The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-23
THE MARTHA WASHINGTON RECEPTION
Brilliant Charity Festival at
the Academy Of Music.
THE RUSSIAN GRAND DUKES PRESENT.
The Poughkeepsie Students Visit Concerts,
Balls ard Miscellaneous Celebrations


which are now entirely dsregardcd. Scarcely were the
Christmas holidays over until the national bunting
was everywhere displayed in honor OF General Jack
sons victory at New orleans, and when the 22d OF
February reached 1t was day OF general parade
and universal enthusiasm. Now the sth OF January
comes goes without attention from anybody, and
even the celebration OF Washngton's Birthday had
been allowed to fall into dcsuetudc This apparent
apathy is easily explained The events OF the late war
obiiteratcd the memory Of such anniversaries as the
battle of Buena Vista or Lundys Lane and TO some
extent bebted earlier victories. Taylor and Scott
and Jackson other heroes OF the Mexican war and
the wars with Great had been cclipsed in the
brlancy OF their military achievements. Then, too,
our Revolutionary struggle acquiring new si.ni.
canoe in view the approaching Centennial anu the
hundredth anniversary OF the episodes Of that
epoch, from Lexington and Concord to tho sur
render at Yorktown and the evacuation OF New YORK.
promised each to present unusual claims TO at
tcntion The rebellion had surieited us with military
sights sounds, and earlier events failed to recall
as before the glories Of the past recalling them,
brought them back TO MS with spendor which lett no
room Tor the ordinary celebrations AT Concord and
Lexington IN 1876 the celebrations had national sig
nihcance ana among the poets aad orators on those
occasions were James Russell Lowell, John Grecnleaf
Whittier, Ralph Waldo Emerson. Richard Henry Dana,
Jr. George William Curtis, and others Of scarcely less
note Then came the celebration Bunker Hill, and
with it notable revival OF the OF good feeling.
The famous NJ ecklcnburg Declaration oil Independence
also claimed general attention as preliminary to the
grander celebration OF the greater declaration through
the Centennial Exhibition. With the apathy IN
spred by long and exhaustive OWL war, and the pre-
occupation which resulted from the revival OF Revo-
lutionary memories, 1t Is wonderful that We should
ioregone something OF our old time ervor even
on Washington's Birthday or the Fourth OF July
wAsIISGroN's BIRTHDAY IN 1877.
But If the American people have lost something OF
their enthusiasm is plain from the latest observance
Of the natal day the Father OF his Country that his
,ouutrymen have suffered Their patriotism TO de-
cav Never before was Washington Birthday more
generally creditaby observed than yesterday
The mornings shone out bright and clear and the
balmy as all afternoon in autumn Quiet
reigned all the city, which early began to put on
holiday attire Bunting noaicd from all the public
buildings and displayed from many private houses.
In some streets there canopy OF Hays from
end to the other, and in the uptown thoroughiares
were seen many Instances of tasteful and even elab
crate decoration. Business was generally suspended
and the long line of heavy vehicles which crowd
Broadway from morning till night were banished Tor
the day. The stages had the pavement To themselves
ana the sidewalks were filled with pedestrians ben;
unon endowment The downtown streets wore sun
day Stiffness and even vesey street not cart could
be seen coming from or going to Washington Market
The restaurants where busy muttudes dine at midday
were deserted and the shop windows wore serious
aspect as fit not their Junction TO display the
wonders within to the passing crowds Occasionally
a cart or dray would lumber by, but this only made
Tho contrast with the stiffness around the more
marked.
