The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-02-27
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.


WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb 2lst, 1877.
Only two short wesks remain before the
perplexing question of the Presidency must.
be settled "for better or for worse.b The
days pass quickly and preparations are in
progress for the various changes that must
take place-more preparation, doubtless,
than the generality of the people are aware
of many in unmaginable quarters and for
unthought of reasons. Arrangements for
the vacatng of the White House have
been made by the family whose home it has
been for the last eight years and have seen
more family changes there than have been
experienced at the executive mansion during
any other Presidential term. The President
and Mrs. G. will leave the White House on
the Bird of March, and will become the
guests of Secretary and Mrs. Fish at whose
residence they will remain till the first of
April when they will begin travelling tour
which will extend through the western part
of our own country, thence TO Cuba and
Europe. MIR. and Mrs. Sartoris will this
week take up their abode with Mrs. Louis
Dent of this city where they will remain till
May and then sail for Europe. Mrs. Sar-
toris has had an unexpected experience,
having passed her gir-hood as Nellie Grant
in the White House, crossed the ocean and
been received at foreign courts with much
honor, as the daughter of Americas high
est agistrate-married, became mother,
lost her little one, and is still under twenty
years of age. Poor thing She has never
known the freedom and careless Joy of
childhood, the truest and purest Joy per-
son can knew in this life. She was drag
ged into society while she was hardly more
than baby, and there she has always re-
mained Col Fred Grant, who has been
in Washington two winters engaged in
making copies of the records of General
Sheridan's ad-quarters, destroyed in the
Chicago fire, will return to the Lieutenant
Generals head quarters at Chicago with
out delay. The data which he has been
collecting embraces not only the official
records OF the head quarters, but also the
necessary material for a full and concise
history of Sheridan and his connection
with the war of the Rebellion. Ulysses
Grant, Jr., who has been tho Presidents
private secretary, will leave for New York
on the 9Th of March to begin the practice
of law with the firm of which he is now
member. The other son and youngest
child of the President is in college. 1t has
been announced that no more receptions,
levees, or public entertainments of any
kind will be given by President Grant, not
even the farewell dinner to the cabinet
that has been talked of and expected. The
OuiiboiOu VI buo USUAL ItSiu6ubldl I6V66S
this winter has been the subject of much
comment but sufficient reason for it exists
in the fact of the excited state of feeling
incident to the political contest between
the friends of the candidates for the sue
cession. The statement that the President
intends making Washington his future
home has been contradicted and the asser-
tion made upon what authority cannot
say that he has come to no such decision
and that his late purchase of home here
was made only to relieve parties who had
purchased the ground from him which his
his own house partly occupies.
Monday and Tuesday Of last week were
completely filled with gayety, several en-
tertainments of the most brilliant sort be-
ing given both day and evening on ac-
count of their being considered the last
available opportunity for festivities before
Lent. But the customary change in So
cial matters does not seem to have taken
place since the advent of the Lental sea-
son, the only observable difference being
that the ladies who receive during Lent
are careful not to tempt their guests to
break the fast they are supposed to be
keeping by Offering them even such light
refreshments as cake and Coffee OF sand
wiches and tea, which are the staples of
impromptu lunch-tables this winter. Dane
ing is not thought OF, of course, but there
has been very little dancing at invited
companies this season in Washington, and
the theatre and opera are matters of in
dividual option.
The navy here, especially the older Of
ficers, have had four-fold gloom cast
upon them by the recent death of four old
omrades-Admiral Smith, Alden, Wilkes
and Baily. They were all residents of
Washington, indeed, the District seems to
be preferred by retired army and navy of
ficers from whatever part of the country
they were originally appointed) as home
after their lives of active duty are over.
The Electoral count will reach Oregon
to-day and that will probably be the last
state to which objections will be made SO
we may hope for speedy settlement of
affairs and that when the long and painful
suspense is over, both parties will lay aside
their bitterness and set at work right
earnestly to improve the nations finances,
develop its industry, and above all, to
make those changes in its Constitution
which will render recurrence of the pres
ent difficulty impossible.
NJ. Nj. w.