The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1884-10-04
Society In Washington.


A writer in the Centu,u character.
!1es Washington society thus: "Leav.
ng aside the question of political mo-
eahty, few people who have passed a
winter in Washington will denv the
charm OF its society. Acknowledging
Ill its faults, its crudeness-
perhaps-and its lack of form. it must
yet be acknowledged that it differs from
81 other American society in the fact
that it is not founded on wealth. r IA
The only society which is really repub.
!ican. though it has little resemblance
70 the republican court of the first
sdmlnistration-the only one in Amer
lea which has well-detined basis. And
fhat basis is public station, Temporarily
conferred, whether directly or Indirect
~, by the expressed wishes of fellow
men. The holding of such public sta
tion necessarily implies intelligence.
and such it is intelligence, as distin.
guished from lineage or wealth, which
is the fundamental basis in Washing
tons society. Such q society does not
teel obliged to adopt certain customs
because it is reported at second hand
that they are in good form in London.
!ts opinions are robustly Independent,
its information is extensive, and it's sub.
9ects OF conversation are MANY and
varied.
1T is not to he imagined that such
society is we'll defined, or that it's rules
are clearly stablished-thouph it ia
true that the Etiquette of Social Life
In Washington has been most elabo-
fately formulated in little pamphlet.
OF which fresh edition is perennially
produced, and which is said to sell in
great numbers. It is, undoubtedly.
open to the criticism of being raw. to
the same extent--but no more-that
society in London is subservient and
snobbish, and IN New York illiterate
and commercial. Nothing can be more
ridiculous than the public levees of
the President, where the doors are
thrown open that every person in the
street may enter them in q crush, and
stand in q slowly moving procession for
two hours, in order that during half q
minute of that time the President NAV
be seen and his arm may be wrenched.
But this is not peculiar to Washington
alone: Such public receptions are in
6icted upon Presidents in all cities
which they visit. Hardly less incon-
eruous are the Wednesday afternoon
receptions of the wives of Cabinet
officers, when their doors are also
thrown open and hundreds of strangers
tramp through their rarl.rs to pay
their respects The wives of Judges
md Senators and Representatives, have
10 endure tie same thing on other after
Moons of the week. It has come to be
considered as part of the price of public
station. But. no matter what Office a
man may. hold, no one may come to his
dinner table without an invitation.
And it is in dinners that Washington
society excels. Diplomats and travel
ers from every part of the world; men
distinguished in political life, on the
bench, and in war; men of science and
men of letters; women of intelligence
and culture. with the native grace and
beauty for which American women are
Justly celebrated-there is no such |
wealth of choice in any other American
city, and there are no other dinner |
parties so entertaining as those of |