Year: 1860

IFrom the correspondence of the London Times


WASHINGTON, Oct. The Prince has ar
rived at this strarge city. whose streets Of ILL
built houses connect the most noble public
buildings, sBd where one has to admire the
city rs a city always in the future tense. 1t
will and must in history be one Of the greatest
capitals that the world has seen, but rs yet 1t
seems to want a deal Of building, alterations,
and improvements, before it can be worthy
legislative center Of this great empire. An
other hour, however, must suffice for record
ing my impression Of this great, strange, an
equal city, for / have barely time now to do
more than jot down q few incidents OF the
Princes reception


That there was q great crowd at the station
n may, of course, be taken for granted, but it
was well rallied of, and no hustling, as with
the mobs of Detroit and st. Louis was allowed
..5et any time General Cass' Secretary Of State,
: with Mr.. James Buchanan and James Buchan-
san Henry, nephews Of the President, were on
!. the platform and received his royal highness
as he alighted from the train There was a
very brief pause while General Cas-, on the
part Of the Chief Magistrate Of the United
States, cordially welcomed the royal visitor to
Washington, and q few Antroductions took
place, but there was no ceremony or delay of
any kind, and the party at once entered the
Presidents carriage and drove to the White
House. They arrived at the Executive Man.
sion soon after o'clock. The President as
regal and as venerable in his appearance as
any king who ever wore a crown, stood just
inside the portal of the White House, and as
the Prince stepped forward shook him by the
hand with q cordiality of welcome that was
unmistakable. 1t was more a meeting between
private friends and gentlemen than a really
historical reception given by the chief of the
greatest republic to the heir Of the greatest
monarchy in the world The President led
his guest at once to the blue drawing room,
where he introduced Miss Lane, his niece, and
Mrs. Ellis, niece of the late Vice President
King. But beyond these few facts I know
nothing, except that all the guests at thsWhite
House are staying there without formality and
as any other party of distinguished travellers
whom it might please the President to enter
tain. Only one exception is made to the gene


raj rule of affairs at the Executive Mansion, and
that is while the Prince stays 1t is no longer
an open house to all, but police are stationed
around it, and none but those invited are
suite, who could not be accommodated at the
Presidents Mansion, are staying with Lord
Lyons. This morning his royal highness
went over the Capitol and visited the Senate
Chamber and the Chamber of the Hall Of Rep
resentstiyes, with some other Of the msgnif-
cent public buildings here. Afterwards there
was q levee, at which everybody came that
wanted, and to which many came that were
not wanted, if one might judge from their ex-
tremely negIIge costume. There were plenty
Of ladies there in bonnets and shawls, and some
individuals who sauntered into the room with
their hands in their pockets, and who other
wise conducted themselves in q way which,
certainly, rs far as L have seen, is not usual
among American gentlemen, who unfortunately
do chew tobacco. The President did not remain
in any pecial place, or take a prominent part
in the reception at all Like his chief guests,
he was dressed in black, though not in full
dress-a sort Of demi -tOilstte, which was quite
sufficient for the occasion. People passed in,
gszed at the Prince, bowed to him and the
President, and then passed out. In fact, it
seemed less a reception than a mixed deputa-
ton, from which ladies were not excluded.
II was not a good time of the year in which to
give such a levee, for Washington is almest
empty now, compared to what it generally is
There was total absence Of formality or re-
strietion as TO dress or person Of any kind, and
yet, as rule, there was a quiet decorum of
manners, which. considering that all who chose
to come might do so, would have done honor to
any general assemblage in Europe. Here and
there could be seen something very ontTe, and
as have intimated even offensive; but these
were the rare exceptions to conduct. The
dresses OF very many certainly showed an utter
disregard Of the ordinary usages of society on
these occasions; but mere dresses make very
little difference, and, after all, il must be re-
msmbered that it was early in the day.