The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-05

pirate. The Stars ana stripes form very pretty
banner-certainly quite as pretty as our old Union
Jack or any OF the Continental trlcolors; but MOTH
ing else but Stars and stripes noating rom WIN
dows, encumbering hagsta1s festooned across bal
confess stuck in the heads OF horses, spread out and
carried horizontally by the sooty fingers OF our
colored brethren, become as wearying and mo-
notonous as was the tovours perdrir to the French
gourmet, or the
Mutton hot and mutton cold,
Mutton young and mutton old;
! thank the LORD i I've had Su enough,
to che Eaton school boy. Nor, II may be per-
mitted to say SO, did ever before assist at any
public celebration in any country In which
THE EMBLEMs OF OTHER NATIONS
were so entirely and persistenty ignored as on the
present occasion. l can safely say that never,
during my experience, has there been a public
holiday in London without the display of vast
number OF American nags, not merely put forth
for American residents but forming part OF the
general display, INTERVIEWING with French and
Italian Tricolors, German and Russian Eagles and
Ottoman Cresoents. l am not idiotic enough to
impute this omission to the national vanity or
sehshness.
God knows that /, who in America have ex-
perenced more real Kindness appreciation and
hospitality than were ever previously shown me in
my life, would be the last man wilfully to suggest
anything offensive to the nation with whom my
sojournshas been SO pleasant. 1t merely struck
me an omission. and as such record 1t. Nor
was there the smallest taste or display in the DRESS
ing OF the streets. The temporary structures
which had been erected were in most cases left in
their original rough-hewn state of bare boards.
No divinity had shaped their ends no artistic hand
or eye had been called into requslton to cover or
color them. 1t il not, / know, the season for
HOr atYOu Ha m M Okad
for; but evergreens are always to pc had, and
tasteiully arranged, can be made very pretty and
effective The question seems to me to resolve
itself into the old dictum trte and worn though it
be, but full OF truth. that II thing IN worth do
ing 1t is worth doing well.
THE WHOLE MAGNIFICENT HOG OR NONE
The Inauguration ceremony comes but once in
four years and is held in the capital OF this vast
and enormously wealthy Continent. Either let 1t
be passed over with nothing but the merest official
notice or give it some pomp and significance. Do
not let it be half done, as it was to-day. Tr-
umphal arches here and there, Venetian masts
with brilliant pendant streamers, windows and
balconies gayy decorated, wreaths OF evergreens
suspended here and there across the street not
certainly evidences of wisdom but they are not
more inconsistent with stern republican simplicity
than many things which the people here indulge
in and which give color and tone and general
festive air to such an occasion. The procession,
TOO, seemed to me to be lacking in dignity. 1t will
be said that this IS not a military nation.
THE MILITARY PART PRAISED.
But decidedly the military portion OF to-day's
display was by far the finest and most impressive
Nothing could be better than the bearing and
dressing OF the West Point cadets, the Navy
cadets, the regulars and certain Of the military
regiments, notably the Albany Burgess corps and
NV
ment was also deservedly cheered. 1t seems ques-
tlonable whether the Fire brigade is permissible
portion of such procession; but undoubtedly it
most effective, and the floral garlanded wheels
and the horses, each bearing upon his neck
floral wreath, formed very pretty sight. The
presence of the veterans Of the Mexican war was
well timed and interesting. But surely it would
have been better to have paraded them before the
eyes OF their fellow citizens In some vehicle more
dignifed than broken down omnibus with linen
pacard bearing their printed designation.
THE RIDICULOUsNEss OF IT.
And from time to time IN air OF ridicule was
thrown over the whole proceeding by the appear
ance Of most inharmonious items. Such were the
various squads OF negro people, dressed in prepos
ter0usly gaudy colors the rank and file unable to
keep step, the bands unable to keep time. Such
were the stumbling, struggling collections of citi
zens IN plain clothes, with hats and garments
varying in color and shape as much as did their
owners in size and height, without the faintest
notion OF keeping step or line, and reminding an
Englishman irresstibly OF the holiday outing of
some convivial and benevolent brotherhood In his
native land These worthy personages would be
well known an Easter Monday fete at the
Crystal Palace or in the tea gardens of the Cob
bling Duck, but look horribly out of place
in national procession on a national fes-
titytx
uniform. which was neat, and their march,
ing, which was excellent, applies to the
Knights of st. Patrick and to certain other organi-
cations whose names do not remember. To the
stranger a noticeable feature was the lack of
cavalry, and the rough and ready appearance OF
such as were present. which would have been adj
missible and in some cases admirable in the field,
but was not TO be expected on the parade ground.
To the eye accustomed to the spick and span neat
ness-1 do not aude to the style of the Uniform,
but only to the manner in which it was worn and
kept-of the English and French household troops,
OF the Life Guards and the Cent Gardes or the Prus-
sian Uhlans or, indeed, OF the light cavalry and
hussars of any of the countries named, there was
something provoking in the slovenliness Of the
dress, the want of polish to the accoutrements and
the wretchedly illgroOmed condition OF the horses
which strkngly disappointing. To be sure
AS regards some of the horses large allowance is
to be made, many of them having been procured
in the town-useful animals, more fitted for
domestic service than military display. Indeed, q
canard is current that one regiment not be named,
was mounted on horses belonging to the Knicker-
booker Ice Company Of this city, and that many of
the members lost their seats In consequence Of the
animals pulling up suddenly at the doors OF the
houses where they we're accustomed to deliver the
daily cooling allowance.
NOT MUCH OF CROWD AFTER ALL.
l was little disappointed in the size OF the
crowd. l have heard 1t since remarked by many
persons that they had never seen such throng in
their lives; but measuring it, not from an English
but from an American standpoint, am inclined to
say that in very few places did double the ordinary
crowd to be encountered on Broadway at the height
OF the business tide. The people were on the
main, good humored, but, like most crowds, 1t had
its ualx elemepts