Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-01-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Receiving New Years Calls in the Capital City
Christmas at the Executive Mansion
The Presidents Presents
The New Congress-
ionai Directory.
Prom our speclnl correanondent.

blazing chandeliers. Her sons are be
decked with swallow-tail and immacu
late tie, and order their cabs wlldl,
around in all directions fastening to bt
received. But it is the same old rou.
tine of the first of january custom
wrought by some concatenation of cir.
cumstances, and one sadly carried tC
excess at this social Capital This ex.
cess is wearing the good custom thread
bare, and each year the number of re
ceiving and received grows smaller.
AT the White House, the usual pro,
gramme is being played. First the
Members of the Cabinet and Diplomatic
Corps are received, followed in sequence
by the Justices of the Supreme Court,
the Court of Claims, District Judiciary
and Commissioners, ex-members of the
Cabinet, Ministers of the United States,
the officers of the Army and Navy,
Government head officials, and then the
great crowd of American citizens who
pass down the reception line in the red
parlor, in single file. deposit their card,
and shake hands with the Executive,
without regard to sex, race, eye, OF
color. This is the pleasure of the Presi-
dent on the first day of the New Year.
lie is assisted by the ladies of the Cabi.
net, and on the present occasion, Mr..
Arthur has been very liberal in his in
vitationS TO the wives of prominent pub.
lie men to assist at the Executive Man
sion. Among them l noticed Mrs.
Blaine, Mrs. Gen. Phil Sheridan, Mrs.
Robson, and Mrs. Chief Justice Waite.
Christmas passed quietly at the White
House. To each employee of the house.
hold the President gave S15 and a
Christmas turkey. His own Christmas
presents were numerous, but it is to be
hoped that Christmas is not to be mark.
ed every year by the unloading of whole
bundles of canes, at the White House,
President Arthur is opposed to canes,
and has no use for them, gold headed
or otherwise. He received about as
many silk umbrellas, together with
wines. cigars, etc.
-Apropos of gifts to the Executive, |
am reminded of little story that a lady
prominent in social and army circles
told. She was specializing on the thou
sand and one pairs OF slippers which the
lady friends of the present handsome
President send him, not TO men,
ton other souvenirs by the CARLOAD.
"But whether married or not, people
will always send presents to Presi-
dent. said this lady. Gone time very
prominent and wealthy lady said TO me
while Mrs. Grant was still in the White
House: Il have just received the sweet
est new bonnet from Paris that yon ever
saw. But it isn't becoming isn't it a
wicked shame?-and I'm going to send
it to Mrs. Grant And she did, I
hope Mrs. Grant didn't wear it out of
compliment to the generous friend who
gave the wife of the President what she
couldn't wear herself.
The new Congressional Directory has
just made its appearance. 1t is ALWAYS
looked for in Washington with peculiar
interest," because its biographical
sketches serve as a sort of introduction
OF the new members, whose official sta
ton at once renders them an element of
Washington society. 1t tells what SEN
ators and Representatives say of them
selves, where they were born, and what
they have done. and develops many Gu
rlous facts. Senator Butler, of South
Carolina, is pronounced the handsomest
man in the Senate, though Mr. Riddle
berger can dispute the palm in this re-
speet. Senator Ingalls, is considered
the best debater Senator Morgan is
considered the best logician. Messrs.
Edmunds and Garland are the ablest
lawyers, while Senator Vance is the fin
est rbetoritician ard best story-teller.
But to return to the directory: Mr..
Morrill, remains the patriarch of the
Senate, though his colleague, Mr.. Ed
munds, is invariably taken for the old
member of the body. The longest SEN
atorlal biography in the directory is
that of Mr. Brown, of Georgia, while the
briefest sketch is that of Senator Call.
of Florida, who occupies less than five
lines. Gen. Rosecrans' sketch takes IN
the best part of page. Col. Tom. >
Ochiltree proclaims that he is the '.first
native Texan ever elected to the Con-
gress of the United States A New
Jersey Representative takes occasion in
his biography to mention tic fact, prob
ably for the benefit of his colleagues.
that he is "a practical halter, and is
now in the retail hat business. at New
ark. OF the 401 members of Congress
261 are lawyers, though several of this
number have practically abandoned the
law for other pursuits.
We have had the beautiful snow"
ergo, these are slush times in Washing
ton. LENox.