The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-01-02
PRESIDENTS 4AT HOME
"HAPpY NEW YEAR, SAME TO YOU"
New Years Reception Of the Chief Magistrate Of
the NAtIOn-IIOu the Ds! VIII be Oh.
served at the white HOass-lAdIss
Who WIN Assist the Prslldsnt

day every woman in Washington Is SAT
home" and every man abroad" Techni.
cally "at home" and abroad" The dark
brunettes Of the negro quarter in South
Washington, the bellies and beahx OF the
West-End, and all intermediate classes and
conditions Of men and women unite in the
Observance Of this social custom. On the
first Of January the busiest young man in
Washington, whether his activity is in the
social sphere or the world Of affairs, lnds
time to visit his fair friends, who on this
day are at home, whether II falls on Mon
day or Tuesday, or what not, which is, in
each case, "My reception day." From the
foundation Of the Republic to this hour,
through all the administrations, the higher
officials OF the Government have been ex-
pected to. keep and usually have kept
"open-house" on the first day OF the New
Year To theirreCeptions lat some Of which
a collation. is provided) anybody OF respec.
table appearance can go with every assur-
ance that be will be welcome. These Off
cial receptions are not very pleasant. The
official stiffness Of everyday life can not be
shaken of for the occasion-would not be
probably II it coGld-aRd the average caller
feels alter leaving that he made mistake
in going in. This is especially true Of the
Official receptions OF recent years. Robson
and Belknap entertained their visitors, and
royalty too. Their tables held the finest
collItions spread in the Capital on New
Years Day, and everybody who called was
made 10 feel at home. There have been
notable exceptions to the general rule Of
Of irigidity. The receptions Of Secretary
Rsnsey, Secretary SchVrz and Attor-
ney General Devens were as delightful
as the receptions Of Secretary Ere
linSh1ysen, Attorney General Brews-
ter aud Secretary Lincoln will be. There
are many others OF whose receptions in the
past aud in the future nothing but good
csn be said, At all events, they are Tree to
a., and very many people avail themselves
OF this, the:ronly opportunity, to shake the
hand Of member OF the Cabinet. OF
course the majority OF their callers are
plain men and women OF the people,"
although all their official suborClinates and
all theirsoCiety friends "pay theirrespects.n
At the head OF the official receptions stands
the reception Of the head officials The re-
ception OF the President is the only one
which is attended by every high official of
the Government. 1t is the most elaborate
levee OF the year. For weeks men have
been preparing the old White House for
this gala day. Without, every thread OF
tobweb and every speck oil dirt has been
removed; within, every room on the two
floors has been swept and are now being
garnished.
On Monday the beautiful results OF their
work will he seen by thousands OF ewes.
Let US glance at them as they Will appear
then snatcbinga prophetic, private glimpse
through the dust clouds Of the pre- ent. On
New Years morning, when the first caller
enters the Executive Mansion, he will md
the great hall draped from end to end with
broad and long American flags. inter
tw,ued with green. Pots OF exotic plants
viii adofn every co"ner, and fresh cut
flowers will fill The vases and jardinieres in
every room. Daylight being carefully ex-
Cluded, gasligilt will flash from the heavy
crystal chandeliers and wall-bIackets. In
tIe hall will be found the entire Marine
Band, in full uniform, headed by its talent
ed young lender, John Philip SiOusLl, who
has wlittcn well-conCeived "MarCh" for
the occasion. The band will render popular
ans Throughout the reception. The ca
pet in the East Room will be covered viii
heavy crash, and the route OF the callers
through the hall, the smaller parlors and
tho East Room to the great North window,
Though which they pas out OF the house,
VIII be long, winding lane OF crash. In
the Blue Pc lor the President and those
ladies' Of the Cabinet families who are in
town, will receive the Executive calle. :.
Probably the ladies who will assist tie
President VIII be Mrs. Brewster, Eobert J..
Walkers daughter, Mrs Hunt Mrs. Lin
coin, Mrs. Kirkwood and Mrs. Folger.
Posgibly Mrs. Senator Ios"n, Mrs Sena-
tor Don Cameron, Mrs. Justice Harlan and
ttr1. Justice Matthews and Miss Matthews,
may also be pretent. Mrs. Arthur, the
vile OF Paymaster AIthu-, OF the army, the
Pfesldent's siste -in-!aw, may be OF toe re-
celving party. Probably NJ. j. Stanley
Brown will make the formal introduu Ions
to the President, although this little ciia,:.-
stance is no. settled yet. The E.ue
Pa!lor will be n mass oil sweet flow
es. They will fill the greet vase N
the center Of the diVan, and the vases on
the mantel-pleCeS, as well rs the tall
jardiniereSint the corners; they will be here,
rs elsewhere in the Mansion, wherever
they can be placed. Some effort will be
made to ventilnte the rooms, so as to expel
the heavy, dead, sweet, nauseating odor
j which generally fills every atom OF the at
mospAere, which is by Itself disagreeable
from its dryness and warmth. The reccE-
4 tin,, lNnr,tV,t, nj nt,1 nF,I1u nk
the first hour the official and during the
second hour the unofficial callers are re-
Ceived, The Supreme Court Of the United
States, the Supreme Court OF the District,
the Cabinet, the Diplomatic Corps, headed
by Mr.. Elisha Allen, the Hawaiian Minis.
ter, its Dean, the officers OF the Army and
Navy, the beaureaucrats, and the
other leaders OF official society
follow one another at stated inter
vals. The Diplomatic Corps are gorgeous
in full court dress; the officers OF the army
and navy in their full dress uniforms and
the members OF the Supreme Court OF the
United States weartheir flowing silk gowns.
The representatives OF the people-meT.
BEES OF the two housesof CongreSj-are :
nit I'd between two sets OF resident oliicic,s
EGCh OF these gentlemen is given mo-
meats conversation with the President and
with each OF the ladies on his right, and
then moves on and out, TO call OF receive
throughout the afternoon. forgot to say,
in describing the scene that will greet the
eyes OF the frst caller us he enters the Ez-
ecutivc Mansion, that half the police force
OF the city will be ioundgracefully disposed
in all the odd corners. Two lines OF them
face, one the other, along the callers route
from the front door to the Blue Parlor. AZ.
ter the patricians Of station, the plebians
OF no station. From until the crowd OF
men, women and children who have stood
patiently since II o'clock on the portico,
on the steps, or the stone walk below, are
admitted in hatcher until every one wi:o
desires 1t has seen the President, shaken
, his hand, and wished him a happy New
) Yeab They travel over the same route
after they get past the burly policemen,
3 who have barred theig way for hours, as
: the aristocrats, snd receive the same o..
u f.a.,, t,AAt1n Al,n