The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-04
TIE FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT.
Procession OF Colorsd Mon in Honor Of the Fis
teenth AmendmsntA Medley Pageant
Review of the Show-Nuch Music
Plenty Of Uniforms


nave taken 80 strong hold upon the imaginations
OF almost all the various elements OF inc nopulat,ou
OF New York city the colored people paraded yester
day III hoaor OF the fifteenth amendment Taken An
whole, the affair was an immense success ana at
tested the prosperity and industry OF people who
could afford to waste so much time and wear such
fine clothes out OF respect to voluntary holiday.
1t was "a strange sight to see the procession as Il
formed about noon at the lower extremity or Fanh
avenue and In Washington square, The sidewalks
and the house stoops were abandoned to crowds
OF colored spectators, largely composed OF women,
by the way, while he street Itself was filled with
bright mass OF ebony faces and Dutch metal laos
and gaudy hags and plumed hats For an h0K OF
SO TINS motley thrcng stirred with the buslle Of
hopeless confusion; while the marshals, mounted
on dangerously FESTIVE horses galloped Wildly up
and down the street, and endeavored TO reduce 10
10 order. They were only successful after they mad
shouted themselves hoarso, ana almost reused the
spirit Of their men ana bands OF music to the point
OF mutiny by repeated changes OF position The
grand sour:e Of tue trouble 10 properly sandwich
IN the bands among the various Organizations, Each
organization apparently had brought ity own
musicians, aad over aud above this sufficient store
of dscord, the managers OF tho parade had hired
several additional banus which they were at their
WIS END TO Know now 10 dispose Oh OI course II
would have been absurd TO have had two bands TIM
mediately following eacn other, ana yet how else 70
u
which absorbed hours OF waitlng, and nearly drove
one poor c0lored gentleman, VINO seemed TO DO
procession, out OF his mind. Perhaps Tor the first
time IN ms iiie ne tasted the sweets OF power; bus
no must, indeed have lOund out that even tue cup
81 so absolute despot as grand marshal Is penu.
fully streakeu VITA bitter.
cession moved. FIRST OF all came q platoon OF
police, followed by u company OF men In blue uni
Sesn on s Mera ana
though willing to defend the banner OF their organt
zation-a p plain penaon, with the legend "Grans and
steadily along with TWO handsome composed Of
Negro Poneer aaa sha rhs
THIS organization was to say the least Of 1t. p0cu.
huge Dearskln hat at least loot In height apron
Of lnblacked leather and cruellookiDg, though.
doubtless, on occasions, effective axe. The Skia-
precision q Thoroughly disciplined troops and their
passed they were greeted With a burst OF well-de.
served applause IN which many OF the white spec
mon along the whole line VINO thus succeeded In
stirring the enthusiasm Of the Spectators 0 course
tachmcnt or men, Ia olue coats aud bear
skin caps and armed wlth axes. succeeded,
Rn with s So ts a ws % TING
colored. Next came huge Unied STATES dag. car.
s Of il ed ua out q ne Dust BY TWO or
muiattO boys. Then another whltc band Iooteq
@ they the may nave c ' per-
haps, as they were dressed In collars ana aprons In
close imitation OF those worn by Frcemas0ns. the
on the familiar red banner or enOrniOus dimen.
slons, winch has done service IN so many
rouge OF the International Workngmen's As.
soclatlon, No Us, Inscribed with the words. Uni.
versal brotherhood aud equality.n IL was attended
By little knot or nalf dozen Internatlonals, who
looked straight ahead as though they had to screw
up all tier moral courage 10 20 through with their
seltappointed ordeal OF practical fraternity. and
preferred not 70 turn round anu lace the Caucasian
daikles OF an even mere mysterious character than
the Sons or NJ. There were only about o dozen OF
them, and their distinguishing badge seemed to
be huge block OF ailded wood, foot square.
reverentiy carried before him. Tneir leader had
much bigger book than the Others. Next came
perhaps tne most numerous organization IN the
banner, which, after giving their title proclaimed,
"UDited we stand, divided we ial,o aud "We ard
men, ana, therefore, interested IN all that concern1
men, These are not bad notices, though they
seemed just little higl-t0aed. Then there was &
very good colored band, the Excelsior from Pnlla-
saloon men In black coats, with flower N
The buttO1h0le. After these were u few carriages
nled win colosed aristocracy, which served rs an
advanced guard for on express wagon tuli Of COL
ored 9lri5 oi tender age, blue dresses represent
Ing the various states or the American Union, and
symbol Of New York, probabiy. fhen came the
tail OF the procession, ools listing OF q dozen or
more societies, bearing suon notices "Lve and
Land OF Love aud Liberty"
Altogether there may have been Ave or six hum
dred persons In the professionally 200 musicians
ana 400 processlonsts Leaving Washington SQUARE
1t moved along Macdou1al, Spring, Hudson and
Canal streets into. Broadway and then marched
away up town and down again. Ic met with no
opposition, and was greeted With applause ct
various places along It's route In the evening tho
coIored people held mass meeting es Association
Hail. and thus Closed, with song and speech, their
tribute to day which they have delighted to honor,
ana with reason.