The Republican journal., 1869-04-01

'ioio VIII NC No more spiritual lueuluHS
visit us at present. We shouldn't want to
guarantee the safety even of the woman of
Endor, who raised the spirit of the dead
Samuel before the awestruck Saul
Letter from Boston
Correspondence OF the journal.
81 Patrick's Day. Women in Public. The
Great Musical Festival. Easter sunday
BosrON, March IS 1sG9
st. Patrick day, which the loyal Hibernians
love to celebrate in their own way, as we Pu-
ritans revere the birthday of the great and
good G.. W, was observed here as usual
by the sons and daughters of Erin, who
paraded the streets in throngs all day. en-
joying their unaccustomed liberty, and eager
to witness the promised procession. AS usual
streets, but the dauntiess Hibernians turned
out in full force, unElndful of the state Of their
new boots, and gave Joy to the hearts of their
admiring friends by the fine appearance they
presented as they marched with such lofty
bearing and dignihed port that keeping step
became matter of entire ms significance. The
national color prevailed, futtering in the breeze
oD the wings of which came borne the inspir-
ing strains of the g Wearing of the Green"
est Patrick'S day in the morning" and other
beautiful airs dear to the Irish ear
1t is by no means a certain thing that women
will ever march to the polls and east their vote
but even now they are rapidly attaining prom
ihent position on our lecture platforms. Lucre-
tia Mott, Mrs. Stanton, Rev. Olympia Brown,
Miss. Dickinson, Mrs. IIanaford, Mrs. +. y.
Cheney, Mrs. Julia Ward Howe and some 9th
ers, have certainly demonstrated that women
can both understand and discuss the great
questions of the day as Well as their Sterner
brethren. few years ago, outside of the So
ciety of Quakers, whose female preachers have
always been famous, the engagement Of a wo-
man in the ministry was an unheard of thing,
and so with the presence of the gentler sex at
public meetings and other conversations. In
1882 the Massachusetts Ccntincl' noted with
great surprise the presence Of several ladies
in the galleries OF the Federal State House in
New York, where Congress was then in ses-
sion, while to-day the female spectators on tile
occasion Of any great debate at the Capitol
fairly outnumbers the male. In Horticultural
Hall, in this city, there has been Il most inter
estng series Of Sunday afternoon meetings
recently, two of which have been addressed By
ladies, Mrs. Julia Ward Howe and Mrs Edna
Cheney. The former has gained some notori-
ETY. by her philanthropjc views, which she has
practically Illustrated in many Il good anu no
bic cause, and by her poetical illusions among
which the best known is a ''Battle Hymn OF the
Republic" which was hastily written ''at tive
o'clock in the morning" after the excitement
of 4 visit to the ''thOusand circling camps
about Washington and witnessing Il midnight
engagement between our forces and the rebels
while the war was at its height. Mrs Cheney
is the widow Of Seth Cheney, one of the best
crayon artists the country has ever had, and
has written great deal upon the subject Of
art herself, having lived abroad among Euro
pean families for many years. Since her hus-
bands death she has been prominent in many
educational and charitable works. and the New
England Womeus Hospital, Frecdman's Aid
Society, Infant Asylum and other Institutions
of Il like nature have received aid from her
The discourses which these two ladies deliver
ed at the above mentioned meetings were high
commended by the press and by all who heard
them, as being given with dignity and pro-
priety perfectly appropriate to their position
and the subjects of their lectures. And it was
generally agreed that they far surpassed in in
terest and in the impression which they Great
ed the addresses which had preceded them, of
| Weiss, WATSON, Potter, Abbott and Higginson.
Mrs. Cheney's presence, especially, created a
sensation among the cultivated audience as
semblcd to hear her; her striking personal APP
pearance and modest, serious and impressive
manner, added to the subject Of her discourse,
Work and Art; art being is she defined it, on
! ly work become beautiful
| Every one is rejoicing that the controversy
which was becoming quite Il serious and eAcit-
| ing matter on the subject OF erecting CoIeis
cum on the Common for the approaching mu-
steal festival, is at laat settled, and that the
Common, justly the pride OF all good Bostoni-
ans, Is not TO be desecraJed IN SO unheard OF
a manner. The building will be on st. james
| Square, west of Berliely Street, and arrange
ments have already been consummated for the
speedy construction of the edtce. The must
cal portion of the enterprise is also i'll a state
of progression; the chorus rehearsalS are now
taking place weekly, and engagements for par
ticipancy as singers have already come from a
hundred different cities and towns in the c0un-
try, from Maine to Louisiana. So the enter
prise bids fair to be success, and the seven
teenth of June will! this year be celebrated in
such a manner as 'earth's remotest nations
have never heard before. The volume Of sound
will be SO great that inhabitants Of Cambridge
and Roxbury tell me that they expect to enjoy
the music sitting by the open windows of their
own domiclls, and hear it ocosely remarked
that preserved seats have been engaged in
Worcester. "
To-day being Easter Sunday, appropriate
services have been held i'll most of the
churches, many of which We're beautifully
dressed with fresh flowers. The music at sew
eral has been remarkably fac, particularly at
Rev. E. E. Halls, which, always distinguished
for its superior quality, is especially fine on
Easter Sunday afternoon, when crowds assem-
BILE to enjoy it and admire the profusion and
beauty of the flowers, so suggestive at this