Daily Republican., 1883-02-05
WASHINGTON LETTER
LRGESI.ATuON ON THE TARIFY-
AN EXTRA REASlON BEING
DlSCUANED.
Prom our Regular Correspondent.

WAsHINGToN, Feb. 3, 1883.
After weeks Of gloom and frowning,
the sun has once more been pleased to
smile upon Washington, and the magic
Of his power is everywhere apparent.
The beautiful asphalt streets, for weeks
past no detied by slush and dirt, are
now clean and dry, and Pennsylvania
Avenue, thronged with thousands OF
elegantly attired promenaders, has ~
sumed 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 10 realize that the present
Congress is expected TO do something
with the bill. Since Monday, the House
in committee of the whole have had the
bill under the five minutes rule. As
vet they have not completed twelve Of
the l40 pages Of the bill. The sched-
nile now under discussion relates
" chemicals, and will excite less dis
pute than any other. At this rate Of
progress the bill will be about half fin
ished by the fourth Of March. The opposi-
ton to this bill is not factious, but to al
most every article made dutiable about
dozen amendments are offered. The
Senate is making more progress. Ii Is
now discussing the iron schedule, which
j. Considered the most difficult one of the
bill In the hope that the Senate bill
can he disposed of by the middle Of
next week, sessions are now held until
midnight, and a brilliant light may be
seen in the dome of the Capitol, indicat-
ing that the Senate is in session
The subject of an extra session Is be-
ing discussed among members of both
houses Of Congress, and opinions pro
and con are expressed. The Democrat
ic 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 it is
stuff and nonsense" to frighfen the
Democrats into acquicsence in the pas
sage OF such u tariff bill as the Eepubli-
cans want.
Every day Of the week now an array
OF carriages that would do honor to
hrst class funeral may be seen stationed
in front and around "A dozen residences,
but these occasions are not monrnful or
even serious. In each house SO dcsignat-
ed, under brilliant gaSlight, lady
usually assisted by several other ladies,
all elegantly attircd, are receiving her
friends. Greetings are exchanged, and
every guest feels required to make a few
disconnected remarks and then pass on
h be followed in turn Ivy others.
The guests generally remain stand
ing, and many 20 from one reception
b. another, often attending half dozen
in one evening. Mrs. Speaker kicier
,od me yesterday that she made 5000
calls last session. This is what the
fashionable circles Of Washington call
sociability. The reception given by
the British Minister in honor Of tn"
Marquis Of Lorne was one of the most
brilliant features OF the season.
A dinner party was first given, fol-
lowed by ball for which over four
hundred invitations were sent ont. The
legation building was briliantlyillnmi-
| mated and decorated with palms, plants
and flowers, bright lights burning on
either side Of the large portrait ofQuccn
+ Victoria at the head Of the grand stair
ease in the main hall. All the mem
hcrs u the foreign legations were pre-
sent wearing HE decorations of the or
dcrs to which they belong with plain
dress suits. The ministers Of twenty
On" great powers were there, and three
embassies wcr" represented charges Il
affairs. IL was also attended by the
T President, the Cabinet officers and thcir
wives, the President OF the Senate, the
Speaker of the House, and by many
Senators and Representatives. The
Marquis visited the Capitol, the War
and Navy Department, the AgricuItn-
raj Department., and other places of in
rrest. He was entertained at dinner
by President Arthur, and also by Gen
eral Sherman.
This being the last week before Lent,
an effort is made to crowd all the gaiety
possible into that little space of time,
There is no end To hops, balls, rccep-
mons, and entertainments Of every de-
Nription. The Cabinet ladies hold their
A.r reception this week, and indeed IT.
options generally will be discontinued
during Lent, but only to give place to a
mldcr kind of amusement in the shape
q fairs for charitable purposes-exccl-l
tnt places, by the way, for tiirtations,
and then, too, there will be plenty of
dancing of a quiet kind, so that gaiety
not over with yet.
The President held his first public re-
"prion of the winter on Monday even
NJ, from eight to ten o'clock. Many
Strangers were present, and, as is usual
On these occasions, the jam was i'm
n"nse But when the hour for closing
arrived, all had been presented, num-
hering over two thousand persons.