March 8, 1861; The Charleston Mercury
This ball, which took place in Washington on Monday night, is said to have been well attended. One of the ladies is represented to have been attired in two thousand dollars worth of laces and twenty thousand dollars’ worth of diamonds. A letter says:
At 10 3/4 o’clock the Presidential party came in. Senator Anthony and Vice President Hamlin supported the President. Senator Douglas escorted Mrs. Lincoln; Senator Baker, Mrs. Hamlin; Gov. Yates, Mrs. Baker, and Dr. Baloche, Miss Edwards. The band struck up “Hail Columbia,” and the party marched from one end of the hall to the other, amid inspiring strains of the national air, causing an era of tremendous good feeling. After a brief promenade, the President, with Mrs. Hamlin, took stations at the upper end of the room, and a large number of person availed themselves of the opportunity of being presented to Mr. Lincoln, who shook hands with everybody. At 11 1/2 o’clock, the President and suite went into the supper room, in the same order as they entered the hall. At 12 1/4 o’clock, the quadrille of the evening was danced–Douglas and Mrs. Lincoln, Hamlin and Miss Edwards, Mayor Berret and Mrs. Bergman, Mr. Harrerd and Mrs. Baker composing the set. Miss Edwards, niece of Mrs. Lincoln, was acknowledged to be the belle of the evening. The ladies of the Presidential party were dressed exquisitely, and in perfect taste.
The ball was a bad failure in a financial point of view. Hundreds of salaried men of the Republican party kept away. Such a fact in ominous concerning the future business prosperity of Washington.