The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1885-05-02
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER..

OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Receptions at the White -House-The Prec-
etlence Question ed-App"int'nents
t., be Made, etc.
WASHINGTON, d. c., April g, 1885.
EDITOR CHIEF:
At the two large receptions SO far given
by Mr.. Cleveland he has shown unexpected
impartiality toward officials and the pub
lie. The levee hello last Tuesday exening
was the first large public reception and
was, in every detail, as handsome as the
reception given few weeks before, when
the guests were the Diplomatic Corps,
Judges, Senators and others i'll high official
station. think it was the first time that
the great East Room has been elaborately
decorated ON the evening of Puhlic levee.
The massive grouping Of palns, ferns and
other tropical lAapts in the windows al
coves, and banking the maAtels with cut
flowers, made this room thing Of beauty
and joy to look upon, and with the open
Conservatory gave to strangers the eppoE-
tunity to see the Executive Mansion at his
best.
/ have observed that the crowds at pub
lie receptions are better hammered than
those at official gatherings. The people ]"
are more quiet and patient, more eonsid-
crate aud obiging. l never saw more
we'll behaved crowd than that at the White
House last week. am told that the elab-
crate floral decorations were made at the
Presidents request. 1t was graceful rec
ognition of the peoples taste.
The President attends strictly to business
when he shakes hands with several thou
sand persons, and yet he seems proof
against fatigue. At the end of the two
hours he looked as fresh as when he began.
1t is said that he does the " shaking" HIM
self. In this way he can j" shake" out u
great many without the least fatigue. If
crowds bore him, he shows it less than any
President since General Grant, whose un-
readable face never revealed his feeling.
1t was worth while to watch the people last
week. The most of them we're pleased to
return the hearty grasp of the hand aEl
pass on. Bat now and then one would
linger to bestow some compliment or con-
gratulation with such impressmsnt of man
ner that Senator Cockrell, back of the line,
remarked: "There must be few office
seekers in town yet
A lady tells me that the wife of the Sec
retary of State settled the 'precedence -
question in the Cabinet by taking her place
in the line at Miss !Clevsa.pd's right that
evening. Nobody will lslieye that Mrs.
Bayard is the invalid she has been repre-
senteQ after seeing her stand there two full
hours, showing no more sign of fatigue
than the other assistants" she says. "Oi
course it was q surprise, apd there were
ple,ty of people who didn't know Mrs
Bayard, for she is SO seldom seen out Of
her house, and until this season rarely seeI
there. And few know how fine looking she
is, either Mrs. Endicott was thought b,
many to be the handsomest woman in thu
line. But Mrs. Bayard has a striking face
am glad there will be 70 further agitation
of the question of precedence. Even i
there is war between England and Rus
sia we shall have peace at home-in the Ca
binet.
1t is understood among those who ar
most interested in procuring goyernmen
appointments that about all the places a
the disposal of the State department hay
either been filled or promised. Also tina
the next changes to be made belong to tn
Treasury. 1t is said that the internal rev
enue service is to kas.e a pretty thorQpy
shaking up. Present incembents are
!. give way to new men, and then the Gu:
toms service will he taken in hand. Th
necessity of changes in the interior .depar
! neut has also received attention, and it
expected that not Il few changes will 500
!, be made in the Indian and land bureaus.
Judge Advocate General Swain soni
time ago made an appeal to the Presidel
to have his case reviewed and the sentene
, mitigated. The President after consider
, ing the matter has decided to take no a.
ton in the case and the original sentent
of the court-Ta rtial as approved by Pres
! dent Arthur will therefore stand. In lie
n of the present status of the case, rumo
!, are again atoat that Gen. Swain will shor
] ly ask to be retired for disability. Ge
j Swaifa says, however, that he has no SUE
: intention. He is in good health and fee
= / able to perform active duty.
+ am glad to see the Attorney G.an.er
:, has recpnsidered his dress cont Eesolutit
ia and fpade his debut, SO to speak, in fl
" dress. thought Mr.. Garland seemed
! much at hqle on Tuesday evening and
happy rs Secretary Lamar, who was real
v chee1faly gay. Exiaeaity horseback e
ercIe suits the Secretary OF the Interit
70 who looks remarkably we'll. His usu
70 dreamy Indifference had gisop ulsce to
70 wide-awale interest il the spblazary thin.
n For once he was ,b.elo47 the clouds, Ill
like Others about him, was of the ear
3eauthy. In fact, he was an acquisition a
did a large share in entertaining the Pre-
s. dents ,gRests in the Blue Room.
u Yours truly, ALERT
p --r0>0~O>-
Sc President Cleveland has made ne &
It's poiptmept which .1Alne.;;ls,tra.ss5 more Gle;
IL ly his lispesitiau tv 4.dtaere to the prin
I'll pies of 6,iNa service reform than that
ca Mr.. Ea,4ssn to be his own successor
,,o Postmaster of New York city. The IN,
sh wpmps are delighted and there is by
lly means such deep measure of disg
ne among the Republican Stalwarts and De
he ocratic Bourbons as might have been
ze. pected. Mr.. Pearson belongs to the pc