The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-07-12
The Nevyburgh Festival.

DEDICATION OF WAsHINGroN's HEADoUARTRRs
The Albany Evening Journal gives the following
. notice Of the dedicatory services attending the
transfer OF the building occupied as the beadquar
ters OF General Washington TO the possession Of the
State OF New York, on the fourth Of July:
The Legislature, il will be rccollected, passed a
law at its last session, at the recommendation OF
Governor FISH securing to the State and nation
T. forever the old and venerated mansion in the
neighborhood of Newburgh, known as "Washine-
tons Headquarters and vesting in the Of
that village the and superintendence of the
building and grounds.
The 4th of July was selected the most appro-
pirate day for the dedication Of this classic spot
Every arrangement was made by the committee to
y make the celebration worthy Of the day. The old
house, so rich in "reminiscences of the Revolution
had been put In thorough order, preserving at the
same time unchanged its northeast little room
where the father of his country used to sleep, and
the old square paror in the centre, "with it's eight
doors and one little window, and the fireplace that
s. is no fireplace at ALL The committee have col
ected number of flags, field pieces. mussets, and
1 other old relics Of the Revolution, which excited
much interest and curiosity
In front OF this mansion and in view of the river
and surrounding mountains, an extensive staging
had been erected for the accommodation of those
who were to participate in the proceedings The
procession arrived on the grounds about noon and
the officers Of the day conducted to the platform
Major General Scott, (who had come up with his
staff from West Point to do honor to this dedica-
tion,) the Hon Judge Edmunds, (the orator of the
day, and other invited guests.
After suitable invocation, and reading the De-
claraton OF Independence it resolv that en-
eral Scott be requested to hoist the flag which, in
3 conformity with the enactment of the legislature
had Inscribed on its folds this truly national senti-
ment: Liberty and Union, now and forever, one
. and inseparablc." The flag was thereupon run up
| titude.
The address delivered by Judge Edmonds wasi in
every respect worthy of the subject he had select
Il ed-the incidents which occurred on the spot while
occupied by General Washington were happily
and claborately reviewed The authorship Of the
celebrated "Newburgh Letters as very thorou OH
ly examined and the circumstances that called out
those letters very fully explained. Ample justice
was awarded TO the patience and forbearance Of the
American army, under sufferings which might
have shaken the temper of less patriotic men, while
the paternal socitude with which Washington
warned them of the gulf of treason and dishonor
into which some ambitious aspirants would plunge
them was treated in style that could not fail to BE-,
responded to by every one of the audience.
After the Grafton, the officers, guests. and prin
cipal citizens of the locality adjourned to the Head
Quarters" where cold collation. awaited them.
Toasts, sentiments, and speeches made the old
wigwam ring for an hour or two, when the party
adjourned.
In the evening, fireworks OF the most brilliant
kind closed festival, for the proper celebration Of
which the local authorities spared expense;
while every praise must be awarded to the commit
tee of arrangements for the attention they paid to
the several details, and the happy success which
crowned their untiring and disinterested labors.
APPLICATIONS OF THE FINE ARTS TO MANUrAc-
ruRE.-A costly and beautiful present to this Com
monwealth from the Prussian government was yes
erday received at the State House. II is the collec
| ten OF plates and paintings made and published by
the Royal Prussian Commission of the Useful Arts,
under direction of the late King ofPrussia.
The plates, which executed in the finest style
make large folio volume, divided under three
heads; those which relate to architecture; those
which represent smaller objects, Gas vases, orna-
mental furniture, &c, and those which, mostly
, in coors, furnish curious study for the brilliant
patterns used in the damask and other woven or
embroidered fabrics OF the middle ages.
The designs under these various depa rtmcnts are
drawn from the most celebrated monuments and
museums in Europe. volume Of letter -press, ex-
planatory Of the prints, accompanies them, which
shows how carefully they have been selected and
arranged by the Commission.
The purpose Of the work being TO improve the
present manufactures, by giving to manufacturers
in various walks of art the best material for study
the collection appears to have, for practical men.
more than the usual value Of collections of designs.
Among the brilliantly colorod patterns of Arabesquo
and other designs, taken from the Alhambra from
the Brandenburg Cathedral and from the damssk
silk, and other fabrics of the finest patterns pre-
served IN the ancient churches of Europe notice
some patterns which have evidently, from this
similar collections, passed already into the foreign
fabrics OF paper hangngs, or other prints. There
several others, which quite new, not ven
tured upon as yet by any ingenious designer"
The drawings Of sculpture Of the smaller and
larger monuments, arc mostly in outline. The
cravings are beautiful, Of works which it is plea
sure to see thus reproduced.
This valuable collection will be deposited in the
State Library, where, presume, il may bc ex-
amined by the curious.-Boston Daily Adrerti'er
REMARKABLE ExmBITIos or ATMOSPHERIC Elrc-
TRicITY.-Lsst evening (July 5th) our northern
sky exhibited from nine O'Clock until towards mid
night mosi imposing display Of electrical fire
works, rlvalling, and in many respects surprising,
the very beautiful artificial display Of the preceding
evening. veil Of foggy clouds, in general quite
thin, but OF variable thickness, covered n thunder
cloud OF greater density, from which constantly
dartcd streams Of electricity of the kind denomf
mated eham hghtning. Scarcely second inter
Vened between the successive flashes, but which
produced hickering undulations, greatly rcsem-
bling what are called the "merry dances'' Of tho
Aurora Borcals occasionally the streahs of light
ming themselves were seen darting in straight lines
or more commonly in curves, describing, in a few
instances, regular senri-circlcs; but for the most
part, the original flash was concealed behind the
anterior veil of clouds, which transmitted il in n
diiiusive state, as ground glass shade transmita
the light of an argand lamp-thc variable thick
ness Of tho medium, by occasiouing different de-
grccs OF trausparency, giving the appearance OF
unduiatoDs There was no rain; the wind, which
was very light remained constantly in the south
west the thermometer varied littlc and the baroru-
eter was scarcely affected Stars visible alt
the while in the southwest
word upon the philosophy Of this exhibition
The phenomena were such chiefly arise from,
electrical clouds at very high elevation, where
the rarfied state of the air favors the escape of the
electric fluid from cloud to cloud, and TO groat
distances. The electricity, which is constantly
generated by the vspor IL ascends into the cold
strata OF the upper regions of the atmosphere not
earth) until II has acquired degree Of intensity
sufhclent TO overcome the resistance of the dense
AR by which 1t is surrounded. and discharge itself
either intoa neighborng cloud in opposite cleo
tricai state, or into the ground; but successive
portions OF the fluid are developed, they readily
penetrate the rarihed medium from cloud to cloud
producing constant succession Of sparks of feeble
intensity but often Of great length, and cf.cting
fantastic forms instead OF the condensed and pow.
erful fash which, in highly concentrated state,
forces its way through the non conduct ting medium
that is in contact with the earth. Such 1igbtninor
Is usually attended with danger and may.
therefore, be contemplated, and afford the fullme
Of entertainment II is fitted to impart 10 tho
lovers Of nature.-Ns,o Horen Palladium, 6fh.
We noticed, during a recent trip over the New
York and Erie Railroad that the safety. cord which
Is usually strung on other roads over the tops of
cars passed under the roof through the cars with.
in reach OF the passengers In case of breakage of
an axletree, or any accident which the passengers
would be enabled 70 learn fret, il is decided i'm.
provernent Tor notice to the engineer Another im.
provement could be made for safety in our view