Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-01-08
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Written and compiled for the HERALD.

]
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Jan. LIST
This was a great day to the so
cial world of the Capital. 1t inau
gurated the festivities of the season
and the leaders of fashion have
waited for it anxiously. The of
fetal reception at the Executive
Mansion was well attended and The
: programme was the same that il
has been for years. The President
demonstrated the fact that he baI
a strong right arm, at least. He
made about sixteen handshakes q
minute for three hours, and con
fessed, after it was all over, thai
he had had an easy time.
The members of the Cabinet
were received first by the Presi
dent. Then came the Diplomatic
Corps in all the granduer of theil
Court attire, gold lace, bright vel
vets, sashes, stars, and other shin
ing insignia of Office. The Su
preme Court came next followed
by the various courts of the Dis
trict of Columbia, and Commits
siOners OF the District. Then there
was a reception of Senators and
Members Of Congress, officers OF
the Army and Navy, various De
partment officials and civic organ
izations and lastly, but not least in
numbers, the people.
Among the other official recep.
tons, was the usual breakfast given
by the Secretary of State to the
Diplomatic Corps. The foreign re-
representatives. went from the White
House to this entertainment, in
full dress, but later, when they
started out for general calls, they
wore citizens morning attire, frock
coats and silk hats.
On leaving the White House
many Of the officials, and nearly
all the officers of the Army and
Navy began around Of calls through
the city. General Sheridan and
his staff had greeted the President.
in the full regimental dress of their
rank. The General, accompanied
By some of his aids, made all the
calls of the day in full uniform.
Other officers, especially those who
went around on foot, assumed citi-
zens' dress on leaving the official
reception, preferring not to be con
spicuOus on the streets.
Ladies, in evening dress, receiv-
ed their New Years callers in gas
lighted parlors. Lunch tables were
in order, but no liquor. For sew
eral years the leaders of society
here have favored the disuse of
spintuOus liquors as a feature Of
New Years hospitality. The change
may be said to have been instltu-
ted by Mr.. Hayes when she deter
mined to exclude wine from the
State dinners at the White House.
In Washington the venerable
custom of New Years calling will
not die cut, though it may become
obsolete everywhere else. The
peculiar formation Of society here
will tend to preserve it. In no
other city of the country can the
ladies' hold an annual review of
warriors and statesmen
in their official splendOr. AS these
gentlemen are obliged to don their
gorgeous vestments in the line of
duty at the White House and 9th
or places on New Years day, it is
pleasant for them to supplement
their official calls by making a
round among their circle of lady
acquaintance. 1t is an easy way
of paying social debts and every
body seems to like it.
The observance of the New Year
began here with the closing of the
Departments at noon on the day
before. Services were held in |
many of the churches and the old |
year was watched out while the
new was welcomed with services of |
prayers and song. At midnight |
the Metropolitan church chimes
rang out the old and rang in the |
new. The midnight hour was
tollcd on the large bell, and then
an elaborate programme Of joyful
music was played on the bells.
The greatest change which the
OLD year brought was that which
occurred here on the fourth of
March when the executive authOri.
Ity was transferred 10 Democratic
hands. The new Administration
came in with countless pledges Of
reform. 1t had aged to find III
Vulnerable 'rascals' ia office aud TO
turn them ont. Ii was pledged TO
expose corruption in all the Depart
ments and to introduce better
methods for the loose ways of pub.
lie business. The 'rascals' have
never yet been discovered, although
OF good men have been
turned out. AS to the methods Of
.he public service, the new author
ties hold on to them alter an abuse
,f twenty years.
"