Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1839-08-30
From The New York Courier and Enquirer
RECEPTION OF MR.. CLAY.

RECEPTION OF MR.. CLAY.
Tho reception, Yesterday, of the cis'in.
guished Western Statesman, was more
enthusiastic than his warmest friends could
have anticipated It we measure i; by his
dist ingushcd deserts or by the gratitude
aud affection of The People. it was all that
even those deserts could have demanded
aud all that the hcartjest affection and the
slncercst gratitude could have desired.
Never have we witnessed such spontane.
Gus and irrepresslble Outburst of popular
feeling. Never before have we seen
whole community rising up and pressing
forward to pay an unbought tribute TO a
citizen who has no clam upon them but
that Of eminent service no official position
to summon official parade and pageantry-
no place and patronage for The reward of a
voluntary homage. The memory Of This
evenlIul occasion must ever b. cherished
by Mr.. CLAY, as among the proudest rcco
lcclions of his life. Come what may, he
can never forget the generous and enthu.
sastic welcome which he received yesler-
day from the citizens Of this vast metropo.
liz. We do net believe that the annals Of
the world record q purely civic triumph,
combining so much that was gratifying and
honorable to lis object, with so much thai
was disiD,etcs', d. sincere and heartfelt 10
the multitude assembled TO swell anu share
It's display.
Mr.. CLAY landed at between three ond
four in the afternoon nt he foot of Ham.
mond street, Gr"euwlch. from the steam.
boat James Madison. attended by a arg
number ct curzcns. collected from vAr'ruS
points along the river, and q party WITCH
had left Now York the day previous 10 VS.
It him at New burg. An immense mutt
iudc was ascend ed to greet his arrival,
and as he slept on the wharf the air was
rent with scclamar}up itom n myriad a.
VOICES. The day wa, most propl'ous. 4
heavy Ia of ra,n tor two or three days pre-
vlous had Ia I'd the dust and cooled The at
mos phere. and every thing in nature was
most favorable to he great occasion. AT
Greenwich the procession was formed.
headed by ROBERT C. WETMoRE as Mar
shat in Chef. aided by ten other gentlemen
as Assistant Marshals. Following the
Marshals came numerous calvacade OF
citizens; many hundreds of them, chiefly
young men, collected by spontaneous
impulse to render honor to The guest of the
PEOPLE. A band of music preceded the
open barouche Of Mr.. CLAY, who was &C
companied by Mr.. SELDEN. Committees
from the river Counties. the two Wing
| General Committees of the city and county,
and vast concourse of citizens, followed
! 10 carriages. OF these the number cannot
be estimated. Every thing in the city, in
the shape of a four wheeled vehicle, was in
attendance, and so great was the crowd
and pressure that the carriages were FIRE.
qncn,ly driven three and four abreast. In
Greenwich, at the starting place, there
were more Than an hundred carts drawn
mp together TO fall into the procession
with tens of thousands of citizens on foot !;
and when the head Of the procession reach
cd the Aston House, the rear had not ye,
formed IN line. Through the whole ex
tent from The point of landing, through
Hudson street, up Fourteenth street to
Union Place, and down Broadway to the
Park, a distance of nearly three miles, II
was at one and he same tine a dense mo.
wing mass OF hoTsemeD, carriages, cartmen
and citizens. Every window on either
side OF the way was occupied, and acclama
TONS from every house, and the waving OF
handkerchleis, and cordial salu,a'lon, gree
ted the lusrious Statesman as he passed.
At Constitution Hall, at Masonic Hall,
and at cverv place of public resort and
amusement, flags were displayed, and band,
Of music were stationed, TO hail his ap.
pronch.
On reaching the As,or House, the Caval
cade, under The direction of The marshalS.
wheeled round through Chatham street to
the upper entrance Of The Park At this
point The progress of Mr.. CLAY was for
some minutes arrested by the deuse pres.
sure of the assembled multi udes-and long
loud and hearty cheers from the tens OF
thousands who thronged the Park, the
windows and roofs OF The surrounding edl-
fees, the adjacent streets, and the large
open space at the junction of Chatham
street and Broadway, Numbered out the
mighty welcome OF u grateful People to the
gallant, generous, warm hearted and noble.
minded cnlzen whose life has been devoted
to their service!
Following The lead of the Chief Marshal
Mr.. CLAY proceeded to the Park, where
he was formally welcomed to New York
by Mr.. DUDLEY SELDEN, in behalf of the
citizens assembled. The concourse was sc
vast, that comparatively few were enabled
to hear the address of Mr.. SELDEN, or the
reply Of Mr.. CLAY. The latter gentle
man spoke from the open barouche, briefly
and interrupted perpeluaIy by The cheers
lof 1.-THE People, As he finished, the caval