The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1878-03-08
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. IS.

oASroSS AgtIdctS= DuG 1lIJie OF JnS at
tention of fashionable Washington, and
the gay, transient throng that remains
here for a few weeks each season.
Sometimes, when she has not been up
for three consecutive nights, and the
announcement that great legislative
star viii speak fills the galleries, the so
ciety belle will display for an hour her
exquisite walking paraphernalia and
opera glass IN the exclusive gallery set
apart for the wives and daughters of
Members and Senators. But what in
terest has she in silver bills, tariff bills,
military bills, and investigations. The
affairs Of 100000 of people discussed
in their representative councils tho
visible and audible grind of history
the ponderous tramp of nations pro-
gress or retrogression the none the less
revolution for its absence Of cannon ac-
compartment, are as nothing TO this fa-
ture mother and moulder of men. Her
world is whirl of hops, germans and
receptions, to which all eligible people
are invited, and ''eligible" has very
Democratic meaning here, scarcely stop
| ping at the Penitentiary. An Austrian
Count, who, it is said, has come here to
pick up an heiress, said, last night, that
he had received during the day eighteen
invitations for the succeeding week; and
the only regret with the ladies is that
they cannot be at Cabinet reception, a
hotel hop, the german at MaEni's, and
the opera, to say nothing of Bob Inger-
soils lecture, at the same moment. 1t
is too much for a day of twenty four
hours, and too much for human strength
No galley slave ever worked as does a
Washington belle, but she has music,
and hattery, and wine, to chec: her, and
husband hunting to stimulate aai ex-
cite. 1t must net, however, be sup
posed that every woman who surrenders
herself to this giddy, whirling Vanity
Fair is utterly frivolous and vain Said
one whose name appears in the reports
of all the grand entertainments, aud
who is much admired and written about:
81 hate this; / don't want to go to auy
more receptions and balls. / would
much rather read or talk. Ii was my
intention when / finished school not to
dance at all, but my mother told me
that such a resolve was absurd-that if
1 were very brilliant, or very beautiful,
l light afford to be peculiar, but that
the only course for me was to dance Ike
everybody else" The hops at the Ma
tional Hotel and at Willard's, last week,
were very successful affairs of their
kind. Hotels seem to be the only suit
able places for very large parties, and,
since only those who are invited can
come, they are little more exclusive
than Presidential and Cabinet recep-
tions. The ample corridors and spa
cious parlors afford room fer the sweep
of trains, and the luxurious chairs and
sofas, interspersing the corners and al
coves, furnish fields for Irritation which,
considering the changes of tastes and
fashions, are altegether superior to the
garden of Eden and then, at the hour
for refreshment, it is much more COM
Portable to sit down at table and be
served by trained walters than to stand,
Tantalus-like, in dense crowd, with
two plates and cup of coffee in your
hand.
Ne more interesting and unique cere-
monial occasion has been witnessed in
the National Capitol than was seen to-
day in the presentation to Congress of a
large oil painting of Lincoln signing
the emancipation proclamation. The
donor, Mrs. Thompson, of New York,
was conducted to conspicuous seat on
the floor by Hon. 8. s. Cox. When
the Speaker announced the Senate Of
the United States the Representatives
arose to their feet, and about half the
Senators came in, Siamese twins-like,
arm in arm. The heaviest couplet that
I noticed was Blaine and Davis. The
Democratic Senators did not lend them.
selves very freely to the occasion. Some
Of the most distinguished were conspic-
uous from their absence but Butler, oi
South Carolina, was there, and he sat
in the front row by Senator Davis ei
Illinois. The speakers were Garfield
of Ohio, and the Vice. President of the
latc Southern Confederacy. Garfeld's
speech was elaborate and platitudinous
What Stevens said was not remarkable
only interesting from the historic per
sonality of the speaker but it was &
little remarkable that, with his antece
dents, he could say anything'on such al
occasion. He spoke sitting in hgh-
wheeled chair, rotating it back anC
forth, frequently wheeling around tC
face the Speaker or the audience, as h'
addressed them respectively, with al
, ease that, in spite of its mechanism ant