Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-01-01
FROM WASHINGTON.
Especial Correspondence Of the Alexandra GaLettel
Ia., I SSl

WASHINGTON, ID. T., Jan. l, 1904
So far as news of any moment is con-
cerned this is a dies non here. The Capitol
and all the national and municipal depart
ments are closed so were most ofthe stores
all of them after twelve O'Clock ; and
New Years Day is observed as a general
holiday, nearly all the society people calling
or being called upon. The inclement wealth
err prevailing was a great drawback to The
calls, as many did not like 10 so to the ex-
pcnse of Il carriage, doubly great in conse-
Quence of the demand, and were too proud
to make their calls on foot i'll the mud and
slush But for all thatthc number OF callers
was immense The Presidents reception
was carried out according to the usual pro-
sramme. which had been published before
hand. The lower floor and the approaches
to the White House were crowded, and
the foreign ministers with their decorations,
the army and naval officers in their hand
some uniforms, and the ladies in their
beautiful and gorgeous dresses, when as
sembled in the great East Room, composed
a brilliant scene, in marked contrast with
that presented by the wet bedrabbled and
umbrella covered crowd without, who
waited their turn to be admitted, and to
shake the soft, puffy, and flabby hand of
the President. On last New Years Day
the Hawaiian Minister dropped dead i'm
medialelv after he had been presented to
| the President, and so suspicious are people
even of education that vague dread of
something unfortunate possessed many OF
those present to-day. Happily, however, it
was not realized, and everything passed oil
without interruption and with nothing to
mar the proceedings except the rain.
Among those who called were about doZ
en- survivors of the Mexican war, at the
head of whom was Judge r. }. Mackey, OF
South Carolina. The President, scanning
them, asked if they were all that remained
of ;thc noble army that had conquered
Mexico? As il was the intention Of the
Judge to dsahuse the mind of the President
of the idea that the bill for pcnsioning the
survivors of that war would extract large
sums from the Treasury, he replied that
they were not quite all. Among them was
| Major Wilkes, also ofSouth Carolina who
told the President that he was the first Presi-
dent he had ever seen The President replied
that he hoped the Major was not disap.
pointed. The Judge afterwards remarkcd
that the Major was a little awed ut first
but that when he looked on the picture OF
his own countyman, President Jackson, in
view, he regaiued his composure at once
One Of the most numerously attended and
brilliant receptions was that of Mrs. Speak
er Carlisle, at the Ebbitt House. The streets
there were bIuckaded with carriages, and
among the callers We're some of the most
distinguished people in the city.
The measles are prevailing among the
children Of this city to an almost unprece-
denied extent. Wherever n child is it seems
the measles are sure to be.
Among the strangers in the city to-day are
Messrs. Banks and Bowdcn, Of Norfolk. The
former SAYS the democrats in the Legsla
turc knew when they passed the bill for the
registration in Norfolk that it could not be
operative, and that the practical effect would
I've to dsrancnsc his people, as an election
now could not he held until February.
The unanimous opinion of about n dozen well
known and a<tutr republican politicians, sitting
around bowl of apple toddy to-day, was thai
| the mex: national ticket Of their party would b,
| composed of Grant and Lincoln. IL really doe:
seem Is If Grant is about the only man who can
| unite the republic party now, If he can, i"i
some OF the men who opposed the famous ''ot
were as dead against him six months ago rs ever.