New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-05-31
THE DAY IN THE CITY.

dead. From dawn to sunset the sky was nearly cloud
less cool breeze tempered the rays OF the sum- ana
neither those who participated IN the ceremonies OF tho
day nor the multtudes who thronged the streets suf
fered much inconvenience from the heat The holiday
feeling seemed peryade the city more generally than
in former years; smaller number Of stores ana shops
open and the business parts OF the city seemed
deserted except for those who hurried through them 10
Join the throng OF sight-seers.
The decorations around Union and Madison Squares
were begun the evening before and from early hour
these points were the centres OF attraction Be-
fore o a. IN. the grand stands at these squares
were filed with gentlemen and ladies', ana inc
surrounding streets and paths we're crowded. Tho
points of meeting for the several regiments and other
organizations attracted large numbers Through
out the city flags hung at ha-mast from public
and private buildings, only along the line OF march
but streets at a distance The display OF bunting
the shipping along tho river fronts aud In the Bay
yesterday exceeded that OF last year. There was
scarcely vessel of any nationality that did not display
her national ensign at half-mast. The vesSes-of-war
Colorado and Minnesota displayed rainbows Of signal
flags stretched from stem to stern over the mashead
Long before the procession formed there were many
men, women and children who sought the cemeteries.
laden with flowers and evergreens. They crossed by all
tine Brooklyn ferries, and seen with their var-
cOlOred and fragrant burdens on all the lines OF street
cars leading to BURIAL places Of the dead
surrounding the city The procession formed ana
started with delay than has been usual heretofore
and the increased variety Of those composing 1t made
very attractive the thousands OF spectators who lined
the streets and filled the windows along It's line OK
march, Every regiment OF the First Division OF the Na-
tiopal Guard was in line Summer dress The marines
aud boys from the United States tranngshp Minnesota
attracted much attention, and the messenger boys OK
the District Telegraph Company were highly compl-
mented the excellence Of their drill but the greatest
enthusiasm manifested when the tattered battle
flags passed by borne by the veteran associations, IN
ha,I had
unstaned noticeable feature OF the parade. and one
which was fayorably commented on as presenting
striking contrast with those Of former years was
the entire OF all attempts to use 1t for advertise
ing purposes. The business wagons which were used
for carrying flowers were so draped with bunting or
with flowers that the trade inscriptions could not be
SEEM From morning until night in all the Observance
OF the day. nothing presented TO the public eye QUO
of harmony with the memories they were designed to
waken and perpetuate.
LINCoLNs STATUE.
The first exercises OF the day were held at Union
Square half past o'clock the members Of the LIN
coin Post No. 10, G. A. r., marched from their head
quarters at Fifth-ave and Fourteenthst to the statue
Of Lincoln ia Union Square. Above the heads OF the
members waved the tatered colors that were carried
almost from the beginning OF the war TO Its Close and
through many battles. large crowd gathered to listen
to the speaker, General John Cochrane. He saidi
COMRADES, Upon the apparently, OF an energetic
crisis in National affairs. come to the commemor.
ton of another crisis whose commissions we survive
As often these occasions recur their celebration never
fails our virtue repenish our ana
atty We the foot OF of the statue OF Lin
con-of him whose arm nightly marshalled the forces
the Union, and blended his name az the last with the
glories the Republic. Shall his efforts have been In
vain shall our sacrifices have been Tor naughtt lhe
shades slain thousands forbid IT, the thousands
who survive them forbid it, and yet other thousands
whose arms did not participate In hagrane
comes u in history, viii arise 10 assert in their
generation the results OF the war Tor the Union:
the past We hear OF terror and violence massacre ana
murder, upon Southern border. The extended agl'
taOn among the cOlOred population Of the south de-
determination 10 escape from personal Oppres-
sion. Let us nope that another year VIII see our
National honor ceansed, and tine humblest ctZen, or
any color, made secure III his every right Thls
is not pOlitics-itis National faith. IAppause
General Schuyler Hamilton was the only other
speaker "on Decoration Day last year, he said at
the foot OF Abraham Lincoln's statue defended the
practice OF decorating with flowers the graves OF the
rebel dead mparaly with those OF our dead comrades
Ny heart not in those words They were spoken in
At Of sentimental generosity aroused by mlsrepresen-
tatons OF prominent rebels beg apologize for those
remarks. | would now urge that no member OF Abra-
ham Lincoln Post lay o flower the grave
OF a rebel. They were traitors in 1861; they
are traitors All Winter long they have been
plotting treason in the halls of Congress- The same
hearts burn and the same arms can be welded as in
lS6l-and many of us live again 10 WELD them II neees-
sary- The base and pedestal OF the statue had been
Post.
WASHINGTON AND LAFAYETTE.
Washington's statue decorated even more pro-
fusely with vines wreaths and uncut flowers This
the work Of those employed at Washington Market.
Lafayettes attracted much attention from tho
grace and beauty Of the decorations that French ct
zens had placed about IT, The statue stood uBdera
canopy arching evergreens, while the base bright
with tasteully arranged blossoms of all hues The ex-
ercises at Lafayette's held at o'clock
under direction of the French Benevolent Society.
About $50 members OF the Lafayette Guard were pres
ent. Speeches were made in French and English.
Frederick Couder spoke enthusiastically Of the charac-
ter of Lafayette. Washington and Lincoln, he said,
examples OF great men. who did their whole Guty
to their country; but Lafayette did mOre-he sought
from a pure love OF liberty, to save a cOun-
try not his Professor +. Charler sad
" To-day we commemorate the memories or those VINO
shed their blood given their lives, for Their co-
try, We adOrn their statues and tomhs with flowers;
name them TO our children and bid them 70 follow
their example; wish them 10 be honest and pure as
Lafayette. n we poor and obscure We lead them
before Lncon's statue and tell them: You also, chill
dren can become In the hands OF Good tools for the
emancipation OF some oppressed race. Those three
represent well the three great social strata;
Lafayette, the Marquis the old nobility with ITS thou
sand qualities; Washington. the landowner. farmer,
serious. fastening slowly and surely Lincoln, the
worker came of the people, true representative Of
short address was made by Charles villa, editor
of the Courier deS Ets Unis The exercises at Wash
ngtoAs monument under tine direction OF the Washing.
Market Decorating Committee, we're held after the
long procession had passed. Brief speeches made
by Thomas +. Grady H. b. Perkins, T. {. l.. Eccesine.
Edward Hogan aud NJ +. HolahaII A poem reeited
by L. V. Welsh.
The base OF the Worth monument at Madison Square
ana the enclosure inside the railing elaboratey
decorated with flowers IN various forms by the Mexican
War Veterans under command OF Colonel c. J. Murphy
and by The Associated Veterans of tie Mexican War;
Wreaths OF eycrgreens and flowers placed each
corner OF the base, while under the four
panels we're crossed anchors IN eyergreens.
hv nf rel rms