New-York daily tribune., 1861-12-27

Inc Cfltnal estlutte Ol its cott Nns oIN '..,VVv'
Tbis Hall stood for 100 years finally yielding
10 the preseD' Custom House building very far is
inferior, whether considersd 10, its architectural
beauty OF the uses for which it had been devoted.
There is 10 ediice now standing in the country, ex
eept the rdeper deDce Hall Of Philedeplia, which
possested at the time Of I,s destruction, the interest
OF tis venerable relic Of the Revelation and past
period It was from iIs front portico that Washing
ION delivered bis inaugural Address 40 the Fir.t
President Of the United States, and within iis walls
rat ihe II enorable Congress OF lIe1 and lIss
The Iron railing fronting the portico where Wash
ington stooi, is still preserved at tie Bellevue
Hospital at the entrance to thai bullulng.
Tie present City Hail was projected in 1902, during
the MAY orally Of Edward Livingston. premium
was offered for the best plan, which was finally
awarded to Messrp. Maconb and MaDgin. On
Thursday afternoon, on the 26th day OF May, 1910.
the civil and military procession forced IN 'front.' OF
the Old City Hall Tor Federal HalD in Wall street,
at the head Of Broad street, from Which place the
Mayor arc Corporation of the city attended by the
gentlsmen Of tie Bar and large DuuLer OF cltizens
were escorted by detachment OF artillery and OF
the Uniformed conparies OF militia, comma rded ny
Majors Arernus snd I.oomis to the Park. PIelsfy
at clock on several guns being irei, his Honor
ibe Mayor, EDWARD LiyiDgston, assisted by the
Architect, John McComb, ESQ., laid the stone az tbs
southeast corner OF the eiIhce. The artillery hIed
Federal salute and the baud of music performed
military air. after which the Mayor delivered snort
|
acclamations of vast concouIse OF citizens affel,
bed on The occasion. fen de joe by the uniformed
ctrpe concluded the ceremonies OF tie day. Inc de-
tschment Oh marching from the ground paraded III
the Park, ard was served with refreshn.n,s
proyided by the CORPORATION. The rev build
Ing WAS first occupied by the Mayor and
the CorporatIou officers on the 9Th OF Ap1l, loi2.
The cot of this City Hall was about IS 200. Ii
WAS uine years in builoipg. Tie 'front.' or southern
prefeDtation, abo both sides, are Of wbie marble
= a. =. Al. al ~.
ia obrerved that tie elevation Ironing Chambers
stree is OF an Inferior red sandstone. lbe reason
for tbs was that is projectors deemed II unHeees-
saTy 10 go 10 the eA ense Of white nar0e Iof ihst
ircnt, as it suppo-ed that, las the cty WollI
not extend much above Chaml ere street, TINS dIer
ence ia The stone would not be observ.d. mat
City Hall has long fipce been INSULT lent TO answer
tLe req uenis and other baicibgs ave ior many
yeaIs been found necessary. Tn this SPOT On,e
,toud larle building known as the Alms-house,
aud occupied ~ all - American MuseuIn lGnd WITH
in nv day occupied ms slehj, which, for several
years before lie destruction by fie, was used for
bcldingthe Courts and for other public prposes. After
il loss tie browL-soBe buildings 10 tie e2t oi THIS
spot on Chambers street were put up, and have
been since 81 used. For sJine time, however, new
City Hall or O. urt Honse on a more extended ian
has been conteu ylated. | called the attention OF
Le Common Coun,il to tLis necessity liz years ago,
rec or menciDg that, iuaeniuch The growth OF the
ity was ia, IDLY pogul,ing tie upper part of the
l nd that large edlice, exclusively Tor The Cof.
pora,,on Aid iDuri ipal purposes, should be erected
some ere in noge central position, and thst Ihe
uil !ines now IL this Park u,ludng tie Cry Hall,
thoud lie given mp exclusively fof the use OF The
courts. 1his suggestion wss not, however, hnaIiy
carried out, and The present proposed structure mas
tberei, re bern deemed necessary. We propose no"
to erect building for additional courtroom socon-
inodal.dns on tl- sjoi. Ills ground WAS once fed
Nh a negro burial ground; IL was no doubt devoted
80 that pnrfose as very early period. Although
originally private properly, 1t was suppored 10
have Teen selected for that pgrpoFe IN COME
quenee OF its elevation. 1t was known IA
Potty hackers Hit In 1913, tie Covert neit
nnle "A CrAut of this land 10 one Van Bortum.
