Their dress-coats and trousers were decorated with gold bullion, they
carried their white-feathered, three-cornered hats in their hands, and
across their shoulders, from left to right, were sashes of colored satin,
according to their rank or their country--pink, white, yellow, and red
satin.

They were ushered to seats in front of the Vice-President's dais, and
almost immediately the doors were again thrown open and the page
announced:

"The Ministers of foreign countries."

The Senators again rose, and in walked the Ministers, and were ushered to
their seats.

All wore the full diplomatic costume, which, as you will see, varies
considerably according to the Minister's country. The Chinese Minister
wore a slate-colored, figured silk, his official hat being of black velvet
with a red silk crown. The Turkish Minister was dressed in black
broadcloth and white satin, all covered with gold embroidery, and wore the
national red fez as a hat. The Japanese Minister wore dark clothes
magnificently embroidered in gold. The Coreau Minister had a loose robe
of sea-green silk with a tortoise-shell belt. The Austrian Minister wore
the beautiful Hungarian costume, with the short cloak hanging from the
shoulder.

The Ministers appear from all accounts to have made a most gorgeous group
with their jewels and their gold embroidery and their orders and colored
dresses, making a strong contrast to the simple, ordinary dress of the
Senators.