, 1876-06-17
CDRREH?O.NDE1C{,.
n~niu.toH Grv: :"rs'"n'i"m"".

i"r 'op,'o' Tin, BY a singular coinri.
dcaoa It was Good Friday, and the c&-
nr' anniversary Of President hinc0man'.
-0s,ination, eleven years ag7 The day
WAS therefore chosen ~ :hc m1nggcr1 Of
the Monument rdn,;, o-a suitable time
for the unyciliNg OF the bronze group By
Bail, whi,h ha7 hccn p1Id fer hy conti.
bat,on' 'fom The coicrcd people alone
Congress, besides furnishing the ped.
csnl, made the day n holiday, and all the
Departments were closed,
Rain fell in the morning, and many re-
grets were expressed that the weather
should not be favorable for the expected
procession. and subsequent ceremonial ut
Lincoln Park hut it prnvcl TO he not
much more than an April shower or two,
and all went oil very successfully.
IA early as 10 o'clock, the procession
began to f rm on X street. ltpNsscd in
review at the White House, and thence
by Pennsylvania avenue to the Park,
which is one mile directly east Of the
Capitol.
In this Park or square, it was proposed
hy the original designers otthe cmbclish-
mcnts OF the city--WashingtOn, Jclrr-
son and Othcrs,--t erect Historic Col
umn which WAS also to serve aS mile
or itinerary column, from which should
be calculated distunccs--a sort Of hub,
with spokcs of distance radioting in
every direction and which would have
extended in some directions, certainly,
far beyond their rcmotcst imagnings.
Whatever may be the disregard hith-
erto of these plans and suggestions OF the
founders of our Republic, no single his
tOriCal event in this, its first century, is
better worth cOmmcmoratiOn than the
emancipation OF racc;-an event, the
need of which, with all the sorrow, and
suffering, and strife, and blood, and hor-
ror hich prccedo and accomplish it,
might and would have been saved. could
the wise men of that day have discerned
in the cloud no bigger than mans
hand. the heavy pail which was to dark
cn all the and, and rain upon us blood
and tears.
Thousands Of people, white and black,
made Capital Hill their rallying point, a
large proportion Of them arriving in ad-
vance Of tho procession, by awaiting them
selves of the street cars and shorter
routes.
The procession itself was formed en-
tircly of cOlorel men different benovo-
lent, political and masonic organizations,
with music { Il half dozen COlored bands)
rCgalia, gay banners, and national colors.
About . l2 o'clock the procession
filed into the Park, where the concourse
OF people awaited them, among whom
were the President and Cabinet, q num-
Der of judges OF the Supreme court,
members OF the diplomatic corps, scnat-
ors, representatives &c.
One would like we'll TO know with
what feelings the exConfedcrates, if any
we're present, which am inclined to
doubt, could look upon such scene, and
remember how impossible it would he,
had they been vctors in the strife. But
can there exist in the hearts of educated
human creatures any doubt that these
have right not merely to life, but to
liberty and the pursuit Of happiness
Must not such conviction now force it.
self home to the very heart of hearts in
even the bitterest and narrowcst Of all
those who would have held them in
bondagel
Prof. Langston, the colorcd member OF
the Board Of health, presided over the
exercises, which consisted Of music,
prayer, reading of the Emancipation
Proclamation, and historical statement.
To him also had been assigned the honor
of unwilling the monument, but he very
gracefully and appropriately invited the
President to perform the duty.
The proposals was received with ap'
plause by the spectators, and the action
Of the President awakened the greatest
enthusiasm, while the band played Hail
to the Chief.
A very meIitorirus poem, written by n