The National tribune., 1885-01-08
WASHINGTON GOSSIP,
The Opening of the Year of Our Lord
1885 at the National Capital.
NEW YEARS DAY.


who dwell in reasonable conteutmcnt and pros
Yerity beneath the folds of the Star Spangled
amer. There is talk every little while OF
e decay of the pleasant social custom OF re-
; wing ones acquaintances at the beginning oi
+, wear" but in spte of this, the published
s of ladies who Will receive calls become
Ell longer everywhere every year, and
-rywhere there are more mcn-and men
.er in years-adopting a custom which is
per and pleasant in every way. 10 get
gay from the drive and worry of business at
J asst one working day Of the year and spend 1t
dnting up ones friends and showing an inter
st In their health and prosperity, is emlnentiy
l.umanizing and christianizing. 1t is Gus
tom that should not be abolished, but insisted
upon as the duty of every man.
But this is wandering away from the observ-
snce of the day here which, froE1 the demands
of official etiquet, has quite an imposing char
acter The day properly opens with the recep-
tion of the Diplomatic Corps by the President,
as the gentlemen who compose the Corps are
each an embodiment of the might and maj
esty" of their respective realms, and In meet
ing them the President greets in the name OF
the United States the nations of the earth.
They are not very imposing lot Of men, in
spite of most Of them being
Lords, dukes, and "a that"
nar yet in spite of their sonorous titles of
Ambassadors Extraordinary and Ministers
! lenipotentiary nor yet in face of the un-
o.eniabIe fact that each of them speaks with the
79ice of several millions of people. Most or
iem are white haired, specialized old men /;
many are shriyelcd and rheumatic. The gor-
yeous gold-braided uniforms they wear sit on
heir shrunken frames in way that reminds
one of the honlely adage of " a shirt on bean
pole"
COMMENCEMENT OF THE RECEPTION.
The President had invited 65 ladies-mainly
wives of prominent oficials-to assist him.
About two-thirds of these We're able TO accept
his invitation. Last year there was a little
unpleasantness among the ladies in regard to
precedence. The President not having any
wife, nor yet Senator Anthony, who as PresI-
dent pro TEN. OF the Senate was next to him in
rank, question arose as TO who should stand
on his right as the first lady in the land" 1t
was claimed that this was the right of the vito
of the Speaker of the House Of Representatives
because in the event OF the President, Vice
President, and President pro ten. of the Senate
all dying or becoming incapac;tated, he would
become President. This claim was disputed
by the wives of the Justices of the Supreme
Court, one of them leaving the line in huff
and retreating to her home, where she held a
reception of her own. This year sisterly har-
mony prevailed, and the place of honor was
accorded to the Presidents lovely sister-Mrs.
McElroy. Next to her came Mrs. Edmunds
Mrs. Frelnghuysen, the ladies of the Supreme
Court, Cabinet etc.
A little before IL the Marine Band began
playing
"HAIL TO THE CHIEF"
when the President entered the Blue Room,
which had been decorated for the occasion,
with Mrs. Frelinghuysen. Secretary Freling
huysen followed with Mrs. McElroy on his
arm. The President wore closely buttoned
Prince Albert coat, with his customary carna-
tion pink in his button hole, and white gloves.
All the ladies wore toilets of unusual richness
and elegance. The ladies paid their respects to
the President, and then to his sister, and took
places in line on his right. The Marshal of the
District, Clayton McMichael, who is eI-offeio
Master of Ceremonies entered, accom- panied by
an officer of the Army and one Of the Navy as
aids. They took their position on the Presi-
dents left to introduce the callers.
TIE DIPLOMATIC CORPS
was punctual. The old squabbles over prece-
dence, which form so large part Of the diplo-
matte history of Europe, and which led TO
SO many wars. are now thing Of the past. The
size and power OF the country he represents
are not allowed any influence in deciding
whether this Ambassador shall walk in front
of that one behind him. Seniority in the
date of his credentials determines precedence,
and thus 1t happened that the Ministers of the
great Empires of Great Britain, Germany,
Rnssia, and Austro- Hungary and the Republic
of France were led into the room by the Vis-
tbe yveaI- a,d DING I;na6o,, of port,ooI IT.
Other countries falIor-ad port,oa =; ttfs -.
Italv 49, WIS 0i0e-
Great Britain.
knstro- Hungarv
Russia
France
.CbiIi
Svitza-1o,5
Argentine Republic.
Hawaii
Gnstemat, co,,-,5o- aud v:oo-,,-.
Tn~I-a--
Sna;n
Notbn-Ior,a
Gernoan+-
United States of Colombia.
Japan.
Belgium.
Brazil.
Peru.
Uruguay.
Venezuela.
Sweden and Norway.
Denmark.
China.
The Chinese were as usual, the most notice
able figures In the corps The Chinese Charge
d'Afaires and his Secretaries wore their ma
tional costumes of dark blue and purple brocade
garments over pale blue satin, with loose coats
of plum-colored satin, lined with ermine. The
Count Van AIyensleben, the German Min
lister, with his Secretaries, all in SNOWY uni
forms, with cordons, sashes, orders and swords.
made made very noticeable group Baron
Fava, the Italian Minister, was accompanied by