The daily gazette., 1876-07-06
Grants Absence from the Cenfe.a.
ntat on the Fourth.
The ChurIisha ess OF the sennt.
CHEERING THE DECLARATION

CHHHRlNG THE DECLARATION
From the N. Y World Correspondent.
Between the parade and these exer,
cises it was hoped that joint meeting
of the two Houses of Congress might
be held In the hall of the old Con-
tinental Congress, but the failure of
the Senate to act upon a resolution
passed by the House of Representatives
made this impossible. Whatever the
alledged reason may have been for
this course on the part of the Senate,
1t has long been an open secret and ad.
mltted in the conversations of the Re-
publican members of the Senate that
the real reason lay in the fear that
party capital might be made out of q
united meeting of a loyal Congress in
this hall. AS result, Congress was
nowhere represented to day. Many of
its members were present, but they sat
scattered about the platform, and the
day passed with no action which faint
ly commemorated the day.
The absence, or the negative pre-
sence. of the General Government was
equally noticeable. President Grant
was not present, and the president
officer of the day was the acting Vice
President, Senator Ferry, from Michi-
gan. Other members of the CABINET
were present, but Secretary Cameron
made himself most prominent, though
in that branch of the general service
better and more prominent representa-
tives were at hand and were presentin
Generals Sherman, Sheridan, Hancock
and Hooker
CHEERING THE DECLARATION.
In Independence Square, ON Tuesday.
after the opening addresses by Gen
Hawley and Vice President Ferry. and
the prayer by Bishop White. Oliver
Wendell Holiness hymn of welcome
to all nations was sung. Then Richard
Henry Lee, of Virginia, grandson of
hlm OF that name who signed the i'm
mortal document, read the Declaration
of Independence. The telegrame to
the New York Times says:
AT the name of Lee thunders of an
plause burst from the multitude. and
they were renewed as Mr.. Lee, SPARE
sun Drowned man. with an intellectu-
al lace, and modest, almost retiring
bearing, stepped upon the rostrum.
when silence was restored Mr.. Ferry
added: "And he will read it from the
original document, which has been
placed BY the Government in the Gus
tcdy of Mayor Stokley. of this city, for
this OCCASION" Before cheers could
break forth Mayor Stokley stepped
upon the rostrum, and placed the i'm
mortal document, incased in its plain
mahogany frame, before the immense
audience before the stand, and then
came scene which cad hardly be
described. There were roars of ap-
plause such as had not been heard be.
lore; hats were swung and tossed in
air. All on the platform were on
their feet joining in the delirium.
When the promiscuous cheering over
what ON the surface appeared to be
only faded parchment and a tawdry
frame had somewhat subsidized. some
one-l think Gen. Hawley-called for
nine cheers for the Declaration. In
stantly the enthusiasm broke forth
again. Every class of human life was
infected. Sages, soldiers, statesmen
divines, all joined in homage to this
assertion of the rights of man, for none
swung his hat more Justify or shouted
more vigorously than his Majesty,
Dom Pedro III. Not far behind him
were Sherman and Sheridan, Hayes
and Evarts, and hundreds of Others of
equal eminence, and on the rostrum
stood Ferry and Hawley leading this
tribute TO the great act done by great
men. When at last this scene was
over and it was one never to be for
gotteu-Mr. Lee proceeded to read the
Declaration.