THE HOLIDAY CITY.
astio I'M i'm
from Trinity BELLS which were runs at noon, seemed
I'm dispe tho clouds revealing riffs OF blue gray
The heavens above and allowing the sun To she'd his
grad rays on the earth below. The stores which had
ppcncd IN the morning closed for want OF custom,
II not out of for the day. aud as evening APP
proachcd the multudes in the streets Increased 10
such wonderful extent that everybody was surprised
at meeting everybody else. In the harbor the display
of bunting was universal, and everywhere among the
shipping vas the stars and.otripes The CITY
Hail was deliberately decorated but che city magnates
had disapp the usual crowds oil dlers GU he
steps ana The corridors had gone VIII the great men
The munc,pality Tie County Court House, too,
empty and both the Post ONCE and the custom House
closed after the morning hours. new spirit
had come over the people, ana as each wed with the
other TO make the agala festival surprise and
pleasure everywhere mingled. Explanations
of delight heard on every hand II
knew that wasnington's Birthday was legal
honday,n cried one. 'but scarcely expected II
TO pe so universally observed" "How gay the
me,ropols IS in It's subducd festivities ~ exclaimed
another. "WeIl declare" said "A blithe young mss,
''its awiully Joly-so many people out TOT an airing
And SO the crowds and went up and down Broa1-
way surgng round Union square. dividing without np-
pearing dimnish IN number at Twcnty-third street
and Fifth avenue and spreading through the uptown
streets like 50 many groups oil pleasure seekers III he
winding pathways OF a picnic grove. lew, compara-
lively speaking, sought their pleasure within doors,
but when tae theatres turned into the streets the
muttudes who chose the day To witness Mt Wailack 9
Young Rover to study ,ne peeu'ar,sles Of ou our
IN MIR Reynolds ''Amercan' at Booths, to laugh at
the eccenlrictes OF Major Gooseberry in Lemons, "
10 sympathizc with the "Danichens' at the unon
sou.rc or 10 part cipate in the ioes Of Nine. Angos
daughter ut the Eagle 1t seemed as II all New York
wns on the wing. Thus the DAY was passed and the
rocentlons banauets and festivities which had been
served Tor the evening carried the enJoymens OF this
holiday occasion into the night aud morning Nobody
seemed TO hav prepared especially Tor the celebration
of The day and vet every hand there were the
ev,debccs OF the hcarest celebration oil Washington
birthday which has been known in this city Tor many
' soMg rEcr LIARIIrEs OF THE DAY.
Notwithstanding the universally ana bcartlness oil
The celebration yesterday had features whch were
both unusual and remarkable. The display OF bunting
was in itself peculiarly, and was OWING perhaps tI
ra cxtent 10 the possession OF indefinite NUMBER
~ nacs LAID carefully by alter the recent Centennial
Eourth OF July Another peculiarly was In the char
ar,or of a part OF the multitude when yesterday
s...ao, Hroadway. Commingng with the elegantly
dresscd ladies' ana exquisite young men VINO prone
nadcd that thoroughiarc curing no u"y was Gus, "
~ ms great city. During a part OF the DAY lhese
,srsnns seemed to take possession OF the street "
~. 49,, thcv went their nnwasncd iaccs, unkeinp
anu uo o"d a,riy ana unsighty garments suggesting
wa,sr and south streets rather IMAM Droaaway
wafer ,s- All came from is one OF those mysteries
WITT '" s ynmnarcary says mo fellow can find out
ra, they out 10 force ana nS unn presence wa
universally remarked and commehueu upon
""''~'' SPECIAL OBSERVANCE
The special Of the Day We're manmo.a
ana, aPa ,,ns roceuttons py the Eleventh. regiment
est ASSOCIATION OF the Eighth regiment tn'
First Troop Westminster Grsys the annual d"
ordcr o. ,nsar, Clnb aud banques by the Ola Guar'
nad ae 1872 Tee were rac "Sa
pres enia'ion ,,s morning the city VIII wake up WIZ
iesyes a ,e carincss and completeness Q, yessGr
"s y o6sevancc In seesns TOR n 30 the soaol
celebration 80 % accepted H. that the settlement
% presdsnus question: howsyos and prospor
VA, ,,.rsons. Is an assurance o. Pea'' "'N