
by his handsome presence and agree
able conversation, and in the gayeties O
a prominent part. There Is no fashion
able society in any part Of the WORLD
which bears much resemblance to thai
of our Republican court. Here alone
Democracy asserts itself at the pri
vate dinner-table and the evening
party, and social extremes meet Oh
| terms OF equality in the parlor. The best
company and the worst mingle with
outward show of cOrdiality. The most
fastidious of gentlemen, whose thorough
good breeding is inherited from two cen
turtles OF gentle ancestors, and with
whom elegance is a second nature, bends
over the hand of Congressman wife
who has not yet learned that a verb
must agree with it's nominative case, and
| that the nose is not one of the organs of
speech; while Lady Clara We're de We're
gives her arm to a red-faced legislator
with died mustache who fitted himself
for Congress by keeping a liquor shop.
| II any personal qualifications are neces-
sary for admission to the first circles of
| Washington, it would be hard to define
what they are. Good manners are not
required, nor good education, nor ready
speech. Official title is s. passport. but
even that may be dispensed with. A
reputable moral character is notneeded,
for prisoners undergoing trial for felony
attend the festivities of the White
House, and a notorious thief holds his
head quite as high as a blue-blooded
ambassador. Anybody with decent
clothes is good enough for a guest, and
anybody with money enough to give a
ball becomes leader of fashion. H
It is natural perhaps i'm a country like
ours, where opportunities for education
and culture are seldom hereditary, and
it is almost always new men and half
trained women who bear the chief bur
dens OF society, that refinement and
vulgarity should be found in close COM
panionship, 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 accomplish
ments and noble pursuits, and the abun-
dance of amusements which bring with
them some sort Of mental Improvement.
In the Federal capital there is practi-
cally 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 dignifies
political career. In both parties of
course there are now, and there always
have been, bright examples of upright
life, patriotic purpose, dignified behav-
ior, elegant education But with every
session the number Of such examples
has grown less and less, and the intel
lect6al and moral tone in all branches
of the government service has fallen
lower and lower. Politics is no longer
a career, but a speculation. A seat in
Congress, a place in the Administration.
is no longer valued for the honor
it confers, but for the opportunities
OF gain which it opens; In this country
the old world the life of the capital
takes it's character in great measure
from the head of the State A social
influence radiates from the White
House no less than from Buckingham
Palace. If we find avarice and respect
for money in the Presidency we need
look for nothing better in the first cir
cles of the capital. ai4f.3
A demOralizing haste to be rich, a
vulgar, consuming passion for display,
have thus come to be the strongest char
acteristics OF Washington life The court
favorites are the men who give the most
costly balls, live. in. the most costly
houses, drive the most costly cquipages.
The Boss Plumber, who has built
palace for himself by driving the Dis
trict Government to the verge of bank
ruptcy; the public officer who spends
twice his income and gets rich on the
the mining Spectator who
disgraces his country in Lombard
the practical politician" who
has made a fortune by managing
elections are-we do not say
exactly the leaders Of fashion,
of Washington characters. Not man
in the White House circle has distin-
guished himself by his intellectual
ability, his accomplishments, his wit,
his learning, his virtue, by any service
to the country, by any grace Of manner,
by anything in short except wealth,
quickly made and ostentatiously spent.
The consequences are obvious and
Get rich, get rich," Is the
advice whispered to every pushing
family which finds itself within |
the influence of the greenback
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 description of your brand-new
house, with its blazing carpets and |
gilded furniture, and the list of titled
guests at your card receptions, be print
ed in the Home Journal. And to the
politician in Congress perhaps the
Tempter comes in still more subtle
form, when he hints that it is the rich
men at the Presidents ear who get the
largest share Of patronage.
Is it any wonder then that Washing
ION should be such q hot-bed of rings
and secret speculations, or that half the
men you meet there in society should be
of completely in real estate
pools, and paving swindles, and street
frauds, and a score of
)ther scandalous adventures? Is it any
Wonder that abuses, however fragrant,
should be so difficult to reform, when
he politicians Of both parties, in this
,eckless rivalry for display, have been
iriven to turn a penny by them? Gen.