The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1897-01-07
NEW YEARS EVENT
ANNUAL RECEPTION GIVEN BY THE
PRESIDENT AND HIS WIFE.
Mr.. and Mrs. Cleveland Inaugurate
by Giving n Reception to Govern
ment Dignitnries, the Diplomats,
Officers of the Army and Navy
and the General Public.

Washington, Jan. 2. - New Years
day brol.e raw and cloudy over the ma
tional capital, but the weather was not
allowed to mar the success of the great
annual reception given by the chief
magistrate at the executive mansion to
official and unofficial Washington. The
White House reception i~naugurates
the social festivities of the winter and
Is, in many respects, the most i'm
portant social function of the year. 1t
Is an occasion when the president, his
cabinet and their families formally ex-
change greetings and joyous good
wishes with the high dignitaries Of the
government, the diplomatic representa-
tiveS of all the nations of the world,
the officers of the army and navy and
the general public.
The reception this year was a bril-
liant success. For three hours, from
IL o'clock until 2, the reception con-
tinued. Long lines Of carriages moved
slowly through the spacious grounds
to the porte cochere, where their Occu-
pants alighted and made their way
through the brilliant and beautifully
decorated parlors to where the receiv-
ing party stood in the blue parlOr. In
the ante room the full marine band
played.
The Reception Begins.
Promptly at II o'clock the marine
band Of fifty pieces struck up Weber's
Jubilee" and the president and Mrs.
Cleveland, followed by Secretary and
Mrs. Olney. Secretary and Mrs. Car
Isle, Attorney General and Mrs. Har-
mon, Postmaster General and Mrs.
Wilson, Secretary and Mrs. Francis,
Secretary and Mrs. Lamont, Secretary
and Miss Herbert, Secretary and Miss
Morton. moved down the stairs. They
entered the blue parlOr, where they TX
changed greetings with the receiving
party. Mrs. Cleveland'S gown was Of
MORE cloth, made very plainly, its
chief ornamental on being a high ruche
of point lace at the neck and butterfly
bows of lace ON the shoulders and
where folds of the skirt were caught.
Her sleeves were long and the gloves
of white kid. Her hair was smooth
and wavy, and arranged in a simple
fashion.
The reception began with the entry
of members of the diplomatic corps,
headed by Sir Julian Pauncefote, the
English ambassador, and Lady
Pauncefote. All wore full court cos
tunes. The red fez of the Turkish
minister and the striking robes of the
Chinese minister and representatives
of other Oriental countries, added to
the effectiveness of the scene. The
Corean minister and his suite wearing
their small, black, boX-like hats, at
tracted much attention. After the dip
lomatic corps had been received Chief
Justice Fuller and other members Of
the judiciary of the supreme court and
others of the federal judiciary, ac-
companied by their ladies, followed.
These in tur were succeeded by the
senators, representatives, the commits
sioners of the District of Columbia,
the judicial officers of the district, ex-
members Of the cabinet and ex-minis- |
terS.
The Congressional Contingent
was noticeably small. Senator Sher-
man Of Ohio and Senator Morrill, Of
Vermont came through first of the
senators. and Representative Savers
of Texas, of the representatives. At
11:40 the officers of the army and the I!
navy and the marine corps, the Of ,
ficers of the militia of the District Of
Columbia We're received. Maj. Gen.
Miles, the commander of the army, and
AdJt. Gen. Ruggles headed the officers
of the army, who were Respondent in
full uniform. All of the officers sta
toned at Fort Meyer were in the line.
Admiral Ramsey and Commodore
Matthews headed the officers Of the
navy, and Col. Hayward and his staff
those Of h marine corps. At noon
Secretary Langley and the regents of
the Smithsonian institution, Mr.. Proc
tor, the president, and the other mem
bers Of the civil service commission,
Col. Morrison and the members of the
interstate m commission, Com
missioner of Labor Wright, Assistant
Secretary Curtis of the treasury. As.
sistant Postmaster General Jones, As
siStant Secretary of State Rockhiu
and other assistant secretaries and bu-
reau chiefs. At 1915 came the asso-
veterans Of the war Of 1916. the
G. A. r., Loyal Legion, Union Veter-
ans Legion, and the members of the
Oldest Inhabitants association. At
1885 the general public was admitted.
The earlier arrivals had all taken their
leave, and much Of the brilliancy Of
the reception rooms had departed.