The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1883-04-19
Washington Sketches.
lS69-lS79.
GLEANINGS FROM THE NOTE BOOKS AND SCRA
BOOKS OF ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENT"

JULY AND AUGUST, 1869. SERENADE TO En-
PRESIDENT JOHNSON. PRESIDENTIAL SPEC
ULATIONs. AT THE WHITE HOUSE. THE
PRESIDENTS SECRETARIES AND VISITORS.
MRS. COBB. THE VIRGINIA ELECTION. THE
LABOR QUESTION. A SKETCH OF DIR. MARY
WALKER. REMOVAL OF THE CAPITOL AGI-
TATED. SUMNER DIZZINESS.
The evening of July 1st, 1869, eX-President
johnson was serenaded by his Washington adj
mrers, and made speech from the portico of
the Metropolitan Hotel. Some two thousand
persons were present, and the remarks of the
speaker received close attention. He was fire.
quently applauded and not once interrupted
In the crowd were quite number of coored
men and women, whose orderly behavior was
noticeable. Mr.. johnson went over the ground
SO often covered in former speeches. but made
some new points, of which one will suffice as
illustrating the tenor of his remarks. He refer
red to the slave property of the South, valued
at three thousand millions, which was produc-
tive, self-slstaining, and added to the commerce
OF the world. AS this property disappeared as
the slaves We're made free. these three thousand
millions appeared at the other end of the coun-
try in bonds Where is the property now?
Locked up in safes and vaults, non-productivc
and burden upon the people.
Although the new administration was barely
three months old, speculations were already
rife as to President Grants successor. The Cos
sips Said that Grant desired a re-election that
Secretary BoutwelS friends were scheming to
secure the nomination for him. and that Mr..
Boutwell, and Mr.. Delano. Com. of Int. Rev.
were acting in concert in the matter. Chief
Justice Chase was said TO have made recent
visit to the South in his own interest as Presi-
Dental candidate. charge the Chief Justice
saw fit to deny. The Democratic politicians
generally favored the nomination of Gen. Han
cock. 1t was believed he would resign from
the army to accept Gubernatorial nomination
i'll Pennsylvania: that his election was certain,
and that ''at the end of his Gubernatorial term
he would be installed in the White House by an
overwhelming majority over any man the Re
pnbicans could nominate" This sort of pro-
phecy rarely stands the wear and tearof events
and certainly did not in this case.
Let lis take look into the White House this
hot July day. We shall not find the President
there, for since the warm weather sell he and
his Cabinet have been rowing, mostly where
cooler brcezes blow. At one time Attorney
General lIoar was the only member of the Cab
met at his post The Presidential Offices are in
the rooms over the East Room The large re-
ception room i'll front is fitted with tables, sofas
and chairs, and here all who seek the presence
Of the President are received BY Gen. +. T.
Dent, the Presidents brothcT-n-law. who
wears the uniform of the artillery. to which
branch of the service lie belongs. His title of
General is simply one Of courtesy. Oh brevct
the latter, believe. At the table with Gen
Dent is the private secretary. Mr.. Robert NJ
Douglass, eldest son Of the late Hon. stephen
\. Douglass, and in appearance revised and
improved edition of his father. But there are
yet two other secretaries who wear ;he title of
Gencral-Gen. Horace Porter and Cen O. Bah
cock. the former making reputation willie in
Washington an after-dnner speaker. while
the latter attained an unforunato notowety in
connection with the st. Louis Wn>kpv ring
There is still an assistant private secretary to
pc mentioned, Mr., James T. BY, 4 monograph
cr, and there are two executive clerks. Levi T.
luchcy and CO. Snitlen. Then Mr. Crump the
steward. calls for mention, he having held the
position under Lincoln, and witnessed the in
staation Of three different families in the
White House.
The scenes aud incidents of day when the
President was at home are thus gracefully de-
Scrlbed by "Olivia,'' the special CORES bondent
Of the Philadelphia Press
High and low, rich and poor all shades. all
coorS, from the blanchcd cheek Of the naughty
Crcassian belle to the Ethiopian'S polished
ebony, may be found waiting in the ante-room,
of the White House. Yellow men are there.
with skins like dead gold. their large soft, us-
trous eyes reminding one Of Il Moorish picture
The dash Of carriage i, heard on the stone
pavement below. Two elegant women alight
III faultless tray cling costume. They are shown
by messenger into the ante-room. and Gen.
Dent arises to receive them one Of them is
exceedingly beautiful. we have callcd,' saws
the beauty, TO pay our respects to the Presi-
dent Any busineSs: enquiries Gen Dent.
The dainty upper lip curls perceptibly. None
Whatever; we are travelling; we wish to
the President Impossible madam. All these
people you sec are waiting TO see the President
on business. Gen Grant would be pleased to
see You, but be has no time he can call biz own
The great naughty eyes of the traveller wander
about the ROOM As the two are about to epart
Gen. Dent asks them if they would like TO be
shown about the building A dignitied consent
being given, the two stately swans sail away,
plioted by the same messenger who showed
them upstairs, The doors of the inner temple
trembIe on their hinges, and the form of pom
derous Senator energies from the presence of
the sun of day. 1t is Henry Wilson, of Nla>sa-
chusctts. He strides to centre-tabf and
shakes hands with distinguished group Of
men, composed Of Cole, of California, Carpen-
ter, of Wisconsin. of the Senate, irrepressible
General Butler, and Gen. Markland the pei
Sonal friend Of President Grant, who was n0mi-
mated for Third Assistant Postmaster-Ge heral
Very soon Mr. Gobright, Of the Associated
Press, Joins hands with them; but the attention
OF all eyes is drawn in another direction. Two
strangers are announced. and again Gen. Dent
arises to receive them. Two strange beings.
i ne man wears the national costume of Bur
man, the picturesque tnrban, and the high
colored shawl gracefully draped abou hill per
son. The woman spoiled her identity bv itlop-
ing certain portions of European dress. rTlr.y
are native Burmese, and have been STUDYING i'll
this country. but soon take their tleparturt for
Burnah, where they expect to act as miss iona
rleS. They have called to bid President Grant
farewell, and are at once shown to his PRESENCE
EVERY hour brings new arrivals. 4 coorcd
delegation from Alexandria has arrived 1t
was promised they should see the President at
one O'Clock. Ii is long past the hour, but still
they wait patiently. 1t seems to be the coorcd
mans fate to wait. There is solemn grandeur
about this resignation. 1t is like the marth of
the centuries. Art has portrayed il in the face
of the Egyptian SpynX.
"A few Senators have seen the President.
General Butler has dartcd in there where none
of the rest are allowed to 90. No one saw a
messenger depart with his card. He went in
there; he disappeared for II moment only. and
now filings himself amongst the throng He
takes Il cigar from a side pocket and barbar-
Gus arrangement of some kind from another
With the last thing he is going to kindle lire.
He strikes fhp flint 1poinSt no co,,,o,+ ,,.l