Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-05-06
Schurz on Summer.

scenelin Music Hall to-day was on
that will not be soon forgotten by thos
who were fortunate enough to be pre-
sent. The arrangements were ad
mirable, and the exercises. in ever,
part, justified the highest icipatiors
The decorations were elegant, exceed
ing anything ever attempted before il
Boston: no flags or mourning coior
were used, the decorations being sim
ply evergreen and flowers, but the
general effect was wonderfully grace
ful and pleasing.
The committee were at great pain:
to secured the attendance Of ali Mr.
Summers personal friends who coulc
come those who were such in the
early party of his career as well as
those who in later years were intimate
ly associated with him in labors and
sympathy.
Among the first to appear was
William Lloyd Garrison, who sat on
the front of the platform at the right
cf the orators desk around him soon
were Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry
W. Longfellow and oliver Wendall
Holmes Senator Wasbbur occupied
a seat at the left Of the desk. Among
the other invited guests present were
the State authorities, the United
States and State Judges, ex-Chief
Justice Bigelow and ex-J udge Curtis,
Joshua b Smith, Charles Francis
Adams, all the living ex-Governors Of
the State. John G. Whittier, Mrs.
Lydia Maria Child, Mrs. Horace Mann
Mrs. Agassiz, Cyrus W. Field. A. A.
Low, S. B. Chttenden and Eliot G.
Cowdin, of New York Horace White,
Of Chicago; Murat Halstead, Of Gin
cinnati; and Henry Watterson, of
Louisville. To the body Of the house
were most of the members Of the Mas
sachusetts Legislature, and many peo-
pie of local distinction from all Sec
tions of the State
By 3 o'clock all the room assigned
to holders of standing tickets was fill
ed, but no crowding into the aisles, or
into positions that interfered with the
view of those seated, was permitted.
The hall was as full as it could be with
out crowding and confusion. The
gentlemen were in a large majority,
but the ladies were numbered by the
hundreds.
Punctually at 5 o'clock Mayor Cobb
followed by the Rev. Phillip Brooks,
Senator Carl Schurz and Wendell
Phillips, entered from the ante-room,
on the right Of the organ, and were
greeted with res pectful, bat not bois-
ferrous, applause. As soon as they
were seated, the organ was heard, and
the exercises began
The prayer was brief, and was listen
ed to with bowed heads and the deep
ect silence. The singing, both of the
prayer by Storck and Of DR.. Holmes
hymn, was by the full Apollo Club.
1t was sweet, strong, and impressive,
and was considered on al! hands a
singularly beautiful and satisfactory
feature Of the occasion.
When Senator Schurz arose, he was
greeted in cordial manner, which
signifed rather interest than enthusi-
asm. The printed sheets Of his Grafton
lay on the desk before him, and he
began the reading in quiet tone, con-
versational rather than declamatory,
but earnest and attractive. Through
the early historical portions of the ad-
dress, he preserved the same style,
succeeding In keeping the closest at
tention Of the vast assembly, yet SEEM
ingly without effort. His slight
foreign accent was not, after the first
movements, any impediment. The
first deep sensation was produced by
that foe passage in which the con-
dition of the nation when Sumner took
the seat in the Senate was depicted,
and the careful, philosophical analysis
of the change in our politics, slgniied
by the entrance Of Sumner on the stage
just quilted by Webster and Clay,
was listened to with eager attention,
the orator meanwhile gradual y-al-
most impereeptibly y-kindlin at the
sympathy With his thought, until sud-
denly a thrilling sound Of applause
burst forth, as if admiration could not
longer be restrained from manifesto
ton. From this time on the interest
deepened, and the applause was fire.
quent.
The passages treating of the battle
flag resolutions, of Summers course in
the Santo Domingo business, and Of
his break with the Republican party
in 1872, were spoken with a great
force and intensity of feeling, and the
several impassioned vindications Of
Summers lofty motives and faithful
ness to his convictions of duty, through
good and evil report, were responded
to with applause that often interrupted
the delivery for several seconds. Many
passages of the oration as printed were
omitted, but for nearly two hours and