Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-06

-.,s Tnauence the Democratic Admins
4sou WIN Have Upon It.

rEgu Al nave = RUl Aes
.surNeroN. Oct. S.-The return OF
49,. democratic party to power is no.
mere felt so sensIbly as here, where the
o--,oorstjc administrations OF Pesrce'
T,-.narsn and johnson are so Rgresably
-.-rsrrh e-ad bv many Of its citizens.
psto-s gen. Grants administration this
-,-r erioved 81 exceptional freedom IRON
~ element Of shoddy that was so preva-
1t st the close Of the war in al parts OF
.rs country. and which afterward became
.,,rsnicuous feature in the years OF Re-
htl5cs0 rule. The Democratic admin
.-~er0ps Of the past have brought with
- lirrla Of that wealth which asserts
t-.aIfiD display, possibly unaRoldaole TO
me extent. but which is nevertheless
-rnleasant and oppressive.
me advent Of Gen. Grant and the enor-
mons expenditures which have made
WesAinFfQn the beautiful city II is, Gre
80 q new element Of social life which at
s-st was aggressive and intolerant.
cc75v display IN houses, equipages, en-
+.--s-nuents, and costumes spoke very
.lqirIv OF newly acquired wealth, and lett
-.amories of those days far from agreeable,
-r4 robbed the city OF that quiet refine
v,oat which was its characteristic. The
m ~asl1auts Withdrew within their own
Immediate circles, unable and unwilling
m contend with those who assumed the
isa7ership Of social life. They regarded
-6ese new forms OF life as innovations and
~ssi.ied until resistance vas Ia vain, the
great improvements demanded by the ele-
T1eDts 81 progress in their midst. One by
me The old landmarks, which made the
sitv distinctive. were obliterated.
Nomention Of this age OF Improvement
csn be made without the name of the one
nan whose expansive mind and iron VIII
sided 50 greatly in producing these re-
sYlts. Alexander r. Shepherd eXhumed
,hs Mans of Gen. Washington from the
src6iyes where for more than half CEN
u.ry they had slept, and compromising
The mazniyude OF the work necessary TO
7indicate the foresight Of the first Presi-
dent and his friend and engineer, Col.
LIniant. al once proceeded TO carry them
out. 4 few years ago he left " ashing-
ION without dollar, TO commence life
over again in a foreign land. A new or
der of things ruled. and amid the lavish
exnenditure necessitated by these vast
improvements, display and some vulgar
ity was inevitable, but out OF il all grew
the material prosperity ard the beauty Of
grand city.
The return of the Democratic party to
'lweF will bring with ii different associa-
IONS entirely, and social life here will
sosn feel their influence. The Cabinet
and the other officials OF an administra-
sion give tone, and, in great measure,
direct and control the movements OF the
society. and as none Of them are recog-
uized as among the wealthy of the land
wa may not look for that lavish display
which has characterized tho social life OF
those who, il not millionaires, lived as
sucn. The modest but elegant homes Of
TIE members of the present Cabinet will
no doubt be the scenes of generous and
refined hospitality; but from our knowl-
edge OF these representatives. OF the Demo-
cratic party now in power there will be
none Of that OstentatiOus display which,
al least IN one instance, wrecked the life
Of Cabinet minister.
With the coming Of so much wealth TO
Washington there came, too, ar extrava-
gaDce in living unknown and unheard of
IN the past, when the Democratic party
ruled in Washington. Let us hope that
the baleful effects of such extravagance.
as extended itself even to the foreign ele-
ment, so agreeable in Washington society,
and such a dis .jnctive feature in it, NAV
be abated, as it caused the suicide of one
OF It's members, and has driven away
another, one Of the most charming foreign
representatives, who frankly admitted he
could not afford the expenses of life in
Washington.
The influence OF an administration is
an powerful, and its example will be
speedily followed; and once more the
great charm Of life in Washington will be
revived by refined and genial hospitality
That will recall with delight the social
relations which so distinguished the last
ilree Democratic administrations.