The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-02-14
From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, February 3.

After weeks of gloom and frown-
ing, the sun has once more been
pleased to smile upon Washington,
and the magic of his power is ev-
erywhere apparent. The beautiful
asphalt streets, for weeks past so de-
filed by slush and dirt, are now
clean and dry, and Pennsylvania
avenue, thronged with thousands OF
elegantly attired promenaders, has
assumed its gay, bright, busy life.
The prospect of tariff legislation
is now more encouraging. Both
ends of the capitol are talking tariff
furiously, and begin to realize that
the present Congress is expected to
do something with the bill. Since
Monday the House, in Committee OF
the Whole, have bad the bill under
the FIVE minutes rule. As vet they
have not completed twelve of the
one hundred and forty pages of the
bill. The schedule now under dis
cussion relates to chemicals, and will
excite less dispute than any other.
At this rate of progress the bill will
be about halt finished by the fourth
of March. The opposition to the
bill is not factious, but to almost
every article made dutiable about a
dozen amendments are offered. The
Senate is making more progress. Ii
is now discussing the iron schedule,
which is considered the most diff
cult one OF the bill. In the hope
that the Senate bill can be disposed
OF by the middle of next week, ses-
sions are now held until midnight,
and brilliant light may be seen IL
the dome of the capitol, indicating
that the Senate is in session.
The subject of an extra session is
being discussed among members of
both houses of Congress, and opin-
ions pro ard con are expressed.
The Democratic members of the
House profess to have no fear of the
President calling an extra session in
case of the failure of the tariff bill,
and say the noise about 1t is "stutf
and nonsense to frighten the Dem
ocrats into acquiesenee in the pas
sage of such tariff bill as the Re
publlcans want.
Every day of the week now an
array of carriages that would do
honor to first class funeral may be
seen stationed in front and around
a dozen residences. But these oc-
casions are not in the least mourn
full or even serious. In each house
so designated, under brilliant gas
light, lady, usually assisted by sew
eral other ladies, all elegantly attir-
ed, are receiving her friends
Greetings are exchanged, and every
guest feels required to make a few
disconnected remarks and then pass
on to be followed in turn by others.
The guests generally remain stand
ing, and many go from one recep-
ton to another, often attending halt
a dozen in one evening. Mrs. Speak
er Kiefer told me yesterday that she
made 1900 calls last session. This
is what the fashionable circles OF
Washington call sociabiity. The
reception given by the British Min
lister in honor of the Marquis OF
Lorne was one of the most brilliant
features of the season. A dinner
party was first given, followed by a
ball, for which over four hundred
invitations were sent out. The le-
CATION building was brilliantly illu-
minated and decorated with palms,
plants and flowers, bright lights
burning on either eide of the large
portrait of Queen Victoria at the
head of the grand staircase in the
main hall. All the members of the
foreign legations were present. wear
ing the decorations of the orders to
which they belong, with plain dress
suits. The ministers of twenty-one
great powers were there, and three
embassies were represented charges
d affair. 1t was also attended by
the President, the Cabinet officers
and their wives, the President of the
Senate. the Speaker of the House,
and by many Senators and Repre-
sentatives. The Marquis visited the
Capitol, the War and Navy Depart
ment, the Agricultural Department,
and other places of interest. He
was entertained at dinner by Presi-
dent Arthur, and also by General
Sherman.
This being the last week before
Lent. an effort is made to crowd all
gayety possible into that little space
of time. There is no end to hops,
balls, receptions and entertainments
of every description. The Cabinet
ladies hold their last reception this
week, and indeed receptions general
" will be discontinued during Lent,
but only to give place to milder
kind OF amusement in the shape of
fairs for charitable purposes-excei-
lent places, by the way, for fiirta-
tions, and then, too, there will be
plenty of dancing of a quiet kind,
so that gaiety is not over with vet.
The President held his first public
reception of the winter on Monday
evening, from s to 10 O'Clock. Many
strangers were present and, as is
usual on these occasions, the jam
was immense. But when the hour
for closing arrived, all had been pre-
sented, numbering over two thousand
persons
Cigars and Cigarettes