Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-04-05

brilliantly illuminated, and made very hand
that locality. The Custom House, on Con-
gress, near Bridge street, was handsomely or
namented with national flags displayed upon
me t 'front.', while the windows were Illuminated
throughout with candles and all the gaslights
"a tne building. The Bridge street front OF the
Tsa soI HOTEL was also brilliantly Illuminated.
hanasosn snant Fire Company made quite q
hIgh street, which was iliunain sted with Lam
eIns from the top OF the bell tower ana with
The polics an illnmnwindo ,ne windows OF the building.
and, like the fremen, dsplaveS the nstinnst
banner. The dwelling Of Mr.. s. Helm. on tst
street, was brilliantly illuminated And SandS
somely decorated with evergreen Tns nc
dows OF the hall opposite Forrest Hail wara
brilliantly Illuminated, and Drew's Union res
taurant building also.
The Meeting at the Patent Office.
At an early hour last evening the population
commenced to assemble in front of the Patent
Office, attracted by the preparations for the
celebration OF our recent victories. In addi-
tion TO the brilliant i'll Illumination of all the win
dows OF the Post ONCE and Patent Once, gas
pipes were put mp along the southern portico
OF the latter building forming in large charac-
also made on one side of the portico for the
speakers, by erecting sort Of camp meeting
oesK ana placing low platform upon the
granite slabs so as to elevate the orators above
Ihe surrounding crowd, which iocked up the
steps and obstructed ali egress.
The scene at o'clock was magnificent. The
Wnole space beIWeen the TWO departments was
filled with ladies and gentlemen, crowded to-
gether as closely as they could stand, while
men and boys of all colors and conditions
perched on the steps and ciung to the cornices
and railing of the portico. A score of build
ings in the vicinity lighted up the scene with
their Illuminated windows, rockets and other
fireworks flashed over the heads OF the sway
ing throng, and gaily decorated carriages NOV
ing to and fro wove fantastic fringe of many
ceIors around the vast assemblage. Far mp
street the Treasury Department glowed ike
fha
vious Of the brilliancy, now and then streamed
down through the riffs In the clouds, beaGn
fully lighting up the dark masses piled against
the horizon.
Finally, after several national airs performed
by the excellent band Of Harewood Hospital,
Judge Usher called the meeting to order, and
Judge Cartier, who, when the cheering had
subsidized, addressed the assemblage in an elo-
quent speech, frequently interrupted by en-
thusiastic applause. Lack Of space unfortu-
nately prevents our giving more than the fol-
lowing outline of his admirable address:
"Fellow- citizens, that [cheeringl Is the way
the evening The period OF rejoicing is not the
period of reasoning. can laugh with you to-
night. l can sing hallelujahs with You TO-
night. l can pardon all my enemies tonight
not quite all the enemies ef the country
though. lCheers l have a mental reserva-
ton on that subject; but feel totally averse
to entering upon any line of logic or to follow
any path of reasoning to interest this audience.
You will have to excuse me with the simple
exclamations of congratulation for this great
deliverance Of our great nation. We have
passed the Red Sea of its bloed, and now the
promised land is In view. IChee1s.l The
night of our trial is dissipated IT the twilight
of morning. and the full monday sun of Amer
ican liberty is ag2in treAding it's pathway of
glory; and this is about all there is to be said
upon the subject" [Cheers.
"There are very many lessons taught In the
bitter experiences OF the last four years-years
into which are crowded the suferings of q
brave people-and, thank God, the agonies OF
the damned. We have learned during these
four years that we are favored peopie-the
richest, most powerful, Irresistible nation upon
Gods beautiful earth. [Cheers. We have
been translated from the cradle during that
period, and been born into perfect proportions.
We have learned the strength that 10 in us, the
strength inherent in us, though. we did not
know it. Treason at home, hereditary hatred
abroad, has Taught us this lesson. We have.
learned how Judases have grown from the
favored OF the nation how the sons OF the ma.
tion, taught at the public expense, fed on pub
lie rations, could betray the hand that fed
them. We have learned In the experiences OF
the last four years that ws have A national
military institution to raise up and educam
traitors to cut the throat Of the nation. The
hvine rascal on. o, Ricnra.n: was one Of them:
[Cheersl And his class Is composed OF them.
trust that this Government OF ours will At
tach to that institution one additional lesson,
lesson of patriotism for hesitate not to say
that those who have been fed, clothed, and
taught at the public expense, ought to stretch
the first rope" fGreat cheering.l
"We have learned another lesson, that while
multitudes of the nations sons are dying upon
the battle field, some 60 quietly to Wall street,
in New York, and buy and sell the nations
Christ 1t may be said Of that class Of persons,
as of many in modern New York, that they
have not been naturalized to the country, and
have no homes anywhere; and that is the best
apology l can offer for them. [Oheers and
laughter
1--WE have learned another lesson This great
nation, without military leaders, without ar
mics, robbed by political thieves, without skill
in the battle field, extemporized the largest,
greatest army that the earth has ever seen
[cheers and that it has, by virtue Of its native
resources alone, overthrown the largest rebel
lion that ever was assembled upon the earth;
and that lesson is a better lesson than if it had
been done by Napoleon or an Alexander.
These battles have been won not by the great
powers / referred to-not by the genius OF
single man. II they had, that man would have
taken your liberties into his hands, and left
you to follow like spaniels. 1t is .this nations
muscle that has fought the battle. [CheersI
Senator Williams, Of Oregon, was the next
speaker, and after q brief and eloquent ad.
dress was followed by Vice President Johnson.
He saw, when we examined our nation and
the genius OF our Government, that il was
based, in its Constitution and in its laws, on
the eternal and ever. existing principles offree-
dom. 1t was opposed TO all monopolies; but
one monopoly set itself in opposition to the
fundamental spirit OF our Government, and 1t
Slavery was great monopoly; had set itself
10 control the Government-aye, to set il at
defiance. The issue was made between the
Two. 1t waged war upon the Government,
raised armies and navies TO wrest the power
from the hands of the Government chosen by
the people. The Government has triumphed.
The principles underlying were saved; the
monopoly was crushed, and thence the reason
for rejoicing.
. Complaints had been made. twas charged
by some that the Government, in the struggle.
had done things which seemed to be unoonsti.
tutional, but 1t was with President Lincoln as
with the Roman of old before the factlous
tribune, and with him the President might
answer, when asked to swear il he had not
violated the law:
81 sWear hare sdred the Republic, and in
saring the Republic, haze saucd the Constitution
and the ldiU."
The query naturally arises now, who has
been engaged in this opposition bloody to the
Government? The answer is, the man you
have fed, clothed, educated, whose sole repu.
tation and early honors were won under your
vUa w ho do;x,a Nj