The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1854-01-19
CITY OF LANCASTER:
Laesdny Evening, Jan. "a, 1854

hh0 OlOWuGu blulC vi. Ouf
business since our return from the Queen
City, we have found It impossible, until this
late date, to say anything in regard to the
action Of the Editorial Convention which
held its session OF Tuesday, Wednesday
8 and Thursday Of last week, and as we x
pect soon to be furnished with a full report
from tho Cincinnati papers, we shall only
speak of some of the incidents connected
with the trip, in the way of "sight-seeing''
We can say nothing in regard to the coun-
try from Columbus. to Cincinnati, from
the fact that we had the. misfortune Of go
ing and coming in the night season-pas-
sing our time in sleeping and gtoaniDg until
we arrived at Cincinnati at about 2 o'clock
in the morning. The first "sight'' which
attracted our attention on landing at the De-
pot, wasone of very frequent occurrence
and,quite characteristic of the Queen City,
viz. q police officer after a "fast man" who
was endeavoring to defend himself with a
piece Of a store box, but was finely made
retreat to a light baggage wagon which had
been backed against the curbing into which
the pursued jumped and again assumed an
attitude Of defence; whereupon the police
man ranlto the horse's h lead, lead him a few
steps forward, and then by a sudden jerk
back, pitchedathe unlucky wight head FORE
most into the gutter. But thinking, as he
no doubt did, that discretion was the better
part of %valor," and that f'leg-bail' was bet.
ter than any he was likely to get before
his honor, the Mayor,h he bounded to his feet
in a trice and was O-P-H, followed BY the
officer crying "stop him! stop him!"-
But it was no go, and the "fast man" re-
gained his liberty.
After this incident, we repaired, with a
number Of others, to the "Winne House,
where we were furnished with most excel
lent quarters. We found on arriving at
the Whine House that it had been arranged,
by the Committee of Arrangements, that
the delegates should report themselves at
10 o'clock next morning, (Tuesday) at the
Mechanics Institute, and from thence pro-
coed to the National Theatre, for the pur-
pose of hearing Concert given to the pub
lie schools Of the city, by Madame Sontag.
There were between three and four thou.
sand children present, and when the distin-
guished Vocalist stepped forward to the
front of the stage, she was greeted with up
roariOus applause, which gradually subsid-
ed into a death-like stiffness, until the low
est whisper would have been audible
throughout the immense room. AS herfirst
notes struck upon the ear K echoed through
the room, we felt that we were in the pres
ence of the"Queen Of Song" and as the last
notes OF "Home, sweet Home" fell upon
the ear many an eye was filled with tears,
and the happy songstress was silently greet
ed with a shower ofbouquets from all quar-
tiers of the room. OF course we shall not
attempt to describe Madame Sontag,s sing
ing, nor the effect it produced on her audi
tory. This would be undertaking too much,
and would set our "musical vocabulary" al
defiance. Suffice it to say that she has a
voice of bird like sweetness. that she has
perfect control of it, and Of course, Madame
Sontug understands music! What more can
we sayi
In the afternoon we had an imitation to
visit the National Gallery of Paintings, as
well as the fine collection of Paintings in
the Art Union Gallery. In the Intern alton
al Gallery we found on exhibition, Rossit-
sr's widely celebrated oil psintings:-Mir
the Prophecies; The Return OF the Dove to
the Ark, and the Captive Israelites. They
are all paintings of great excellence, and
deserve more than a passing notice at the
hands cfthe press.
II is evident that Rossiter has not labored
to strike the gaze of the vulgar. His OBJ
ject was Infinitely higher than that, for he
has succeeded most admirably in expressing
ideas Of grandeur and beauty with such force
and faithfulness as to aw aken in every heart
capable Of feeling lofty emotions thorough
sympathy with the spirit which actuuted and
governed his pencil. "The Captive Israel
TESTS most magnificent painting-re-
plete with genuine eloquence, and so full Of,
expression that it appeals irresistibly to
the heart of every one who beholds it, and
affords a source of reflection Of which We
never grow weary. The conception of this
picture is one that nothing but genius born
to triumph could have entertained, and when
we say the execution is worthy Of the
conception, we think we have said enough
to signify our high admiration oft. 1t is a
most expressive picture, holding high dis
course with the soul that could ascend to its
eminence. It is, in fact, a sermon in itself,
infinitely more eloquent than many that
crowds are drawn together to hear and to
admire. But we have not room to enter in
to detaiL What We desire is, to cultivate
in the btsast Of every one of our readers, a
love for the beautiful, and beg Of them
when an opportunity presents ITSELF to~.visit
this justly celebrated painting, as it is a
model Of perfection inithe 6ne Arts.
We have not room to speak Of other
paintings Of almost equal merit under the
same roof. Neither have we room to de,
scribe the ~banqnets given The members of