The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-02-21
5VEPORT, LOUIsIANA WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 81 1865

}55.
The following description Of the celebration
Of the adoption of the federal constitution, in
New York in 1889, weextract from Griswold' S
! Republican Court, just issued from the press
Of D. Appleton q Co., New York.
In New York the celebration was on the
twenty-third Of the same month-three weeks
after The state had not yet accepted the con-
sttution, and its friends probably expected that
i this imposing demonstration would have some
| effect upon the convention which was debating
/ the subject at Poughkeepsie. The proceedings
were arranged BY major L Enfant. The morn
ing was ushered in by a federal salute of thlr-
teen guns, from ship moored off the Bowling
Green. The procession was formed soon after
in the s'felds," where stands the present city
1 hall, and marched down Whitehall street to
Great Dock street, through Hanover square,
Queen and Chatham streets, to the Bowerv,
and finally to meadow near the country resi-
dence of Nicholas Bayard, where Brodway now
intersects Grand street Here pavilion eight
hundred feet long and six hundred wide, had
been erected with vast dome, on the top of
which stood fame, with her trumpet announcing
a new era, and displaying the standard Of the
| United States, and a roll of parchment on
which were inscriptions in large characters re-
ferring to the declaration Of independence, the
alliance with France, and the treaty of peace.
By the side of fame was the American eagle,
with extended wings and six of the princl-
| pal pillars of the collonade in the center of the
| pavilion were the arms Of the several nations
| which had recognized our independence
France, Sweden, Prussia, Holland and Spain
and above these their respective flags. With
in from a semi -circulartable, at which were
seated the president and members of congress-
/ the heads of departments in the federal and
state governments, foreign ministers, clergy
and other guests, radiated large number Of
tables, with plates for six thousand persons. In
many respects the process resembled that in
! Philadelphia. Colonel Richard Pratt, was
chief marshal, and was assisted by majors
| Nicholas Fish, William North and Aquilla
Giles. The various trades appeared on cars,
engaged with their several occupations. The
coopers were setting up and hopping large
cask emblematical of the constitution. The
carpenters were erecting tenth column, in
scrbed, 'New York, = of the federal temple,
and two PROSTATE columns represented other
states which had not yet accepted the constitu-
ton. The upholsterers were preparing chair Of
state for the first president, and the coachmakers
were building him superb chariot. The
printers, proceeded by Hugh Gaine, immor
talized in the satrical verses Of Freneau, were
striking off and disturbing patriotic songs and
a programme of the days proceedings. On the
car Of the brewers were hogsheads and tuns,
decorated with festoons Of hopVine, and on the
| top Of one Of them in closely fitting dress of
flesh colored silk, was a handsome boy, repre-
senting Baechus, his head garlanded with
grapes, hops and barley. Atthe head of the
lawyers were John Lawrence, John Cozine,
and Robert Troup.5 In the pathological society
| appeared Josiah Ogden Hoffman, its president
Noah Webster, its secretary, and William Dun
lay, who bore its standard. With large num-
Der of farmers, were Nicholas Cruger, driving
six oxen, John Watts holding plow, and the
baron Poelintz, attending threshing machine.
The emost interesting object of all was the fede-
raj ship Hamilton-a thirty-two gun frigate
thirty feet long and twelve feet wide, with every
proportion and appointment complete She
was manned by about forty seamen and marines
with the usual compliment Of officers, and COM
manded by the veteran commodore Nicholson,
who displayed at her masthead the broad pen
nant under which he had fought victorious
upon the sea.
After leaving "the fields, in passing Liberty
street she made signal for pilot and re-
ceived one, and arriving before Mr.. Constabe's
house, at the foot of Broadway, Mrs. Edgar
came to the window, and presented the COM
modore a suit of rich silk colors in acknowl-
edgement Of which the yards were Instantly
manned and the crew gavethree cheers. When
passing Old Slip a Spanish government ship
saluted her with thirteen guns which she re-
turned with as much proptness as if she had
been an actual man of-war, sailing upon her
proper element. The Hamilton was drawn BY
ten white horses, and during the advance of the
procession went through every nautical prepa-
ration for storms, calm, squalls and sudden
shifting of the wind. When she reached
Bayard's farm the crew took in sail and an
chored, and the officers event on shore to
dine, /" while ample messes were sent on board
for the seamen and marines. At O'Clock
signal was made for unmooring, by a second
salute of thirteen guns, and she proceeded to-
the place whence she started, opposite the Bow
ling Green, where she arrived at half past FIVE
O'Clock, amidst the acclamations of thousands
The decorations Of the societies, professions
and trades in this immense procession were in
all eases rich, tasteful, and appropriate, and
the ge al effect probably surpassed that of'
any similar display ever made in New York,
except that on the completion Of the Erie canal
nearly half century afterward. Inthe even
ing there was display of fireworks, under the 1
direction of colonel Bauman, postmaster of the
city, and commandant of the artillery, whose
constitutional irascibility, says president Duer,
"was exceedingly provoked BY the moon,
which shone with pertnacious brilliancy, as il
in mockery Of his feebler lights.
These proceedings were on Monday, and on
the following Saturday, about O'Clock in the
evening, news arrived in the city Of the accep- !
tance of the constitution by the state conven-
ton at Poughkeepsie. .sThe BELLS" says a
contemporary writer, .'were Immediately seta
ringing, and from the fort and the federal ship
Hamilton, there were repeated discharges Of
artillery. The merchants at the coffee house
testified their ioy hy huzzaS and 1aroe hodv