Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-04-19


Inauguration Of the statue Of Henry Clay
ut New Orlcans-Grnnd Civic and MILL
tary1 Display = Business Entirely Sus-
pehded-Orntion of w. ii. Hunt, -r o.
On the same day, March l2--the anniver-
safy Of the birth of the great Kentucky
statcsman-on which statue of Henry CLAY
was inaugurated in Richmond, Va, an ac-
count of which we published yesterday. a
similar ceremony was performed in New Or
leans, and the papers from that city come to
us with full accounts of the highly inter-
esting OCCASION one of the most noticeable
that has ever been observed in the South;
although the telegraph operators, with their
usual lack of discrimination, made no mem
tion of IL whatever. 800 .H.''
THE DISPLAY.
The Masonic, civic and military display
was the largest ever witnessed in New Or
leans, and business was entirely suspended
throughout the city. Fridays Delta thus
speaks of the affair
The celebration yesterday df the birthday
OF Henry Clay and of the Inauguration of
the bronze statue of the great Statesman at
the corner of Canal and Royal-streets,
eclipsed any thing which has taken place in
our city, both in the magnitude of the pro-
cession and the brilliant display of the Ma
sonic, military and civic associations which
composed it.
AT an early hour in the morning of as
beautiful day as could have been heralded
III for so grand an occasion, had special
agreement been previously made with that
invisible parsonage, the clerk of the weather.
active preparations were going on in the
various, armories, Masonic Halls, and society
rooms for the grand procession which was to
FORM on Canal-street and move at eleven
oclock.. A little later in the day, the sound
OF martial music resounded in the streets nj
intervals, and bodies of Masons with their
gorgeous regalia, military companies with
glittering uniforms, marching and counter
marching, and civic societies, with their hand
somely decorated banners, moved through
the streets on their way TO the particular
localities allotted to them in the programme
of the committee. The streets from one end
OF the city to the other were fairly alive with
people on their way down to Canal-stieet.
the center of attraction, dressed in their cav
est holiday attire, laughing and talking, for
getful of business or household duties, and
apparently wholly absorbed in the great
events of the day, the procession, and the
unTeiling OF the statue of Harry Of the West.
AhS poiSOhiSo anu WlHuOWS upon Canal
street in the vicinity of the statue were APP
propriated by invited guests of the. various
proprietors, early in the day, and long before
the procession formed. Standing at the base
OF the statue, and looking up and down a.
most as far as the eye could reach, one blaze
OF beauty was reflected from the front seats
of the verandas } ,'er'
The crowd of less fortunate ones in the
streets below was immense, and when the
procession moved, it was through an aisle
cleared foot by foot, on each side of which n
solid wall of human beings stood in compact
phalanx, swaying to and fro as occasion de-
manded. IT7 -
THE PRoCEssIoN. i.l
The procession was very long and impos-
ing, and very we'll reglated as to order and
effect. Prominent among the interesting Oh
Iects in the procession was the large three
masted ship, fully manned and equipped as a
man-ot-war with officers in uniform and men
in white and blue, 1t was prepared by the
ship agents and masters in port, and attracted
universal attention and admiration The
printing press of the Pathfinder was also in
full operation during the procession, striking
OIL copies OF an ode to Henry Clay. A'1iH .l7 :
THE GRAFTON OF THE DAY. .tt..
The grafton which required about an hour
in delivery was made by w. II. Hunt, who
at the close spoke as follows of the great
statesman: t'I,-..- b..,
His wisdom, his rapid perceptions of right
and wrong, the frankness of his nature, his
love OF truth and honor, the absence in him
OF all mean arts, his purity of purpose, his
unquailing courage, thelardor of his temper
ament, the warmth and earnestness of his
emotions, invested him with IN extraordina-
ry power of command over men. What was
said of John Hampden, by Clarendon, may
as well be applied to him; fl..He was, indeed,
wise man and of great parts, and possessed
of most absolute spirit of popularity, and the
most absolute faculties to govern the people,
OF any man | ever saw In priyateflife, in
the House of Representatives in the Senate.
and with the people, he was always q leader
-''priD,us inter Hiustres.n -j,,t.
With these high qualities were combined
extraordinary gifts of person, which, the
sculptor's plastic hand had admirably dis
played in the splendid statue we.haye this
day dedicated. He possessed lofty lmeip,
manners dignified and courteous, and pres
ence that was indeed august The animation
of his features, the expression of his gestures,
the fiery flashes of his eye, the richness,
power and flexibility Of his unrivaled voice,
which stamped him the greatest orator Of his
day, and made his eloquence God-like, no
language can. describe, mo hrt can properly
convey. AS Fox said of Burke: "But you
should have heard and seen the manu- ~
To Mr.. Clay death had no terror. "Sir,"
said he to friend, a few days before he died,
81 do not fear. to die. | have faith, hope, and
some confidence" Thus armed in the holy
panoply of Christian Faith, he waited unawed
the hour when his soul should pass away
Surely, surely to have done the Statesuch
service-so long, so zealously, so conspic-
uously; so to have lived and so to have died,
constitute no common. claims upon coun-
trys gratitude, ..-t.,
And yet one question doubtless has pre-
sented itself to the mind of every one within
the sound of my voice. 1t is this: Why did
this noble and revered statesman and patriot
never reach the highest honors of the Re-
public Why was he never chosen President?
8 In this question, which after generations
shall put more earnestly than you now ask
it, | find his imperishable Tenown. In his
own immortal sentiment | find his answer:
had rather be right than be President. .,s,r
Mr.. President and gentlemen of the Clay
Monument sociation-0urlabors are drawn
to a close. Our work has been performed
under the smiles of Heaven, in the midst of
the outpourings of the hearts of this vast
multitude of freemen. IL has been blessed by
Patriotism and Liberty, and consecrated by
Religion. The statue of Henry Clay stands
here for all future time, dedicated by you,
Lonisianians to your brethren of the Union
and the lovers of liberty throughout the
world. -.--,..... "a r.,'-.,.,, al
= I, Fellow-citizens Of the United States, BE-