The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-01-07
WASHINGTON LETTER.
from our Regular Correspondent
WAsHIsGToS. January l, 1885

WAsHISGToS, January l, 1885.
The first day Of the New Year was
celebrated in The usual way in Wash
ington by thousands who VIII never
again take part in the ceremony. 1t
was President Arthur's last reception,
aud the last reception by 4 President of
the Republicans party, for at least four
years. On the first Of January, 1886,
there will he heN official aud social
peTsonei nj the National capital, and the
large majority OF those wh9 receive and
those who call will be people new to
Washington
There WAS less calling than on any
previous FIRST day OF the year during the
last decade The Ad0nises of the Gov
eminent Offices have not yet been able
TO pay the money they let and lost on
Blaine. The once exquisite Prince Al
bert coat has now a disslpated and Ia
tigued appearance, the faultless panta-
looms and perfect hat are sprung at the
| knees and rusty aud battered as to the
crown. The wearer has not the heart
or the stomach 10 face his changed for
tune in these habiliments. Washing
/ tonians are not ike the Parisiaus, who
!
/ old time eaietv when the Prussians
were in two days march OF the doomed
modern "Ofbss teIraTsaR. The prospect
has settle. ike pail upon his spirits
and is evident ia a hundred signs. Bat
a great many called and the usual mum
Der of ladies kept open house on New
| Years day.
There is talk Of a gay social season
There may be sort OF artificial or gal
Yanic gaiety pervading social and Off
cial lie. But how can political party
be gay at its own funeral2 There vii
doubtless be the usual number of Presi
Dental and cabinet receptions, and The
justices of the Supreme Court, and tht
Army and Naval people who are no
affected by the vicissitudes OF party MAY
be indifferent to the impending change
! but they are as "one In ten thousanC
and altogether lovely" You VIII, an
sure, approve of your correspondent he
| ginning the New Year with quotation
= from Scripture like the above. Tn
; truth is that | am pressed for something
10 write. | have Just returned from
making about forty New Years call
and / realize that this letter must 60 b
the next post.
/ have a journalistic friend who las
: year was smart enough to write his Ne'
- Years letter on the day before Ne,
Year. He described the Presidents II
ception in what he thought was a yer
! pretty piece of word painting. he toll
/ / how Mr.. Arthur received first the dir
= lomatic corps in their brilliant cour
, regalia; the impressive entrance of th
u Justices of the Supreme Court, Senator
e Representatives, Generals, Admiral
V Commodores, and the Irish Legation
without stint. The letter was posted o
the 3lst of December, aud it would hay
answered admirably but for an acciden
On New Years, while my friend W;
making calls, Obvious to the drudger
of the pen, and much pleased with hin
y self, he heard that the Dean of the Di
2 lomatic corps had dropped dead in IL
e vestibule of The White House, and TIA;
> the Presidential reception had bee
countermanded before it had begun.
: All signs point to a lively time fro
N now until the fourth of March, an
after that, the Judgment. Between ii
~ 22d of February, the time for the ded
cation of the Washington monumen
II and the Inauguration, it is estimate
y that the population of Washington wi
d double itself, Organizations are comil
.o in battalions, aud a feature of the COZ
: ing Inauguration will be large numb
= OF military organizations from the Sout
- 1t is estimated that ten thousand pc
p sons will attend the inaugural ba
" The hall i'll which the ball is to be he
~ is magnificent room, 3l6 feet long
ll6 feet broad, and is believed to be Il
st second largest in the world. 1t is ST.
t. rounded by series of smaller room
at all of which are connecting, in whit
! there will be ample space for refres
ment halls, cloak rooms, toilet chamber
10 and everything else that may be nee
ed. Around the hall is also a long lii
m ofir"n columns supporting the gallerie
- in which will be seats for such spect
tors as do not care to join the dancin
,! These columns will be entwined WI
es the three national colors, and betwe
n. them will probably be placed lar
>. vases filled with natural flowers. NuI
bers of plants will be placed artistical
u around the room, and flags and banne
at will be arranged in effective designs al
lie decorate the walls The whole will
=. lighted by the electric light, and W
I, form magnificent display, such as h
al rarely been seen in this country. Dee
err rators of experience will be engaged
perform this work. A. c. :.