Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-02-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. Feb. Is. 1856.


Although you may not believe me,
the dismal fact remains the same
that Congress is to have the Fitz
John Porter relief business all over
again. The debate has actually
begun, and the greater part of the
week has been set apart for this
subject. A week too, in the midst
of the busy part of the session.
What could be more dreary 7 Of
course nothing new could be brought
forth in the discussion. The same
old battles of the war will be fought
over again. The same old evidence,
SO often sifted, is all there is in the
case now. No witnesses could be
summoned who will not be recogniz-
ed as old acquaintance.
Representative Steele, of Indiana,
who was among the first to speak in
opposition to the bill. promised with
the remark: What in thunder
are we here forg Why are we dis
cussing Fitz John Porter? The
Democrats will vote for it anyhow"
Still the gentleman from Indiana
said he would not be deferred from
giving the reasons why he would
vote against it. He severely con-
demned General Porter's disregard
Of the order to march, declaring
that the order was peremptory, and
that it could and should have
been obeyed.
! Socially the week at the Capital
has been unusually brilliant, not
withstanding temporary Interrupt
ton of the festive programme by
General Hancock's death. The
President held his first card recep-
tion of the winter in honor of the
Diplomatic Corps, and also gave a
State dinner to the Justices of the
Supreme Court. There was a grand
banquet at the Chinese Embassy, a
brilliant reception at Secretary
Whitney's with an abundance of
point lace and diamonds, flowers
and music, besides innumerable
gaities of less prominence.
Both events OF the White House
were gorgeously appointed. The
dinner to the Justices was Sump-
tuous with seven wines, and twelve
courses, satin favors, and bouton-
niers, while the floral arrangements
on the table were in compliment to
the guests, a pair OF scales of justice
made of flowers being the central
piece. Over it rested dove with
an olive branch.
The card reception drew a distin-
guished gathering, both Houses of
Congress, the Judiciary, officers of
the Army and Navy, and officials in
Washington who hold commissions
from the President having been
invited to meet the foreigners. An
hour before the reception began, the
gas suddenly went out and the Man
sion was in darkness. An effort
was made to light it with candles,
and when the candlestricks were
exhausted candles were placed all
around the parlors in bottles and
saucers, their feeble flames making
very inadequate illumination. The
gas mains, which had been flooded
for some days, had been left in that
condition. Fortunately there was
time to pump the water out before
the guests arrived, and the house
and grounds were soon brilliantly
lighted again.
An old resident OF Washington
remarked recently that the National
Capital had changed wonderfully in
} the past few years. Although we
have Democratic Administration, y
said he, !" / notice that the tendency
of society is more aristocratic than
ever" Another replied, "Of course
: it is. The genuine democracy of
the country went out of power last
March. Nine tenths of the Repub-
lican voters are too democratic to
belong to the Democratic party. All
that was anti-republican in official
society here during the last twenty
four years OF. Republican rule, has
been copied this year with exaggerat.
ed emphasis"
Attorney General Garland, OF
Pan Electric tame, is credited with
furnishing the Jeffersonian sim
plicity for the Administration. while
Secretary Whitney furnishes the
magnificence. Mr.. Garland abiures
State dinners and has said that he
will never! no never wear swal.
low tail coat. Mr.. Whitney is the
dude of the Cabinet, and is wealthy.
He delights in display and is never
tired of adding to the rich collec.
ton of artistic belongings with
which his residence here is furnish.
> ed. He bought $4,000 worth OF
bric-a-brac from one New York
dealer alone.
The Secretaries of State and War,
Bayard and Endicott, furnish the
blue blood of the Cabinet, each
coming from ancestral lines of pll-
grim and cavalier. They are both
dignified in person, of comfortable
fortunes, and born aristocrats. No
one would ever think of approach
ing these gentlemen with Pan
Electric to obtain the influence of
their exalted positions to give it
intrinsic value, and neither of these
gentlemen would appear on an
evening social occasion without
4 swallow tails.
Wonderful Cures.
w. D. Hoyt & Co., Wholesale and Re-
tail Druggist of Rome. Ca, say We
col IT, NJ