The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-18
President Hayes Formally Opens the
Seventh Regiment Fair.
ADORNMENT OF THE ARMORY.
Worthy of the Imperial City and
the Imperial State"
SPEECHES. LONG AND SHORT.

grand inaugural fair was ''open" SO fair day and
30 fitting occasion could hardly pass without
parade Of New York's favorite regiment. and ac-
cordingly 1t formed tho old armory In the after
noon and marched to the music of its own famous
band to the Fifth Avenue Hotel. where President
Hayes was stopping. The mon were In full uni
form. with overcoats. As they marched up town
thoir perfect appearance added their reputation
and won them . succession of cheers. At ana
around the corner Of Fifth avenue and Twenty
third street . crowd had gathered, though
by no means great ono as new YORK
reckons crowds It was enough. however.
to keep CAPTAIN Williams. with large force
of his subordinates busy in maintaining the curb
stone Hhss. The people were perfectly orderly A
handsome barouche with four horses attached, stood
in waiting In front Of the hotel door in Twentythrd
street and the regiment turned down Twenty-third
toward Sixth and facing about returned
halt was then made. and the crowd looked eagerly
for tho President to out and enter the carriage
At three o'clock he did accompanied by Secretary
ofstate Evarts Mayor Cooper and Mr. George William
Curtis. A cheer greeted the President and he bowed
slightly in dignifed manner to the salute.
MARCHING UP THE AVENUE.
The line Of march was then taken up through Fifth
avenue to Sixty-sixth street. and thence to the
mory. Very few flags were displayed along the ave.
nue.. but many balconies and windows were crowded
waved their dainty kerchiefs. and there cheers
In many places. At the armory the President and
his party received by committee of the
officers. and after few minutes we're escorted to
the seats provided for them in the middle balcony
1T the west end of the enormous drill room. The
band. which had already entered another balcony.
played "Han Columbia" rs they entered and gazed
around the gorgeously decorated room. In the
middle balcony before tho President arrived
number Of invited guests were already seated.
Among them Messrs. Edwards Pierrepont.
Z. W. stoughton. Royal Phelps, Jordan L.
Mott. Robert L. Stuart. s. D. Babcock.
Thomas Hicks, William E. Dodge. Cyrus n. Luttrell.
jackson s. Schultz. Benjamin H. Field. Professor G.
H. Chandler General Merritt, General Shaler, Gen.
eral Graham and General Foster. After the band
had finished ''Han Columbia" somo enthusiastic
person called for cheers for the President, which
given, but not very heartily. The regiment al
most Immediately afterward marched in Dividing
by companies and turning to the right and left
ternately. they formed in line behind the crowd.
Counting the regiment, it was estimated that
i've thousand persons the floor, though it
difficult to calculate the numbers. the differ
en booths and stands occupied much Of the space
Presently Mayor Cooper arose ana called for ST.
lence, that DR.. Weston, the regimental chaplain,
might offer prayer. He prayed for the blessing Of
God to rest on the new enterprise Of the regiment
that its men should be loyal soldiers with hearts in
spred by truth courage and devotion. and that the
golden era of peace earth might be hastened.
MAYOR CooPER's SPEECH.
Mayor Cooper. then rose again and spoke briefly
His voice inaudible ut q little distance, and no
little quiet laughter provoked in the balcony by
fact that the singing OF dozen canary birds
in the middle of the vast hall drowned the speakers
voice in the ears Of those twenty feet from him. He
said
CITIZEN SOLDIERS OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT
LADIES GENrLEMEN-New Workers justly
proud OF the gallant Seventh. They take personal
interest in the regiment and its members. When
you are with us at home we praise your military
n,ents. When you away from always
that in any place and in every emergency the
the Keeping Of the Gentlemen en- Of the SEVENTH
Proud we are of the Seventh and its sis
ter regiments. we . cherish toward toward you and
gratitude for services in those hard seasons when
the rule of law and order endangered by passion
aud unreasonlng violence, and only express the
common sentiment of your neighbours and fellow
citizens when say that the fidelity and tho magni-
tude OF those services will never be forgotten by
aud that your neighbors and fellow citizens-the
people Of this city-will ever remember gratefully
that regiment which not only responded to every
legitimate call upon it, but furnished to other COM
nands In the armies of the United States COG COM
missioned officers. of whom So Tell in action. A
regiment which spared from its ranks a whole bat
alion OF skilled officers and still maintained it's
yanizaton in constant readiness for tho field;
regiment which had greater effect upon the results
Of the war than any regiment of professional SOL
diers. has proved anew III any proof were wanting)
the wisdom OF the trainers OF constitution, who
realized that well regulated militia is necessary to
the security of free state.
1t ia significant of estimation of and esteem
Tor you that there stands in the great pleasure
garden OF the city . memorial erected to tho
bership Of this regiment-a memorial conceived as
you recollect, in the very instance OF war;
but not fashioned after the conventional type Of that
profession but cmbodyng rather the principle of
your organization representing not the professional
soldier but che citizen in the years of his early
hood. temporarily withdrawn from his home and
his avocations to face momentous public ext
gency. to enforce the rule of law. On the recent
annual inspection OF the militia of this city
the Governor Of tho State found the disci-
piine of tho First division worthy OF
praise that he held it up . standard aud cx-
pressed the hope other branches tho pub
lie service might be made to equal 1t; and still
in-Chief OF tho armies tho United States is here
to-day to take part in these ceremonies. That you
may have every facility and convenience for insruc-
ton aud advancement this municipality and its citi-
Gems have hbcraly contributed to the erection OF
this armory. VIC hope and believe that the oppor-
tuntics now placed within your reach will be fully
utilized and that tho regiment will continue In tho
nrst rank Of well regulated militia II my agree.
accomplished orator who has been selected to in
augurate this festival, Mr.. George William Curtis.
GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS ADDRESS.
Mr.. Curtis greeted with hearty cheers whom
he arose and began his speech. Ho said:-
This brilliant presence and the splendid spectacle
OF to-days parade recall another SCENE Through
the proud music OF pealing bugles and beating
drums that Allied tho mir we came hither heard
other drums and other bugles marking another
march Under waving canopy of the red. white
and blue. through "a tempest OF cheers two miles
long, AZ Theodore Winthrop said, amid fervcnt
prayers. swelling hopes and passionate farewclls,
the Seventh regiment marched down Broadway ON
the 10Th of April, eighteen years ago When you
marched New York went to the war. Its patriotism
Its loyalty. its unquailing heart it's imperial will
moved In your gli.tering ranks. As you went you
carried the flag OF national union. but when YOU and
your comrades OF the army and navy return od tho
Stars and Stripes shone not only with tho
OF nation but with the glory of It's universal lib
erty.
These traditions that will be long cherished in
this noble hall. In great and sudden emergencies
the State militia Is the nucleus and tho OF
tho volunteer army. Properly organzodt furnishes
the trained Skill tho military habit and knowledge.
without which patriotic zeal is but wind blowing
upon the sails of ship without rudder. No public
money is more economically spent, private aid IL
more worthily given, than that for supporting tho
militia amply, generously and in the highest dis
ciplinc. Other countries maintain enormous armies
BY enormous taxation. The citizen suffers that tho
soldier may live. Our kinder fate enables US at In
significant cost to provide In the National Guard not