The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-03-08
THE CRUSH IN WASHINGTON
THE EINAUGURAITON SCENE DESCRLB-
ED BIZ EDMUND YATES.


ED BIZ EDMUND YATES.
A.Hslc-and-Half A Pageant-shambling
and Shutting Observation-Disclosures In
cidents and Miserable Cavn1ry-A HUI
mtliating Comparison-The Veterans
OF tho War Of 1919 In q Broken.Down
Omnibus-Pomp and Pompey-Little
Cheering, Small Crowds, Shabby Deco
rations and u Lack OF Dignity.
[Edmund Yates in the New YORK Herald.
WASHINGTON, March 4.
hThe show Is over. Being over it would
probably be right to speak OF it on the. de
naortuts nil mist bonuna principle, more espe-
clally In these whitewashing days when it Is
found expedient 10 provide champion for
every one aud everything which was looked
upon with suspicion ut the time Of its eXis-
teuce. 1t would be very easy for me to fall
into raptures al all that have witnessed, and
display those raptures by the employment OF
what ths late Mr.. Artemns irard used to call
s'mnpgolious and spanglorous" adjectiVes.
Bot It appears to me that If the readers of the
Herald have any interest In what may record
in its columns, that interest is prompted by
the desire to see the real Impressions of q
man who has witnessed many great celebra-
tions in various parts OF Europe. and that
they would prefer the honest exposition OF
my thoughts to airy mendacious eulogy. This
exordIum will have prepared yon for the state
ment that have not been much impressed by
the glory of the spectacle have Just Witness
ed. and In truth did not find 1t magnificent
at all.
THE PUBLIC DISPLAYS IN ENGLAND
are not supposed TO be of very astounding
character. In military displays more espe-
cIally we cannot come up to our immediate
neIghbors. The standing army which we keep
Is comparatively small Que, and the general
character of our population is eminently COM
mercial, idstesd Of being, as in France--not
perhaps so much as few years ago-essen-
TALLY military. Any pretension on our part TO
the exhibition OF warlike man@uvres has been
a fertile theme of ridlcue for our satircal
writers. When, some thirty years ago, The
Emperor Nicholas of Russia visited England
and a review In Hyde Park was part OF the
programme, Mr.. Thackeray commented with
much severity on the idea OF exhibiting
couple of foot regiments and few squadrons
of household cavalry to man who, as ne
said, .could look over hale million pair OF
mustaches before breakfast" In size and
grandeur, In whiri ald Dash, In the number OF
men employed, and In the general glitter oil
the spectacle, have never seen any attempt
al military display In nv own country to equal
the reviews held regularly every year In the
Champ de Mars on the smperor's fete DAY,
though 1t has been my let 10 witness two pa
geants, in both oil which the military element
occupied conspicuous place, which were un-
deniably more striking and impressive than
anything else of the kind in my recollection.
POINTS on COMPARISON.
One of these was the funeral OF the Duke of
Wellington, the other the proceedings on the
day of thanksgiving for the recovery OF the
Prince of Wales, scarcely more than year
ago. The former was day OF mourning, and,
from the position OF the dead man TO whom
military organization; but the latter was "a
public rejoicing, Offering many points OF de-
iail or for comparison with the celebration
lust accomplished. And, in the hrst place.
let me venture to hint that In The matter Oh
street decoration you are somewhat oehlno-
hand. The display OF flags and all that is known
by the generic name off, bunting" was to-day
siugularly poor and inappropriate. The stars
and stripes form q very pretty oanner-cer-
taInly quite as pretty as our old union jack or
any Of the continental tricolors; out nothing
else but stars and stripes floating from WIN
dows, encumb sring 6agstafs, lestooned across
balconies. stuck In the heads OF horses, spread
out and carried horizontally by the sooty in-
gers or our colored brethren, become as
wearylng and mouotonous rs was the tou.
jotrs perdris to the French gourmet, or the
un,,on hot and mutton coll,
Mutton young and mutton old;
Mutton tender, mutton tough,
I thank the Lord l'ye had enough,
IA the Eaton school boy. Nor, if may be
nermitted to say 30, did ever before assist at
any public celebration In any country IN
Which
THE EMBLEMs OF OTHER NATIONS
were 30 entirely and persistently Ignored as
on the present occasion. can safely say mat
never, during my experience, mas mere oeeh
a public holiday In London without the ols-
nlsy OF a vast number OF American flags, not
merely put forth for American residents, but
forming part of The general display, inter-
tWiuipg with French and Italian lricoors,
German and Russian eagles and Otto'aan
crescents. am not iflotic enough tn impute
this omission 10 the national vanity or selfish
ness.
God knows that I, who IN America have eA-
nerienced 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 70 the
nation with whom my sojourn has oeen so
pleasant. It merely struck me as an omission,
and as such !, ecord 1t. Nor was there the
smallest taste or display In the dressing ol lhe
streets, The temporary structures W6lcn had
been erected were In most cases LETT IN their
original rough hewu slate OF bare boards. NO
diyinity had shaped their ends; no artistic
hand or eve had been called into reqnlsition
20 cover or color them. 1t is not, know, the
season for flowers, and floral decoration was
not 10 be looked for; but evergreens are
always to be had, and, tastefully arranged,
can be made very pretty ano effective. T6e
Question seems to me to resolve itself lnto tne
Old dictum, trite and worn though 1t be, but
40 full of truth, thatif thing is worth doing
It is worth doing well.
TIE WHOLE MAGNIFICENT HOG OR NONE.
tine 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 bul
the merest official notice, or give 1t some
pomp and significance. Do not let 1t be halt
done. as 1t was to-day. Triuupbal arches here
and there, Venetian masts with brilliant pend
ant streamers, windows and balconies gayly
decorated, wresths OF evergreens suspended
here and there across the street are not GER
tainly evidences OF wisdom but they are not
more Inconsistent with stern republican SIM
pliclly than many things which lbe peonle