Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1878-12-04
From our regular eorrssponden''l
Washington Letter.
Washington, d. c., Dee. 2, 1873


To man up tree It would seem
rather early to be prognos''ca'Ing M
Ont the Speakership Of the next House
and the Presidential candidates for
lssO-yet that is what many OF the
correspondents are tugging away at
lust now. 1t il almost certain, with
out the ipterpostion OF some unior
seen event, that there will be no extra
session in March, and that the newly
elected Congress will moi, therefore,
organize until year hence. AT pres
ent il seems probable that either Ran
dali or Blackburn will handle the CAV
Of, though there IS fair chance for a
dark hone. As for naming Preslden.
tial candidates for the next race, it is a
waste of time. There is no telling
wha, a day, much less two years, may
bring forth. and many of us are liable
to see our favorites struck by light
ming or supstroke, or something else
before the nominating conventions u.s.
semble. However, your correspond
ent knows all about it, and if the rest
of these scribblers don stop fooling
with the subject ! shall have to fall to
shortly and settle the matter.
Official society circles are threatened
with a convulsion that may shake their
foundations. Senator Bruce, the
wealthy and sensible colored Missis-
sippian, who divides the Senatorial
honors of his State with the silver
tongued Lamar, went to Cleveland
last summer and married handsome
and accomplished lady of his own
race, whom he is to bring here next
week. The story of the brides won
derful beauty and numerous accomp'
lishments has been widely told, and as
they are to "keep house" in fine style
on Capitol Hill this winter, the ques-
ton sought we to visit her" is agitat-
ing court circles to an alarming ex-
tent. 1t Is a requirement of official
etiquette here that all the Cabinet Ia
dies and all the wives of Congress-
men shall make the first call upon a
Senator's wife, and the wives of the
older Senators always make the ap-
proach to an acquaintance with the
wives of new Senators.
When Pinchback came knocking at
the massive doors of the Senate
Chamber it is well known that one of
the influences that kept him out WAS
the fear that Mrs. Pinchback might
assert her "visiting prerogalives," and
it is as erted that had Bruce been a
married man at the time bis creden-
tials were presented he couldn't have
got in. But he Is in now and has a
wife into the bargain. She is lady
of fine personal appearance, an occa-
sion, and is, perhaps, better educated
than most of the women who intend
to snub her if she presu.nes to enter
society. She was q school teacher in
Cleveland, but her husband has sutfi
cient wealth to CRAFTY any taste she
may have in the way Of personal
adornment or equipage. 1t is whis-
pered that wardrobe purchased by
her in Europe would be priced by any
Of our bellies. A Sunday paper, sup
posed to be very near to the present
defactO administration, announce that
Mrs, Hays and Mrs. Evarts will take
the lead in calling at the Bruce man
sion. Mrs. Hayes is a great icono
clast. She is particularly proud Of
the success of her temperance CRUSADE
among the diplomatic corps, whose
members she compelled to astonish
their stomachs with cold water for the
first time in their lives. Now if she
can compel Postmaster general Key 10
take Mr.. Bruce in to dinner on
State occasion, she will probably die
content. At all events, she will have
the satisfaction of eclipsing all her
husbands efforts to abolish the color
line in the solid South. But the Post