, 1876-06-17

most man OF VI, race. hltucIrk DOnglaSs,
wa, introduced -, ttc orator of the day.
HI address was wonderfully fine.
Not an orator, statesman or writer in
;he la9' or in tine world, could have
i'ruirhcl ore better suited to 'hc occn,
'an- animated by broader, hotter,
mere charitable spirit.
TT the statue, which il IN bronze, and
colossal in si@r, I have not time to
speak Mt length, One thought hns &C..
Cured tome concerning it, which is, that
( it is q pity the commission had not gwen
to Edmonia Lewis, even if Size had been
obliged to seek some aid in the design,
The first contribution OF - was made
hy poor colorcd woman of Ohio, nnm-
cd Charlotte Scott, on the morning after
the assassination the entire sum was
made mp by the cplorcd people and MS
E,lmona Lewis had already achieved
some fame, | do not quite understand
why the commission was not given to
hcr-which would have made the oh,r-
ing more entirely and perfectly their
own.
Music and hcnrjicton ended the cCre.
monies, and the crowd dispersed
Meantime, another crowd Of somewhat
smaller dimensions, but still large, WAS
gathering ut the east front Of the capitol,
in rcsponcc to call from the cvangcI.
lists, Hammond and Bcntly. 1t was II
sight to see. The capitol steps were
blocked with people, and they filed the
space in front well out towards the stat.
ne of Washington, which, with uplittcd
hand, seemed to he invoking II blessing
upon the multitude.
In the outskirts Of the crowd were car
riagCs containing members Ut Congress,
| Judges, clcrgymcn, ladies and gentlemen,
with business and express wagons, their
drivers, like the others, apparently Listen
ing attcntivey.
Mr. Hammond stood, with his singers
around him, at the left side Of the steps,
about half way up, just under the figure
of Columbus. There was strong wind
blowing, yet the voices Of the speakers
could, tor tie most part, he distinctly
heard.
The addresses were short and stirring,
and frequently interspcrscd with hymns
The singing was lead bya cornet, skill
fully played, and the effect of the clear,
soft notes, blended with the voices, wns
very sweet and beautiful. | mingled
with the crowd for time, upon the
broad high steps, but soon made my way
out to the pavement opposite, where |
watched the proceedings with much in
tercst, until the meeting seemed about to
close, and the people began slowly to
dlspcrsc.
In the evening also there was some
thing of a spectacle, quite unconnccted
however, with any Of the foregoing
scenes, at the chuRh Of the Ascension.
The announcement in the papers that the
Columbia Commandcry would be present
in body, naturally attracted good
many people, who very fikely would not
otherwise attended the ordinary Good
Friday evening service.
The house was well filed when the
knights entered, and two hy two walked
up the middle aisle, towards the forward
sccts reserved for them.
1t is customary for men to uncover
their heads when they enter church,
that it gave me slight shock, or feeling
of dspleasurc to see them even enter the
pews with their hats on; but they did
not sit down until all were in place, and
then apparently at given signal, the
hats, which bore upon the left side
scarlet and gold cross, and over the top
a long white feather, were lifted at the
same instant, and disappeared from sight.
TO have taken them off as they entered
would have interfered somewhat with
the beauty oithc scene, for the hats are
very picturesque, both in shape and
adornment, but it seemed TO me, that
more reverence for the house OF worship
would have been shown; both ends
might have been secured by lifting them
slightly, and holding them in position as
they advanced.
But after all il ia mere matter of
prejudice or custom, for women do not
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