Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-01-10
Che esssS County 9erala.
ISLAND POND, JAN. 10, 1879.
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Especial Correspondence of the HERALD.
WASHINGTON, Jan. Z, 1879.

AUOlUpG NEW L GdI5 Has tOulc anu
gone. It's receptions we're on as
grand and general scale as those Of
its predecessors and were as universal
ly attended by plebeian and aristocrat.
To one who mas been witnessing them
for nearly score of years, there now
comes a sameDess Of appearance and
n mOnotony III our Washington offi
cial receptions, that remind Lim Of the
glare and tnsel Of a circus, which,
though they reused him into the high
est state of excitement when a boy,
now fail even to interest, because time
has wrought no change beyond the
new faces, which serve ont to the
spectator what is incident TO the oc-
casion. Every stranger, official and
officc-seekerin the city naturally tends
to the White House New Years day.
Etiquette compels the attendance of
official, and curiosity the plebeian,
and from 10 to o'clock every door
and approach to the presidential man
sion is throngcd with those who seek
to shake hands with the President.
No one with the slightest sense OF the
ridiculous can repress q smile at the
absurdity Of thousands struggling in
crowds SO dense as to render passage
from one room to another the work of
an hours time, simply to shake hands
with a man who has no more knowl-
edge of their identity than he has Of
Western buffalo; yet 50 it is, and
women and men undergo the ordeal
of being jammod and flattened ont in
to pancakes and masses of bruised
and discrdercd apparel with the best
of good nature under'all their various
Affections, just for the pleasure of
touching the presidents hands. No
visitor or newcomer to Washington
should waive or omit attending one
White House reception. But a sec
ond call involves such a trial that it is
inexplicable to us how many have
strength or Will to crafty that NOR
bid curiosity which leads them to WIS.,
it every reception given daring the
winter. Eeither Secretary nor Gen
eral Sherman received, owing to the
death of their brother New Years
morning. But had Mr., Sherman's
house been open, as was intended, he
would have received an ovation, in so
far as personal greetings could have
given it. Everywhere was the eX-
preston, "tle must be congratulated
over the success of resumption, i" and
his parlors would have been crowded
to their utmost by his admirers. Mr..
Evarts received in his usual quiet aad
self-possessed manner, and with that
usual look on his face, indicating that
his thoughts were with some knotty
problem in diplomacy or jurispru-
dence rather than with a ceremony
which compelled him to give his hand
to stranger who thereupon walked
off to another room, where refresh
ments were served ip an abundant and
sumptuous manner. Mrs. Evarts too
shook hands with all visitors, and,
where time and the crowd permitted,
introduced all to her daughter who
assisted her. She has Il quiet, ma
tronIy manner, which strongly i'm
presses one, as he catches her clear
gaze turned full upon him, that while
she is thoroughly at home in the par
,lor, she possesses an additional Amer
Jean characteristic of having done a
mothers full duty in the nursery and
household, and of being at home
wherever Dame Fortune puts her.
1t does one good 10 drop into Sec
rotary McCrary's. He is the squarest
specimen of Republicanism in the
Cabinet, and as good specimen Of
Iowa muscle and brains as that loyal
State can find in her borders. His
wife dwarfs in appearance in contrast
with his full and vigorous physique;
but her face makes due amends, for it
shows a superabundance of Western
Fim and Intelligence, and clearly in
dictates where her handsome daughter,
who assisted her, gets her attractive
ness and accomplishments. The Wis
itor at once feels himself to be where
"the latch string is out and snack in
the cupboard" and leaves the house
strongly impressed that here is a fam
lily which the retiracy Of Mr.. Hayes in
1881 will by no means bury from pub
liz notice. Washington is studded
all over with men who have figured in
national matters, but have since be-
come subjects of the political under
taker. But we predict that Secretary
McCrary will not be taken TO the mys-
terious realm OF the political Thanat-
opsis for many day hence. Nor will
he allow Bounding Banning's Army
Bill to bury him and his present pow
ers without fight that hurts some
body, before he surrenders, Giles
got the sand in him." Our Christmas
was rather quiet one, though our
Southern custom Of universal absorb
ton of egg-nog from private tables
and free restaurant counters served to
unsteady many heads and feet and to
send many devout worshipper at this
social shrine to an early bed at home,
or TO the soft side Of a pine board at
some station-house. We forget Faith
er Matthew's teachings on Christmas,
and then do our duty like Congress
men do on the last "a hours of a SEES
sion. The polar wave swept down
on us on Thursday, sent our thermom-
eters to 2" below zero and then pierre
ed us to the marrow with norther
that refused to be kept out Of our