The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-15
THE LINCOLN STATUE.
THO Freedmon's Tribute to tho Memory Of
the nIartyred Presideut,

WASHINGTON, April 14.-The colored peo-
pie Of the District Of Columbia to-day unveiled
the new Lincoln statue at Lincoln Park. The
ceremonies Included O procession, the reading
Of the emancipation proclamation, and an ora
tion by the Hon. Fred. Douglass. The first con-
tributlon to the statue fund was made on the
morning after the assassination OF President
Lincoln, by Charlotte Scott, coosed woman Of
Marietta, Ohio. who gave t5. The original cost
Of the monument, $1,000, and other Incidental
expenses have all been paid by subscriptions by
the colored people. The last Congress appropri-
ated 5000 for the pedestal, and the statue was
allowed to pass the Custom House free Of duty.
The statue, which is OF bronze, Is OF colossal
size, being twelve feet high, resting upon
pedestal ten feet high. 1t represents Mr.. Lin
coin standing erect with the proclamation OF
emancipation in his left hand, while the right
hand Is outstretched over tho Kneellng nRufe OF
a slave from whose limbs the shackles have Just
been freed. On the base OF the monument is
the word Emancipation
The procession To the park was large includ-
OF st. Augustine, the Sons OF Purity, the Sons
OF Levi, Good Samartans, Labor League, and
other uniformed benevolent tssociatiOns, ac-
companied by music An immense assemblage
had gathered In tue park before the procession
ON the speakers'. stand were the President.
members Of the Cabinet, Justices OF the Su-
irene Court, Foreign Ministers, senators ana
Representatives, and other persons OF promi
nence. After music by the Marine Band, " Hail
| Columbia" PRAYER, aud the reading OF the
| Emancip patton Proclamation, Prof. l,angston
| formally accepted the statue In behalf OF the
| entire nation. and then called upon President
! Grant to unyeil II. A prolonged applause greet
| ell the words OF the speaker, and increased
| when the President stepped to the front and
| grasped the rope that WAS attached to the lag
! yelling the statue. The President gave one firm
! pull aud the starry banner glided down, aud
! amid the deafening cheer Of the multitude, the
! playing OF music, and the booming OF cannon,
! the beautiful monument stood unveiled. a
| poem was read composed bV Miss CorneliA Ray,
| colored, OF New York. Frederick Douglass was
| then Introduced, amid applause, and delivered
| the Grafton, in the course OF which lie said
Lincolne great mission to accomplish two things
Firs to save his country from ulsmemberment Ahi
secoud, free his country from the great crime Of sa
very To do the other. or bOth, he must have
| loyal fellow countrymen. Without MS, hs efforts
must have been vain anu utterly frmtes, Had ne put
the abolition of slavery before the salvation OF the
| Union, he would have Inevitably driven from
him powerful class Of the American people, aud ren
dcrcd resistance to rebellion impossible. Viewed from
day cold, dull and ndiferenti but measuring him b,
the VI his c0uutrya sentiment lie was oOund
as statesman to cOi.ult-hc Nas swilt Jealous rAli
cal. and determined. Though Mr.. lincOn shared th'
prcudiccs OF his white fellow cOunuymcn against th'
Iesru, Il hardly necessary to that 10 tis heart
hearts he loatned and hated slavery. He was Wilni
while the South oys that II should have IA poun'
bond but further than tuis no earthly power coul'
nj