New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-01
EyERCJsEs IN IrNION-SoUARE.

EXERCISES IN UNION-SQUARE
GREAT TIIRONGS OF PEOPLE IN BROADWAY AND TnH
sQUARE-HoNORs TO THE MEMORY OF wAsu-
INGToN AND LINCOLN ADDRESSES BY col.
JOHN HAY, GEN. JOHN COCBRANE, GIN. NJ. T.
MMAHoN, DIR. /. 1. HAYES, AND ]. BAILEY
MYERS.
Decoration Day was more generally observed
yesterday In this city than before. Flags were dis
played on the City Hail. the Post-Onfce, Custom
house. the Tribune Building and other newspaper Offices.
and on many business houses aud private dwellings.
The display Of banners Broadway especially was
general The day favorable, and although tho snn
shone down with great warmth the heat wac tempered
by cooling breozes The throngs in Unionsquare and on
Broadway from Fourteenthst to South Ferry were
equal In density to those any holiday OF the year.
The coored people were largely reprcsented both I'm the
procession and among the street throBgs
The statues Of Washington and lincoln, In Union
square, were decorated with flowers and eyerreens as
an early Around the railing and the base Of tho
statue Of Washington were placed cvergreens, flowers.
and graceful plants while wreaths Of eyergrcens wcrc
cntwned around the figure. The base OF the statue OF
Lincoln concealed by macs OF shrubs and flowers.
Around the metal pedestal which the figure Is placed
was railing ntertwined with ivy. Tho sides Of tho
broad granite base were covered with MOWERS. On
the south front were wrought In white flowers, on
background Of dark green leaves, the words For our
Republic" and the north side, Tribute OF Lincoln
shields composed Of flowers Of many colo At the cor.
ncrs of the granite mass were four large and four small
vases containing palms and blossoms the whole inciosed
BY rough rail fence partially concealed BY towers and
garlands of evergrcens.
Soon after O'Clock a. M, the various military bands
and Posts of the Grand Army Of the Republic began 70
assemble In and around Unionsquare Lincoln Post No.
Is, q. A. T., Company L, eIth Regiment, N. q. NJ
Y, the Garde Lafayette, CompaDys A and B, skid-
more Guards (coored the Lincoln Artillery, the con-
cregaton and Sunday OF Shiloh colored Church
nj which the Rev. Henry Highland Garrett 10 pastor
acted as an escort to Col John Hay Gen. John Cochane,
Gen. N. T. Mcmahon, Col. T. Bailey Myers Dr. Isaac
Hayes and the Rev. Henry Highland GaInett who were
TO take part in the Unionsquare exercises The speakers
were accompanied by the escort from the Odd Regiment
amory In Foureenthst the Square, where had assem-
bled a very large throng of people. line Of police
under the command Of Capt Henry Steers preserved an
omen space around Lincoln statue. The organizations
forming the escort drawn mp around the statue
Several carriages driven into the open space con-
tanning Mrs. j. A. Kennedy, widow OF the former SUPER
ntendent OF Police, President OF the Ladies' Union ke-
lief and others connected with that organisa
ton. Col John Hay presided, and made tho following
address
ADDRESS OF COL JOHN HAY.
Is altogether fitting that work OF decorating tho
graves OF those who shed their blood In the holy cause OF
freedom and nationality should begin at the foot Of this
victim of the war. not suffered TO fall in tho
stru ege-od delayed death to the hour Of victory
the unity Of the nation was saved and the cedoa
our blindness that he could not have lived 70 enjoy the
result OF his bcnecent work forgetting the higher ant
Heaven and righteous fame arc the only adequate re-
wards for work such rs his
His memory Is one of those which are safe az long an
our nation lasts, because has been given into ie keep
Ing Of the poor DO not SS forget hs e nGsSs 9ac y S
those cultivated and refined people who appreciated ma
genius and reyerenced his goodness BUT w.s anonS
to him their representative In the high places OF earh
asng Of their and yet Il
among them that he Is best remembered and most
S MSsy that this or that King las died and
world In tears do not know that this can be said with
Literal ar a, OF a o SSS the world
friend Of mine found peasant family In the Hart ia
on1I oyep Europe Hs the people regarded
him as a sort Of dcmigod. myth OF ideal Democraey
him 9o Of real ~ Practical Il should not be oonacd
to speeches and noal decorations would be careless
Of the best teachings OF his life did rot remainder
those solemn and touching words with which he ended Of.
last address to the people spoken ont OF tue shadow Oh
velaped hun With those words which can never
hackneyed by repetition which came rom inc mnd OF
tns wss ias see ,o%a nome, with charity Or
he closed his part earth and lei to MS IA. legacy OK
lis name upon our lips II dclci them with reyilinss
OF our defeated enemies IL Is he good fortune Of tho
brave To DC NctOiiouss IL 6u'oe Pi'NeS
maarlanimous. We have read In the journals OF THIS
morning the cheering tidings that on Saturday the sol
oilers where recognized st rs was their right that
the time has como for the reign OK goodwill Zen
years have passed since tho bug1es sounded recall sn
the great army melted back into the greater body VI c-
sens Ten times the graves OF tho dead On either sdo
have been shrouded In tho impartial snows OF Winter
and touched INFO beauty by the dcwy nngcre 81 snc
Spring Veterans 0f the Army OF the RcpubicI tou ~
nst know and feel that Is time that eyery veeuge on
same graves whore sleep opposing brave who fought
aud fc In the lost and the winning cause neavy guy
the wealths Of the world BY virtue q our cum
pletcd centennial Of freedom. The treasure 81 eunso
seepIng IA that which Pcrcvl aud his knights gave u
the Holy Grail In this oicc We cannot refuse tns ~