Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-04-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Wdshinqton, ApriI 10Th.


The week has been busy one fol
Mr.. Cleveland. Since his occupancy
of the white house, each day has been
filled with demands upon his time
and patience, but the las; few days
have been marked by an unusual va
riety Of duties, official, social and
otherwise, that falls to the lot of the
president of United States. He has
received about one hundred and fifty
business callers each day; he has
performed his part at the regular
cabinet meetings; he has made thir-
ty appointments to office; he review
the parade of the colored people on
emancipation day, and has given at
tention TO the various delegations
that have thronged TO the white
house. Friday afternoon was one of
the most animated and eventful oc.
casions that has been witnessed at
the old Mansion during the new adj
ministration. Delegation after dele
cation poured into the east room,
and many striking incidents occurred.
The colored bishops and clergymen
of the A. M. E. conference, the
representatives of the Knights of
Pythias, a large Virginia delegation
and the ballet girls and other female
members of an operate troupe, shar-
ed Mr.. Cleveland's attention and
hospitality within the space of one
short afternoon.
When the president came down to
the east room to meet the colored
preachers, he found group of
twenty-five young ladies from Vlr-
ginia academy and about seventy-fiye
other people waiting to shake hands
with him. Before he could begin his
work of handshaking, he was asked
to listen to an address by colored
bishop, which by far excelled the
average addresses that presidents are
compelled to listen to. Then, before
shaking hands with the ministers
Mr.. Cleveland quietly stepped over
and shook the hands of the ladies'.
After daily practice of an hour fol
six weeks, Mr.. Cleveland has this
part of. his duties down to a science
He does all the shaking himself, anC
thus prevents over enthusiastic peo
pie from wrlnging his arm out Of
joint.
In replying to the clergymen's adj
dress, the president dwelt upon thu
Importance of the ministerial posi-
ton. His admonition to the colore(
politicians, who visited him on tn,
day previous, was that they be no
blindly led OF cunningly deceived.
In the procession of freedmen eel
ebrating the anniversary of emanci
patton in the District, there wer
many ludicrous scenes and incidents
A telegraph wire hanging low cause'
a great deal of trouble by sweepin,
the decoration off the top of chariot
filled with girls in white, queens o
beauty, goddesses, etc. The presi
dent stood in the center of the whit
house portico while the procession
passed, and Secretaries Lamar, En-
dicott, and Postmaster General Villa
stood behind him. Whenever th
national colors came past Mr.. Cleve
land raised his hat, but the salutes c
organizations in line were recoe
nized only by nod. He smile
broadly when several old women cal
ed out to him, and the chances of th
queen of beauty seated on a hig
throne, elected a slight nod an
another smile from the executiv,
At the oratorical exercises, wit
which the festival closed, Frederic
Douglas was profuse in compliment
to the democratic party, though
said he has not joined that party ye
Republican he was, had been, al
expected to be. In regard to Il
president he remarked that no bett
words had been heard from the ca
portico of the capitol since the i
augural addresses of Lincoln al
Grant than fell from the lips of NJ
E Cleveland on the fourth of la
, March. The speaker had done
o in his power to elect Mr.. Blaine,
he was now prepared to trust N
Cleveland.
= The president and his cabinet e
i pect to spend the summer in Was
ington at work. They have given
thought to vacations for recreatlC
= Mr.. Cleveland says he has so mu
to do before congress recover
that he cannot afford to lose a n
ment's time.
Some of the applicants for dip
matte appointments who have |
gered in the city expectantly watt
have been gratifed by success t
week, others have been dissapoint
" by failure, and others still have bt
cheered by the assurance that
- remaining appointments will be m;
- next week. The contest for
. Chinese mission embraces a mum
- of distinguished aspirants, includ
~ Generals Mcclellan and Rosecra
- The rivalry for the Belgium miss
is one of the most interesting, as
- is a contest between millionail
The position has come to be rega
:, ed as one to be filled by veal
~ man, and the opulent democrats
'e New York, New England and
at West enter the rivalry with spirit
of strong endorsements.