The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-04-07
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER,

From our Regular Correspop dent.l
WASHINGTON. d. c., Mar. 81, 1888.
Notwithstanding all the reports of
vacation trips to be taken by President
Arthur-some sending him in one
direction and some in another he is
still in Washington attending to his
duties, though it is still said he pro-
poses in few days to take a short
rest. The President is not an invalid
by any means, but feels about as all
the rest of US do who have worked
hard all winter. 1t is an arduous
round, this political and social life of
the capital, and everybody knows
that the Executive has the hardest of
it. President Arthur has very di-
rect way of dealing with his callers.
Any one who has any real business
to transact will never have any diff
Guilty in securing an interview. From
l until p. M. he gives up to unoffi
cial callers. These visitors are re-
ceived in the library, long, oval
SHAPED room west of the room where
the cabinet meetings are held. One
day last week | sat in this library
and watched the President as he pass
ed his callers in review. He receives
them all with great simplicity and
directness. His manner is more that
of man of the world than of a poll
tician. He tells the plain truth to
his callers Where he can help he
does. Where no hope can be given
he tells the disagreeable but whole
some truth with a politeness and
kindness that softens the harshness
of a refusal. The President first
shakes hands with the people who
come to pay him merely their re-
spects. Then he walks about and
talks with his business callers, who
are seated upon a line around the
room. He sits down with no one.
He walks up to each with polite
question of inquiry, and for the
moment he devotes his entire atten-
ton to the person addressed. He
has good humor and vein of Sd
tire in his talk with his visitors that
give great variety to the interviews.
He is always faultlessly d. esSed. The
only color in his dark morning attire
is red rose in his buttOn-hole. His
manner is always polite to every one
He only becomes brusque when re-
quest made is so manfestly improper
as to be classed as impertinent.
We had scarcely said goodbye to
thoses warthy dignataries with names
longer than yardstick, who came
all the way from Madagascar to carry
back in their satchels our laws, GUS
toms and civilization, ere fresh par
ty ofhcnored and knighted statesmen
Diaz. eX-President of Mexico, swoop
down upon us. General Diaz, who
is about fifty years of age, is decend-
ed from the historian and hero, the
celebrated Bernal Diaz. Whether on
the tented field or in the angry po-
litical struggles so constant in Mexico,
General Diaz has always stood fear
lessly in the front rank. In the rail-
way movements and in opening up
of commercial relations with the
United States, he has been the ac-
knowledged leader. He is esteemed
everywhere as worthy successor of
the famed Juarez, and is noted as
the triple founder Of the Republic of
Mexico. All plans for entertaining
these distinguished guests were i'm
terrupted by the sudden death of
Postmaster = General Howe. The
Presidential dinner and the proposed
reception to General DiaZ and party
by Secretary Frelinghuysen were
given up. This nation enjoys the
high privilege f furnishing its type
of civilization to people and national
tiles who are discarding the barbaric
ideas of darkness and superstition.
Wherever there is a people that are