The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-06-24
THE GREAT BOSTON JUBILEE.
A Review OF Its Motives and Merits

The philosophic wae who "did" The Boston
Jubilee for the New York Tribune thus SUMS
mp his Impressions at its close:
When I think upon what have gone through
this week. hardly know whether am pleased
or no.. It has been almost Impossible 20
treat the Jubilee with entire seriousness, be-
cause Boston gets 80 very mad whenever IL IS
spoken OF with levity. Her INDIGNATION at the
hulkipg New Yorkers who won't be enthusiast
tlc, and, as another correspondent remarks,
absolutely sp1t m the frog pond has such Q
oomical aspect that don't see how an ordi-
nary man can help laughing. Then the wild
reporters of the local newspapers have stopped
over 30 fearfully that take warning BY their
example and try to curb my pen whenever
ind it running into comphment. But, IN sober
(music apart) to which Justice has hardly yet
been done. The aggregation of such mighty
numbers Is always imposing, and the appear
anoe ofthe Coliseum when the organ used to
sound the signal and that tremendous chorus
rose to its work with q sort OF majestic updula-
ton, like field Of wheat swept by the WIND.
was superb beyond description. THINK that
5000 80 oo people including those VINO
day for week to enjoy themselves; think that
they did this with good humor and good Or
der: and remember how unfortunately rare
popul.r festival 10 the United states, and yeu
viii agree with me in rating Patrick 8. gilmore
a. o public benefactor. There WAS something
grand IN the daring which conceived the plan
America to take part in festival OF sucb a very
abstract character "a this celebration OF
peace which is four gears old; and something
Grand in the energy and business talent which
carried II to such successful conclusion. We
cannot help respecting the musical enthusi Ism
which inspired the great chorus, who came at
their own cost long days journeys from the East
mitted to the most stringent discipline. zine
instrumental performers were paid $50 apiece,
and all their travelling, lodging and boarding
expenses.) And finally there is something In
spirihng in the excellent order which Was pre-.
served in the midst Of this exciting scene, and
the thoughtful hospitality with which the city
took care OF its myriad guests. But before We
decide whether the jubilee was Triumphant,
we ought to know what its object was. "Peace"
am afraid was an afterthought. II Art was
the chief matter involved, then the festival was
certainly q failure. Very little Of the music
was really good, aud the things which
we're best performed we're those not worth
performing. thought the Boston Trans-
cript let out little bit Of the truth
that the Jubilee had been splendid advertise
ment for Boston; but this way OF looking at
the matter was probably only the result Of prov
fessional instinct; We had heard OF Boston be.
fore. The whole thlng. was indeed stupsn-
dous advertisement, and the anxiety Of some
OF the Boston houses to improve the occasion
by q little dickering was abominable; but there
was better feeling than this at the bottom OF
the enterprise. 1 suppose it was mainly Ameri-
can spread-eagIeism. We have the biggest
rivers, the biggest railroads, the biggest chains
of lakes and mountains in all creation. Let us
have the biggest chorus that ever was got to-
gether. Let us put up the biggest concert
room the world ever saw, play the biggest ma.
tional air with the biggest brass band, and
make bigger noise than was ever before pro.
duced on Eve acres Of the earth's surface; and
then let us brag about it until We have some.
thing bigger. That believe ie the sentiment
Of the Peace Jubilee. 1t is not ignoble, it is
only grandiose.