The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-01-29
Washington Letter.
From our regular correspondent.l


thony is the presiding officer, and she
performs her duty with the utmost
self-possession, and apparent fullest
knowledge of parliane entary law and
the responsibilities of her position.
She seems born TO command and to
preside. Every angularity of her
physiognomy, form and character
and no single point seems rounded
with an atom of the line of beauty and
symmetry- displays that force and de-
cision of mind requisite to enable the
control and direction of others, while
her tongue moves as rapidly and in
cisively as that of Katharine before
Petruchio tanned her belligerency
Our Mrs Sarah Spencer is the secre
ary, and though she lacks Miss An
thongs augularity, for she is hand
some and graceful, yet she has a vim
and intellect that fits her also for
/ leadership, which she never hesitates
to assume whenever Congressional
committees are to be addressed or
bodies of men harrangued. Mesdamcs
Gage, Stanton, and score of other
prominent suffrage advocates are
among the delegates, and as Misses
Phoebe Cozzens, Devereux, and other
talented spinsters, assist in the pow
WOW your readers can readily appreci-
ate that the wondrous suffrage ques-
ton is being ably and fully handled.
They promise us, as in the past con-
vention, the millennium whenever
granted the ballot through their de
sired Constitutional amendment. Not
speaker but has told us that, given
the right to vote, women would put
down the infamous national traffic i'm
whisky, and reform all the evils in
ccdent to our political institutions
Observation in Wyoming Territory,
where women vote unrestrictedly, has
rendered us perfectly skeptical upon
all these assumptions. But the fact
remains that no convention, of either
sex, ever assembled in Washington
which exhibited more talent and gem
eral ability than this one.
The inevitable DR.. Mary Walker of
course, appears, but on the background
for her sisters will not admit her to
full equality, owing to her extreme
radical views upon. dress and society
usages. DR.. Mary has assumed full
male nttira avau tp ,t-nori ~ el,nrto,,ol
hair, natty little cane and a gentle
mans hat. Beyond all this eccentric.
is the fact that she, in contrast
with Mrs. Stanton, Miss Anthony, or
our learned Mrs. Judge Lockwood, is
destitute of brains or even ordinary
feminine wit or shrewdness; hence it is
not surprising that she is elbowed to
the rear, or, rs last year, when she
forced herself upon the stage among
the delegates, is hustled off as an un-
warranted intruder. That these pre-
sistent advocates Of suffrage are work.
ing successfully toward the accom-
plishment of their aims, no observing
person can entertain II doubt. Six
years ago slimly attended meetings.
and the ridicule and sneer of rOughs
met them here. Now Lincoln Hall
will not hold the crowd of well-dressed
aud hammered people that attempt to
get seats every session, morning, after
noon and night, and who treat the
speakers with deep and respectful at
tention, no matter what direction
their remarks may take. 1t does seem
that optimists like ourselves will soon
have to accept the situation, and fall
back on our philosophy that what
ever is, is right
Since New Years our weather has
been magnificent. The occasional
rain storm has not ohscured the bril-
liant sunshine more than day at the
time, and our fashionable society has
had, as consequence, fullest Opportu-
nifty for holding and attending levecs
and receptions. No winter for years
has presented more brilliant round Of
fashion and display than this. Our
streets arc daily thronged with equip
ages containing callers and visitors,
who are evidently improving the
opportunities prior TO Lent which
ends eur season of pleasure and gay
ity. Etiquette has portioned off the
days of the week to the various cas-
ses of society and gives the order of
precedence as follows: The Presidents
wife is pre-eminent. All other ladies
must call upon her, and that without
having the call returned. Saturday
afternoon is assigned to her, though
she holds informal receptions all other
nights of the week, except Sunday.
Next in order come the ladies of the
Cabinet, who take Wednesday after
moons, then the Supreme Court ladies
who have Mondays. The wives of
Foreign Ministers take Friday, and
those Of the General Of the Army and
Admiral Of the Navy, Tuesdays. BY
thus apportioning the week among
themselves, there is no collision, and
each lady can call as well receive.
Light refreshments are always served,
at the White House, where
the custom was abolished during Mrs.
Madison 5 reign as mistress. At one
OF her most brilliant receptions u
fsfx Of H.. l..