The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-01-31
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By MARY S. LOCKWOOD.
Gen. Grant.
Copyrighted. 1900, by THE NATIONAL tribune.

view As President Grant drove through
the ranks of troops on his return to the
| White House the cheers were deafening
The Cabinet was as follows: Hamil
ton Fish, of New York, was Secretary OF
State; George s. Boutwell,, of Massachu
| sets, was Secretary of the Treasury
John A. Rawlins, of Illinois, was Secre
tary of War; George NJ. Robson, of New
Jersey, was Secretary of the Navy: jacob
| ID. Cox, of Ohio, Secretary of the Interior;
]. A. j. Creswell, of Maryland, Postmas
| ter-General; Il. X. Hoar, of MaSSachu-
setts,- Attorney-General. Elihu b. Wash
burne was appointed Secretary of State
| first, but held the office only n few days.
| President Grants Cabinet was composed
| of men of culture and influence. There
| were some upheavals and some surprises in
| President Grants Cabinet. The people have
not forgotten that the President exhibited
some solicitation regarding the nomina-
ton and confirmation of A. 7. Stewart as
Secretary of the Treasury. As Mr.. Stew
art was one of the largest importers in
the country, the Constitution made him
ineligible to the office. President Grant
appealed to Congress, to see if the COnsti-
tuition in so small a matter could not be
set aside and his wishes gratified by n
joint resolution of Congress. On being as
Sured of its impracticability, he nominated
George S. Boutwell, who was confirmed
'
came to confirm A. Il. Stewart in the first
place.
Gen. SchofeId was for a short time the
Secretary of War, and Adolph Il. Borie
preceded Mr.. Robson.
The Inauguration of President must
needs be ushered in with all the acccSsor
les of mirth and fashion that can be pro-
duced by ball. Time runneth not back
to the day when & new Administration
was not launched with this time honOTed
custom, and yet the oldest inhabitant says
there is always something the matter with
every Inaugural ball.
For many decades every four years
would furnish some Government building
in course of construction or just finished,
in which this great function could be held.
The newly-completed north wing of the
Treasury was in readiness for the Grant
ball. Its broad corridors and spacious
rooms gave promise of all the space re-
quired. The duted columns, that had lain
PROSTATE for years, had taken courage
with the moving of events, and were in
position, with their heads heayenward.
The guests entered on the 18th street
side. From one of the leading journals
of the day We take this description of the
brilliant scene:
Radiant with color, glowing with light,
brilliant like tropical flowers, or the plum
and yerging like many-hued and con-
Stantly-changing kaleidoscope, fair faces,
lovely forms, penetrant perfumes, diStin-
guished men, renowned in war, statesman
ship, letters and other activities of life,
some clothed in martial uniforms, others
wearing the orders and insignia of the
Diplomatique Corps Great waves of mu-
sic pulsated along the corridors, and all
went merry as a marriage bell"
This reporter, alas wrote his story ne
he thought it should be; what a well-reg-
ulated ball ought to be. He evidently
wrote his tale and then donned his even
ing toys, and went to the ball; and the
following, from the pen Of an artist on
the spot, is what he heard and saw:
The agonies of that ball can never be
written. There are mortals dead in their
graves because of it. There are mortais
who still curse, and swear, and sigh at |
the thought of it. There are diamonds and |
pearls and precious garments that are lost |
to their owners because OF it. The scenes |
in these clOak-rooms and bathrooms can |
never be forgotten by those who witnessed |
them. The colored messengers, called from |
their posts in the Treasury to do duty in |
these rooms, received hats and wraps with |
perfect felicity, and tucked them in loop /
holes as it happened. But to give them |
back each to their owner was impossible |
Picture it, Six or more thausand peo-
pAc tlOlutS. IN the /
end they were all tumbled out 'promiscu-
GUS on the floor. Then came the siege.
A few seized their own. but many snatched
other peoples garments-anything, some
thing to protect them from the pitiess
morning wind which came down with the
bite of death.
Delicate women. too sensitive to take
he property Of others, crouched in cor
lers and wept on window ledges and
here the daylight found them. Carriages
also had fled out of the scourging blast,
md men and women who emerged from
he marble halls with very little to wear
ound they must walk to their habitatiOns.
"One gentleman walked to Capitol Hill.
nearly two miles, in dancing-pumps and
another performed the same
'xploit wrapped in lady's sontag.
Poor Horace Greeley, after expanding
lis wrath on the stairs and cursing Wash
ngton anew as place that should be
blotted out of the Universe,
trode to the hotel hatless''
This was characteristic of the whole
hing it was all barmecide feast
We have wondered what became of the |,
'oung reporter who wrote eulogy and
ritlque before the curtain rose.