Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-03-04

Ho.: aEo. flYIon's Lscrunl East x,er,~
The citizens Of Wsshingten apd visitors Of the
metropolis last evening testified THAR apnrsci.
alton Of the Smithsonian Institute, hv m.
manner In which they cfowdSdrths lestu,s
room of that institution 20 hear the Hon Geo.
Taylor, member elect of tho S5th Coueress
from the seooud or Brooklyn district in the
State Of New York. lecture. The Washington
Art Association invited the lecturer.
Science and Art, In relation to civil govern
| mont, were in such wise discussed by Mr. T.
| as to present in clear and logical connection
| the philosophy of all history, from the eurliest
ISscorded developments of genius-saying that;
Our people should have the opportunity Of
reading on the public edifces, and on lofty
ana imperishable monuments, the noble ao-
.ions OF our warriors and statesmen. The
good and the great, who contributed to the
iroe pendence OF our country and the defence
OF our free institutions, deserve some other
esuence OF nations gratitude than q cher
lsning memory and a neglected grave. The
olator voice cannot be perpetusted, but the
| impressive features and manly forms OF opr
statesmen can be transferred TO marble and can.
vas, and grouping those who acted toeetber In
| the critical periods Of our history in visible
forms and commanding position, we can mar
petuate their Influence on the national heart
| How infinitely better 1t would be for the
country to ornament the walls and ceilings of
Il O
from our political history, our industrial arts,
and our sciences, than to sink the national
1 character by imperfect copies of confused and
unintelligible figures borrowed from heather
mythology The extension Of the Capitol of.
fered glorious opportunity for perfecting our
national art: Something has been done, but
not 1.-THE OF what might have been accOmp-
lished in elevating the tastes and stimulating
efforts.
lie urges that the wisdom and patriotism of
| our ancestors gave US a political union, the
proudest and the best that the world ever
saw, which we have thus far maintained; but
tho future depends more upon the sympa-
thetic unity of brotherhood, upon common
tastes and tendencies, upon those social ties
which reach the hearts of the people and
unite them In one common hope and destiny.
than upon laws and compacts, upon ordi
nances or constitutions. To perpetuate our
insututions and Union we must check the cen
trlfugal tendencies of the outward parts by
some counteracting influence, and draw and
mold them to the centre by great social force
A national literature in which the common
enorts and sacrifices and suffsrings Of glo-
nous ancestry are recorded and a national
art, Illustrating their patriotic lives and in
mortalzng their heroic deeds, will do much
towards checking the spirit of sectionalsm,
and possibly renew that old affection for the
Union and tho constitution, which had its
| birth In the heart of the immortal Washing
ton, and should be cherished as the sacred
fire of liberty.
The GRAND INAUGURATION BALL To-NIGHr.
A single glance at the. ball room in Judiciary
| square &c completed, serves to show what
may be anticipated when it is brilliantly lit
up and filled with the thousands who purpose
visiting it to night.
The floor, which is of course always an iu-
portant feature of ballroom, is a creditable
job to the contractor and to the Superintsnd-
ent, Mr.. Job Angus. The superb Chandelier.
from the mandatory of Cornelius and Baker,
Philadelphia, will diffase food of softened
light through the spacious hall One of these
| is probably the finest chandelier in the United
| states. When these are lit up in onjuuc ion
with the myriads of gas jets, the effect may
De expected to he almost magical. The gas
arrangements are by Miller and Cunningham,
| of this city. The decorations by Msssrs Jo-
seph Reese, Handy and Davis, present a beau
| tlful appearance even by daylight, and their
heightened brilliancy by gas light, can well
be imagined.
The ceiling is Of pure white ground, stud
ded with golden stars, and the wall decora-
| tions are of the national red, white and blue
| The adjoining rooms in the City Hall have
been fitted up to afford the amplest facilities
tor ladies as dressing rooms, and a covered
carriage way will enable ladies TO alight and
enter protected from the weather.
The management has, in fact, made extra
ordinary exertions to secure each guest every
| possible enjoyment and convenience. The
| nall Is spacious, cheerful, and every way
adapted to its purpose the music engaged is
to be the best cotillon music procurable in
| this city and in Baltimore, and the supper TO
be supplied by Gautier will be ample in guam
tity and excellent in quality. Not often in
life time either will the visitors have an op-
portunity of seeing so many distinguished
personages collected as on to night This ball
will indeed be the GROWING feature of the In
auguration.
IHE METROPOLITAN MECHANICS ISsrI.
rurE The exhibition Of the Mechanics In
sti'use was attended last night by an immense
throng of people, mostly strangers. The quiet
and attention which characterized the soene
evidenced the qualification and pleasure which
the exhibition afforded those present. The
pleasure of the scene was enhanced about 10
o'clock by visit of the Burgess Guard of
Albany, N Y, accompanied by Dodsworths
celebrated brass cornet band, and escorted by
The Greys Of our city, Capt. Lem Towers
While they were partaking of the hospitalitNs
of the attending escort, the band gave a rich
little concert in such style as Dodsworth's
band is so justly celebrated for, and the en-.
cores Of the audience testified their gratifca-
ton in high degree
To night the exhibition will be visited by
the Young Guard of Richmond, cccmpanied
by band from that city.
The SPIRIr-DRUN CONCERT Mr. VIM: e.
Palmer's Grand Promenade Concert, af or the
style of those of the celebrated Julien in
London, which isxo come of tomorrow night
in the grand hail recently erected in Ju dietary
Square, will be great entertainment Mr..
Palmer's spirit-drum, which, being suspended
from the ceiling in sight of all, plays its own
part in concert pieces without human inter.
vention, is to be wonderful feature. The
tickets are but Is cents. Only think of that
. TIE INVITATION Qadies' ticket of the
Grand Inauguration Ball is beautiful speci.
men of engraving indeed. Embellished with
q fine portrait of Mr.. Buchanan. and with an
elegantly turned arch, upon the columns of
which are inscribed the names Of the States
| and the Territories; the whole presents pic
| ture worth Of preservation.