The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-03-06
Washington Letter.
[From our reguIar correspondent.l

CaplJal was tne Dlpiomatlc reception
at the White House Tuesday evening.
OF course 1t was grand in its appoint
ments and all that, but there was an
indefinable air of snobbishness about
it unusual upon any occasion in this
country. In the first place the special
tender of reception to the Diplomatic
Corps is an innovation hitherto un-
known here, while the mawkish at
tempt at aping the ways and manners
of Imperial Courts was certainly q
very striking departure from Ameri-
can practices. Invitations were sent
to the Cabinet officers, members of
both houses of Congress, the more
prominent Army and Navy officers,
and the heads of the various Bureaus;
and the line of vehicles without, as
well as the throng of guests within,
proved how generally the invitations
were accepted. The decorations were
elaborate and profuse. From the
massive chandeliers, smilax, and other
hanging green's were suspended, while
the mantel pieces, ON which the inn
mense mirrors rested, were covered q
foot deep with flowers with back
ground of ferns and palms. In the
alcoves between the windows stood
magnificent specimens of blooming
exotics whose fragrant flowers per-
fumed the spacious parlors.
When the reception was at its height,
the brilliancy of the scene was probably
never excelled by any .fete ever given
by any administration. The Diplo-
matte Corps, in full court dress, includ-
ing Representatives of nearly all the
foreign nations, the army and navy
officers, resplendent in gold braid and
brass buttons, and the unusually hand
some toilettes of the ladies made up
picture that harmonized well with the
brilliantly-lit and decorated rooms.
The wide corridor leading from the
East room to the conservatory, and
upon which the Red, Blue and Green
parlors open, presented an equally fine
appearance. Flags and conservatory
plants lined the passage, while flood
of light streamed from the numerous
chandeliers. Dinner was served in
both the stateand private dining-rooms
and the tables were marvels of culinary
art. In the center of the table, in the
former room, was the large mirror
used so often during the Grant adj
ministration. The floral display on
this was magnificent The most
prominent feature was large flower
balloon, formed of alternate rows of
white and pink azalias. There was no
regular bill of fare, but in the edibles,
as in the decorations, there was the
utmost profusion, and although nearly
1000 persons partook of dinner, there
was no apparant diminution of the
viands. No wine was served, and the
thirsty guests were forced to choose be-
tween lemonade and coffee.
The most striking exhibition of
snobbery was the gratuitous insult to
representatives of the press. Instead
of extending them invitations, the
same as other guests, they were
provided with cards of admission to
the vestibule. If they had been omitted
altogether there would have been no
complaint, though the right to invite
who you please does not apply as much
to official receptions at public expense
as it does to entirely private entertain
ments. But when men like Gen.
Boynton, of the Cincinnati Gazette; ;
u. L. White, of the New York Tribune;
Geo. w. Adams, of the World; Rams
dell, of the Philadelphia Times, and a |
score of others could name, who are
the peers of every man con-
nected with this administration, and |
who are infinitely the superiors, in
character, culture and intellectual |
of two-thirds of our Congress
such men are invited to |
stand in the "vestibule" among colored |
lackeys and the Marine Band horn
blowers, to look at a White House |
the thing assumes an ap-
pearance of grotesque insolence unpre-
cedented in this country. Mr.. Hayes
says that is the way such things are
done in Europe.
Night sessions of both houses of
Congress are the rule now. For the
first time in the memory of the
oldest inhabitant the Senate |
the other night to secure
quorum by compelling the attendance
of Senators. The Seargant-at-arms
his deputies, at three O 'clock
in the morning, to hunt up absentees.
Some got out of bed to report, some
refused to admit the messengers, and |
others, or at least one other-Senator
Conkling-told them to go to the |
devil, or words to that effect. When |
this was reported at the Senate there
was some talk of sending for Roscoe |
with strong body-guard, but, as a
quorum was soon secured, the matter |
was dropped. The Brazilian steamship |
subsidy has gone through the Senate,
but L do not think it can pass the
House. The House Democrats have
succeeded in passing the legislative
and judicial appropriation bill, with
the amendments repeating certain |
sections of the Federal election law