Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-03-14
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.


To relate the events OF the past
week in the space allowed for letter,
I am afraid viii require power Of con
sdensation that your correspondent
does not possess.
The President was inaugurated with
well ordered pomp and pageantry, in
the presence ola crowd unprecedented
in numbers and responsibility. The
weather, attributed by some to the
arrest of Gen. Hazen, the chief of the
Weather Bureau, was as perfect as if it
had been regulated by thermometer.
The inaugural address was delivered
in the presence of at least 10000 spec
tators, and owing to the. strength of
Presidents voice, a large proportion OF
them were actual auditors The par
ade that followed was such as has
never before been seen in this coun
try, and it was reviewed by the Presi-
dent, and many distinguished person
ages around him, as we'll as by 100000
people who covered the sidewalks,
temporary balconies, stands, and house
tops of Pennsylvania avenue.
At night the sky was painted red,
white and blue, with fireworks, and
the great ball attended by the Presi-
dent and nearly ten thousand persons
was the brilliant and frivolous finale of
the day. | gazed upon Mr.. Cleveland's
pale, strong face as he rode to the
Capitol in the forenoon, and wondered
how he would be able to bear up
through the trying ordeal. The men
tai, physical and nervous strain must
have been intense. To go through
the preliminary etiquette at the White
House; to drive slowly to the Capitol,
the cynosure of hundreds of thous-
ands of eyes; to appear the observed
and criticised of all amid the distin-
guished throng in the United States
Senate Chamber; to deliver without
reading, an address in the vast presence
East of the Capital; to stand for four
hours while line of $4,000 uniformed
men passed before him, and then, at
eleven o'clock at night, to appear in
sitting ball room, amid mob of ag-
gre>sively curious women-this was the
gauntlet with which President Cleve-
land commenced his administration on
the fourth of March, He is aliyei and
thank heaven human ingenuity and
pageantay has done its worst.
Since the fourth the White House
has been besi6ged by delegations, but
the President manages to find time to
eat and sleep.
The Cabinet has qualified and gone
to work. With the exception of the
Cabinet of the late administration
none of the rascals have yet been
turned out, but quite number have
with the instinct of Davy Crockett's
coon come down (gone ouD of their
own accord. The majority however,
will wait until Mr.. Cleveland shoots.
They expect to have to come down fin
ally, but will deer their tumble as long
as possible.
The new President has given out
that he will not personally hear or per
sonally consider applications for Office,
unless they shall come to him recon-
mended by the Cabinet officer in
whose department the Office is sought.
1t is believed that Mr.. Cleveland will
literally adhere to this rule. At any
rate it will be literal impossibility
for him to consider one tenth of the
applications he is receiving. Each
mail brings an immense load Of peti-
tons which Col Lamont and his
clerks look over, acknowledge with
prepared blank forms, and refer to the
Departments to which they belong.
The President does not see them, and
no persistence on the part OF the ap-
plicant will secure his attention
Miss Cleveland held the usual re-
ception on Saturday afternoon last,
and hundreds went to the White
House who had not been there before
to pay their respects to the presidents
sister. Miss Cleveland is not what is
known here as a society lady" She
is wanting in the sauoir tarie, the gra
ces, and the .je ne sails qtoi which are
Characteristic of great social leaders.
But she has what is better than all
these, in plain Democratic country,
an air of sincerity and amiability
which impressed her guests with wei
come. Her face is expressive of in
telligence and character.
Washington. March 9. 1885