Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-04-11
The DAYOF DAYS.
IlfPROMPTU OELE8RATION OF
LEES SURRENDER.
The City Blossoms with Flags.
THE WHOLE POPULATION DRUNK
WIFE TIE NEW VINE.
Intense Enthusiasm and Joy
UnUttefabIe.

The telegram which the nation has wait
ed and yearned for these past four years,
came thrilling over the wires about one
O'Clock yesterday morning. The city was
asleep, nor even dreamed how pregnant
was the hour. But they were destined soon
to know that something was in the wind,
for after two hours search and effort, men
and powder enough were found to serve the
old Secesh gun on the Public Square with
Eve rounds, which woke the echoes.
Ten thousand night caps we make modest
estimate) visibly stirred at this early salute,
and the dreamy heads within them thought
a three-o'- '-clock-in-the-moruin gun must
mean something.
The morning papers went of like hot
cakes, and when people looked into them,
and read the official bulletins and CORES
pondence announcing the surrender Of
Lees army of Northern Virginia, q FIRE
was kindled, which every moment famed
throughout the day, until it spread over
the whole city, and into the neighboring
country, consuming all other thoughts,
whether Of business or pleasure, fusing all
hearts into one, and making radiant the
faces of all, men, women and children.
The country at an early hour began
pouring into the city, and the streets were
crowded; the live-lOng day, by all classes of
people, old and young, rich and poor, and
business was as good as suspended, and the
day set apart for the celebration, according
to each ones own taste, of the great and
crowning event of the war.
The day was foggy, cold, and gloomy,
but,the blood wss quickened by the glori-
Gus news. and the city was touched by the
hand of art, and instantly sprang into May
time. Streamers were given to the breeze
from the flag staff on the Square end the
tower of the First Presbyterian Church,
from the Court House, Wsddell and Angler
Houses, Telegraph and Railroad Offices, and
were strung across the streets, while small
flames of fsgs burst from half the win
dows of the city. Wster street was decked
out as for the gayest festival, and seemed I,
| from end TO end, continuous bed of May
| flowers, so numerous were the flags. 1t
was, by all odds, the finest spectacle in the
city. Large floating flags we're suspended
on cords stretched across the street, and
nearly every window in three ffths of the
buildings on either side, were tricked out
with the Stars and Stripes, making Water
street rival in beauty an orchard in bloom.
Many of the stores on Superior street were
ornamentsd with the banner of the Re-
public, and one of the largest flags in the
city served as an awning for the LEADER
Counting Room.
The marked feature of the day was the
happy faces seen on every hand. Yester-
day was the happiest day Cleveland ever
saw. Faces besmed on you everywhere.
The stoies took to the woods, and there was
hardly misauthrope in the city. The joy
which made the cOuntenauce light, fond
popular expression in the Haunting of flags,
infinite huzzaing, music, bonfrss, cannon
firing, tippling, and scores of comical pro-
ceedings. Every horse in the streets, from
the dashing livery nag to the veriest bare
bones of dray horse, was made glorious
with banners, and many dog slipped
through the crowds, adorned with flags,
and thus made the honorable scspegoAt of
the popular patriotism and Joy.
About noon from fifty to one hundred of
our most prominent men fell into line, with
6fes, tin horns, drums, broOms, and divers
kinds of articles, and parsded the streets.
Since that ancient mob went footing with
rams horns round the walls of Jericho,
there has been no demonstration half SO
effective as was this, and why the walls did
not tumble on either side Of them, is doubt
less due TO their lack of faith in the power
of their music. All the boys in Cleveland
trooped at their heels, and their yells did
not add one whit TO the 0rphic melody.
A half hour later, the old Secesh gun was
placed in front of the LEADER Office and
fred. The windows of the LEADER Count
ing-roOm, as well as those of several neigh
boring establishments were shattered by
the conclusion.
The various brass bands of the city add
ed much to the enthusiasm of the day by
discoursing patriotic airs. Their music,
however, got badly diluted with the blasts
of tin horns and the general uproar of a
people gone half insane with Joy and wal
lowing in the slough of jollifcation.
An instrument not mentioned in any
history of music was toted through the
streets all the afternoon, and made to send
forth very uncertain sounds: tin horn
about eight feet long and ten inches in di-
ameter at its mouth. One indefatigable
man carried the large end thereof, while
another exerted his diaphragm to the ut
most in the production of tones which
might well move stones and trees.
A man appeared in the street, astride
long haired mule, who was the observed of
all observers. Two small flags, beside the
mammoth ears adorned the head of the ami
NAL, and patriotic braid, red, white and
blue, made the tail of the beast glorious.
The mule was brought from the South, and
made to bear part in the public rejoicing
for the overthrow of the same. But he
looked sad, poor fellow, as if he wanted to
hang his harp on the willows.
Another mule was pressed into the SER
vice, and was walked up and down the pave
ment on Superior street, with two men pull
ing at the bits, two heavy men astride him,
(how are you backbone y and four hundred
boys bringing up the rear, with laughter
and shouts.
An express wagon was driven rapidly
through the streets, containing gslIOws
on which swung very ignominiOusly an ef-