TIE hGis Of this grant eAtenhed hloog we
he OF Chambers street, which wac tie brow vi the
hill Sub,equt utly IL ceded TO the Cooperation
OF the city ard connected with the common lands
i,ing south # il. During the excavation Tor the
' N, sent Court House. human bones have been
dsigi.rred doGblless those Of negroes, prob
ably buried theee over century ago
ii may have been a bundled and 6ity years ago.
Il may Lot be ont OF place iof to add that tpis
park i rseied Revolutionary ground. IL was tue
rulyiug place o the Sons Of Liberty before and dur
ing Ihs American Revelation. As earlyes March,
l,7i the PATRIOTS OF that day resisted an attempt Of
the Brtifh roldiery TO Interfere with their rgt TO
elect liberal men to the Colonial Convection. IL was
here thst Alexander Hamilton, al hongh mere
YOUTH nl6ed the people, by biz powerful eloquence,
I 10 resist the tyranny OF The British Crown,
Indeed, | claim for New-fork that u was
! here and wi.hin hundred yards Of this
spot aud not at the battle Of Lexington, that tne
first American blood shed IN the :,ause OF the
Revolution. The building we low propose I, erect
will be Of white marble, and % plsin substantial
order Of architecture. IL r.i be i3g feet long, by
ll2 feet deep tie WiEas each lIs feet long ana -
feet deep. The extreme length will be about 80
feet, ard ,av extreme depth 80 feet. On tie first
! tccor will he tx large Couri.rooms aud four small
ones The srrne number and size Of Court.rooms will
be found on the second floor, with the addition Of
two ftir-szed rooms 70 be used either for libraries
or Grand Jury rocms There all be tix large rooms
abd four fair sized roomr in The batement. The
blight OF the t story will be % feet; OF the second
s,Uy, 20 feet, ard Of the basement II feet inches
The extreme Light Of the building, iroul the side
walk 10 the top Of tho psrapeis, viii 10 about IS
feet. In conclusion, ns / fix this stone In the
place where it may rect for centuries, cannot for
lear expressing The oIe that the historical assoeia-
to,s of tie Lew baIlding may be no less plcious
than tbose which belong 10 lis predecessors; that
al,bouph erected IN timts Of trial, truth and Justice
may lie matt tslned tefe by learned and lncorTnpt-
bio Judiciary and an eloquent and ylrtuous Bar.
Within tSese walls We may reasonably expect to
trace the increasing prosperity OF the great metrOp-
OLE and the preservation OF that system of juris-
prudence by which both ind vidGal freedom and
public order are secured. May law ana liberty rest
tbeu as heretofore, on the glorious and mistaken
cornerstone Of the Amen ,an Constitution
ADDRESS OF SIR. JUSTICE cLERKR.
The Hon. Thomas w. Clerhe, Presiding Justice
of the Supreme Court Of this District, addressed the
assembly substantially as follows:
The Mayor, acting in my Masonic imagination in
the capacity Of C rand Marter this occasion, hav.
ing applied the Plumb, square, and level TO the stone
in their proper posi lions, aud pronounced it 10 be
ell formed true and trusiy, II may not lie improper
for me to express my ftlow-eiizens-to The Bench
and the Bar-my congratulations st the prospect Of
erecting suifible eoitee in which ustice may, with
dignity and convenience, be adn.inis'ered in this