The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-11-20
Washington Letter.
tFrom our regular correspondent


WASHINGTON, d. G., Nov. IL, 1879.
The equestrian statute of Genl. G.
HI. Thomas has arrived and will at
once be placed in position. The most
extensive preparations are being made
for the exercises next week. The dec
orations at the circle where the monu-
ment stands will be on a grander scale
than those of any preceding unveil-
ing. Amplest provision of seats for
visitors will be made. All our mill
tary will parade and every. wise it is
intended, should the weather premit,
to give the deceased hero fitting |
memorial tribute, not only in a mag
nificent statue but in appropriate
ceremonies. Next week we will de-
scribe the whole affair more particu-
larly for should we attempt it now it is
possible our programme will, through
November tempest, be as mythical
as certain brilliantly pictured de-
scription in the past in Harper's
weekly, of the Presidents New Years
reception which o heavy snow storm
interposed to prevent. The artists
sketches of the various room of
the White House were of course cor
rect though prepared necessarily
several days prior to the reception, but
the grand display made by visitors
and callers which his imagination
pictured unfortunately did not occur.
| afr. Ward the sculpture, has been
engaged for more than six years in
preparing the model of this statue and
the horse on which 1t is mounted and
1t is claimed, has succeeded in giving
us perfect specimen of art. We
hope so, for several of those already
erected in our parks are open to severe
criticism sufficiently SO to lead many
to ask that we be spared further effort
in the equestrian direction. We hope
further that the pleasant balmy
weather Of the past ten days may con-
tinue SO that the thousands of visitors
whom the unveiling and reunion
ceremonies will bring here will not
have their pleasure marred. Our
hotels are already beginning to fill
up with the advance columns of the
numerous delegates from other cities.
Since our last letter Mrs. Margaret
Eaton, one of the most notable women
that ever moved in Washington So
ciety has passed away after suffering
from prolonged illness for several
months. Mrs. Eaton became famous
during Genl. Jackson's administration
by her causing the disruption of his
cabinet, through his attempt to force
the members thereof to recognize her
socially. Her maiden name was
Margaret o. Mill and she is said to
have been peculiarly handsome and
fascinating when she reached maiden
hood. But the fact that she was 9
daughter of an inn keeper sufficed
to bar her from admission into the
1 higher circles of Washington society
which in those days was as intensely
aristocratic as any portion of th'
a South and as strongly opposed t.
l. "parvenus" as the Bourbons of France
d Her maiden vivacity of disposition
IS never deserted her, though we saw littl
r in our limited intercourse with he
! during the past ten years to indicat
that personal magnetism and strength
}. of character that led her into singl
n handed conflict for years with officia
.e and social aristocracy and with whicl
g she was so eminently successful as t
y become virtual controlles of the gov
D. ernment and dictatress of the Whit
House. Her tall slender form onl
a- slightly slooped with age, her apparen
r. intense mental and physical activity
,f clear cut features, marked throughou
,r with decision of character shove
,e how much she was capable of perform
" ing and of mastering if associate
is with the rare beauty and persona
fascination which tradition gave
, her. While the wife of member {
"A the Cabinet she asserted her stronge'
~ power of mind, for there she met th
:. greatest obstacles interposed by societ
;; against her and her history durin
;s those days reads like some vividl
N drawn description of fictitious lif
Since the war she has led retire
life and particularly so since the even
ie full chapter growing out of her il
le fatuation for and marriage wit
=