Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1886-02-25
WASHINGTON LETTER.


remains the same that Congress Is to
have the Fitz John Porter relief bust
ness all over again. The debate has
actually begun. and the greater part
# the week has been set apart for
this subject. A week too, in the midst
of the busy part of the session. What
'ould be more dreary9 OF course
'othing new could be brought forth in
he discussion. The same old battles
If the war will be fought over again.
The same old evidence. SO often sift-
ed, is all there is In the case now
No witnesses could be summoned who
will not be recognized as old acqtaint-
ances.
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 for2 Why are we discussing
Fitz John Porter2 The democrats
will vote for it anyhow" Still the
gentleman from Indiana said he would
not be deferred from giving the rea
sons why he would vote against il.
lie severely condemned General Por-
ter's disregard of the order to march,
declaring that the order was perinptO-
ry, and that it could and should have
been obeyed.
Socially the week at the Capital has
been unusually brilliant, notwith-
standing "a temporary interruption of
the festive programme by General
Hancock's death. The President held
his first card reception of the winter in
honor of the Diplomatic Corps, and al
so gave State dinner to the Justices
of the Supreme Court. There was
a grand banquet at the Chinese EN-
bassy, n brilliant reception at Secre-
tary Whitney's with an abundance of
point lace and diamonds, flowers and
music, besides innuulerable gaieties of
less prominence.
were gorgeously appointed. The din
ner to the Justices was sumptuous
with seven wines. and twelve courses.
satin favors, and boutonnicrs, while
the floral arrangements on the table
were in compliment TO the guests, "a
pair OF scales of justice made of flow
ers being the central piece. Over it
rested "a dove with an olive branch.
The card reception drew distin.
guished gathering, both houses of Con
gress, the Judiciary, officers, of the
Army and Navy, and officials in Wash
ington who hold commissions from the
President having been invited 10 meet
the foreigners. An hour before the re-
ception began, the gas suddenly went
out and the Mansion was in darkness.
An effort was made to light it with
candles, and when the cnndlesticks
were exhausted candles were placed all
around the parlors in bottles and sau-
GERS, their feeble flames making very
inadequate illumination. The gas
mains, which had been folded for
some days, had been left in that con-
dition. Fortunately there was time
to pump the water out before the
guests arrived, and the house ana
grounds were soon brilliantly lighted
again.
An old resident of Washington re
marked recently that the National
Capital had changed wonderfully in
the past few years. although we
have a democratic administration,
said he, II notice that the tendency oI
society is more aristocratic than ever"
Another replied: "Of course it is.
The genuine democracy of the coun-
try went out of power last March.
Nine tenths of the republican voter,
are too democratic TO belong to the
democratic party. All that was anti
republican in official society here dur
ing the last twrntyfour years of re-
publican rule, has been copied this
year with exaggerated emphasis.
Attorney General Garland, of Pan
Electric fame is credited with furnish
ing the Jeffersonian simplicity for the
administration, and Secretary Whitney
furnishes the magnificence. Mr.. Gar
land adjures State dinners. and has
said that he will neverl no never!
wear IL swallow tail coat. Mr.. Whit
ney is the dude of the Cabinet, and is
wealthy. He delights in display and
is never tired of adding to the rich
collections of artistic belongings with
which his residence is furnished. He
bought 50, worth OF bric-a-b rac
from one New York dealer alone.
The Secretaries of State and War,
Bayard and Endicott, furnish the
blue blood OF the Cabinet, each COM
ing from ancestral lines of pilgrim and
cavalier. They are both dignitied in
person, of comfortable fortunes, and
born aristocrats No one would ever
think of approaching these gentlemen
with Pan Electric to obtain the infiu-
ence of their exalted positions to give
it intrinsic value, and neither of these
gentlemen would appear on an eve-
ming social occasion without swallow