, 1884-03-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.


From our Regular Correspondent.
Washington, February, %, 1884.
The sensation of the week at the
capital has been furnished by the trans
lucent refusal OF Bismarck, the German
Chancellor, to receive the distinguished
Ochiltree's resolutions of coincidence on
the death Of Herr Lasker, which were
forwarded from congress to the Ger
man Reichstag or lower house of legis-
htion, through Prince Bismarck. The
great Chancellor has obviously been
waiting just such a chance to snub TOR
a long time. The Reichstag is q body
for which he never had any use and
would gladly abolish If he could; then,
again, for about twenty years he has
been fostering a movement for the uni
flcation of the German Empire, and
Lasker was one Of the men that stood
in his way, %contending for popular lib
erty and against national unity. That
Bismarck has no special love for the
United States goes without saying. 1t
is an open secret that our late minister
to Germany, Hon. Andrew ID. White.
now president of Cornell College. gave
up the position because of the insolence
Of Bismarck and the Foreign Office off,
cials under him. Bismarck saw in the
return of this complimentary resolution
which the great member from Texas
introduced in the House and passed all
by himself, his opportunity to assert
the imperial dogma, deny the preroga-
tives Of the Reichstag, and cast his
snub at the United States, and so he
effected his triangular purpose in Ian
guage courteous and argumentative.
Our foreign policy, lamblike and mild,
will calm the ruffled feathers of the
American Eagle and forgive Prince
Bismark. We are obliged to have a
Secretary of State, because there must
be some one to write the annual
Thanksgiving day proclamation, and
there must be a certain number of
State Department young men to supply
the needs of Washington society; but
apart from these needs the diplomatic
home guard seems to be OF no great
use. The general impression in the
House concerning Bismark's action is
that Congress will refuse TO receive it.,
and have 1t returned to the German
minister without remark. Upon the
whole, this may be wise. For the
weak shall inherit the earth.
So much has been going on at the
Executive Mansion of late that 1t is
said the President is a little behind
hand with his official work on account
of the social demands made upon him.
BE is looking badly, and gets but little
chance to exercise W. an occasional
jaunt on horseback. The State dinner
Of last week, which was the first of a
weekly series TO the senators and menu
bers of congress, was a most brilliant
affair in its wealth of tropical plants,
gorgeous tulip blooms, and other deco
rations In the east room, where the
President and Mrs. McElroy received
NV Bucohos thooo ulbhtlo Will 10 COn-
tiuued during Lent, so that all the
congressman may have a chance.
There will be however. "a perceptable
social halt after Ash Wednesday.
Germans, balls and formal afternoon
receptions will cease for awhile, and
Vanity Fair will find resort in dinner
parties and church fairs. cabinet
Days'' will be also discontinued. This
will be a welcome relief, for the ladies
of the Cabinet were never In greater
need of rest. Some idea of the duties
which devolve upon them may be form
ed from the fact that their callers
number four and Eve hundred on a sim
gle afternoon. Custom requires the
hostess and assistants to stand while
receiving. The receptions begin at