The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13
WashingtOn Letter.
Irregular corresp0ndence. J
WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. /, /,

AsHiNGToN, ~. W, d III. !, 1900.
This has been day Of ceremonial and
social calls; calls official, calls military,
calls diplomatic, in short New Years calls.
By odds the largest receiver was President
Arthur. His hand has been squeezed until
it is black and blue, and he will perhaps
poultice 1t before he goes to bed. The re.
ception at the White House was altogether
successful in numbers. The court Co.'S
tunes of the diplomatic corps, the gold.
belaced and epauletted uniforms Of the OF.
tlcers of the army and navy, the elegant
toilettes OF ladies combined to make a
scene unsurpassed in brlliancy and beauty
by any levee Of former years. Daylight
was excluded from the salons of the White
House, and the effect was heightened by
illumination from chandeliers. The Presl.
dent was assisted IN receiving BY Mrs.
Frelinghuysen, Mrs. Brewster, Mrs. Teller,
Mrs Chandler, ladies Of the cabinet; the
Misses Frcllnghuysen, Mrs. Blaine, Mrs.
Keifer, Mrs Logan, Mrs. Cameron, of
Pennsylvania; Mrs. Jones, of Nevada;
Mrs. Pendleton, Mrs. Butler, OF South Car.
DINA; Mrs. Hawley, Mrs. Hale, Mrs. Frye
Mrs Jones, Mrs. Jonas, Mrs. John Davis,
Mrs. Herndon, wife Of Representative
Herndon, OF Alabama; Mrs. Rockwell,
Mrs. McMichael, Mrs. and Miss Besic,
wife and daughter of General Beale; Mrs.
and Miss Mcclellan, wife and daughter Of
General Mcclellan. The guests were pre-.
sented TO the President by Marshal Nc
Michael and Colonel Rockwell, the cere-
mony taking place, as heretofore on New
Years day, in the blue room.
have made 1t rule in my correspond
ence never to let a New Years day pass
without thrust at that ornate, exquisite
and utterly useless relic OF bygone age,
the diplomatic corps. On New Years this
corps (call 1t corpse,or cadaver) comes forth
arrayed in the livery Of their masters, the
Car, the Sultan, the Queen, the Mikado,
and number of other small fry might
nesses and majesties. On New Years
they perform their social function that
steam, electricity aud the press have left
them. This picturesque fossil Is altogeth-
er entertaining in scenic way. The SUE
tanned splendor OF gilt-edged Incidence
may DC tolerated, perhaps. by those who
do not have to pay for their sustenance.
But their presence here suggests another
side of the question in which we are very
much interested. TO every nation that
sends a diplomatic corpse to the United
States we also send corpse, called by
courtesy legation, consisting OF minis
ter with secretary and attaches, and the
gaudy tomfoolery that is apparent in Wash.
ington reminds us that we are paying hun
dreds of thousands to MAINTAIN similar es
Establishments at q score of European and
Asiatic courts Why IS this so? Because
it has been 50. That is the only reason that
can be given. The age of diplomacy has
long since passed. The United States has
not for fifty years had any use for diplo-
matte establishments at any foreign court
Our relations abroad are commercial and
the province Of consuls, not offensive and
defensive requiring the finesse OF Tallcy
rand or Mctternich. Our foreign minis
tiers do not draft treaties or torn alliances
They do nothing but coquette with the
Sultan Ike Lew Wallace, give dinners like
Morton, or come home like Hamlin. But
whether they coquette, dine or come home
the well creased diplomatic machine goes
on. Our diplomatic establishments furnish
asylums for broken down politicians. This
IS their sole raison d'ctre. They are not Of
the slightest practical use.
And now that the holidays are over, the
legislative wind engine will spread ITS
sails Vanity Fair will occupy her booth;
politics will combine and plot IN caucus
and corner; Washington journalism will
apply its nose and ear to the keyhole, and
that which is best worth knowing will be
published in 5000 different newspapers and
read by $4,000 coo OF the most progressive
people In the world during the Year of
our Lord 1888.
| Gr,pps's Glycerlne SaIve