National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-02-26
THAT OLD OBELISK.
ALL ABOUT THE STRANGE NEEDLE.
IT'S 0ffeia1 Reception On the I'D Instant-Deserip-
ton Of thu Meaument-Esarts and Grace
Speak-The Inscriptions On the
8belisE0thef Matters.
sOectd coycsvpo.,teucs Of me RspuRcan,

! Special Correspondence Of Tie Republican.
NEW YORK, Feb. 22-NeW York Off
eialy received the obelsk to- day, and on that ae
count is, or ought to be, happy. Who that looked
! upon the thousands of eager people pressing
! toward the Metropolitan Museum Of Art IN the
Central Park this afternoon could doubt their fe-
licity? If Commander Gorringe had brought q
/ ton or two of the Traditional Nile mud, in order
that the nonolith might retain some of its natural
surroundings, it would not have produced a
greater state of sickness than a day or two of
bright sunshine on the frosted walks and grounds
of the park. The city authorities received the gift
comfortably seated in the large hall of pretty
museum, surrounded by glass eases containing
General De Chesnola'S Cyprian collection. The
ohelisk stayed cut OF doors and aroused thoughts
in the minds of people who could not get within
the sound of the Hon Mr.. Kvarts voice to let him
do their rejecting for them. Anybody can see how
tall and large the middle is The head of Broad
way policeman scarcely reaches to the top OF the
foundation stone.
IF THIS WAS HER NEEDLE,
what a mighty queen Cleopatra must have been.
She must have welded a thimble like the Rock of
Gibraltar. If such needle had an eye, a camel
could go through Gseasy cal could go through
a barn door, But for real execution in stitching
coats and sewing up dresses give us the whip Of
needle attached to a modern sewing machine and
the little sinners at six cents paper for mendinS
boys pants. Hon. William VI. Eyarts, in behalf of
the United States, preSentingthe obelisk. and Hon.
William R. Grace, in behalf of the city of New
York. receiving it, took less practical view of the
subject: but only about a third of the great au
dieHce could hear what they said it did not greatly
matter. A hundred and two medals were pre-
sented. Algernon s. Sullivan making the presenta-
ton speech, which rang out in such loud, clear
tones that no word of it was lost in the hall. Two
medals, the first impressions from the die, were
one for Mr.. Vanderbilt, the financial donor, and
one for the skillful and interchangeable engineer,
Lieutenant Commander H. II. Gorringe, L. 5. n.
A hundred were for the boys from the public
schools.
THESE REPRESENTATIVES,
one from each $40 boys attending the schools,
were selected upon their record of scholarship and
general department. Mr.. Sullivan eloquently vel
coined the boys as participants of the ceremonies,
and said: " We wish you to grow up with the feel
ing that the monuments, the museums, the schools,
the libraries the statues the public institutions,
the churches, the parks and all the agencies that
look to the Improvement and the refinement and
health of the people, to the honor and virtue and
morals of the city to its public spirit and its civic
pride, to its good repute and its magnifcenee,
trust which you are soon toassIlme. They are now
to influence and educate you, and we beg you to
cherish them continuously But would. like to
ask where were the girls? Was there not one good
little girl in our public schools to represent her
sisters? Are not the girls to grow up under the
shadow of this mighty obelisk well as the boys,
and when they grow up, to be property holders?
But will not bring up
THIS OLD BONE OF CONTENTION,
taxation without representation, but when there
ho lin, nf jois
was little hard that the boys should get all 1t
is the old story if there is any credit to be gained
from anything, even needle, my lord asserts that
it belongs and always has belonged to him. There
are, however, a few people unwilling to take
everything for granted. Mrs. Gage is one of them.
Looking after the rights of ancient as well as
modern women she claims that we'll authenti-
Gated history narrates that this needle was built
by the good and piOus Queen Ho-ta- su, and that
her son, Thotomes I'LL, flially added the inserip
ton, using his own name. Think of the young
husband of the Baroness Burdett- Coutts going
down to history enshrined in the odor of all her
charitable works! But if you are not to believe
an obeliSk, what sort of monument is to be
trusted?
1 have before me now photograph of work of
art of very different character-a bust of the first
Napoleon, executed by Giuseppe Ceracchi, an
Italian artist, a pupil of Canova. The original is
in the possession of Mr.. Henry I. Gillig, general
manager of the American Exchange in Europe,
and through his courtesy his many friends in New
York have recently had an opportunity of exam
lining it at his parlors at the Fifth Avenue Hotel.
1t has attracted much attention among artists and
eonnoiSseus for its intrinsic artistic merit and is
subject of interest to all from its peculiar historic
associations In the year 1900 plot TO aSSassinate
Napoleon l. was conceived by number of
JacObins chiefly Italians. Arena, a Corsican,
brother of the deputy who was said to have aimed
a dagger at Napoleon in the Council of Five Hun
dred, was at the head of the conspiracy. With
him were Ceracchi and Diana, two Italian refu-
gees, painter named Possino- Lebrun, and two or
three enthusiasts of low condition. Sir Walter
Scott in his Life Of Napoleon, narrates the story
in the following way: Giuseppe Ceracchi was
born in Rome in 1760. He was sculptor, had been
pupil of Canova, and had modelled
THE BUST OF NAPOLEON.
When he entered into the plot he endeavored to
gain another sitting, under the pretense of making
an essential Improvement in the bust. Fortu-
nately at that time the Consul had not single
moments leisure, and, thinking that want was the
real of the urgent solicitations of the sculp
tor he sent him six thousand francs" 1t is strange
that portrait bust which conveys to the student
the best possibilities of the subject, should have
been chosen for such an Office. General Grant is
one of the warm admirers of the marble and has
had it in his parlor at the Fifth Avenue Hotel for
several days.
Last evening Mr.. Thomas Hicks, president of
the New York Art League, gave an admirable adj
dress, which cOmmemOrated an artistic canal trip
oflaSt summer
The musical societies under Doctor Domroseh's
direction are doing excellent work. There have
been already two or three grand rehearsals, and
there is to be concert on Saturday evening. All of
this is in preparation ofthe May festival when there
is to be more harmonious numbers counting
noses than has ever been heard in this country
Julie Rosewald. of the Abbott company, takes
prominent part in the oratorio which occurs here
on the 9th instant, thus giving another proof of
her great versatility and thorough musical culture
Her opera repertoire is larger than that of any
other artist now singing in America, and her
musical memory is something phenomenal She
is withal a very pretty little woman, as you have
had an opportunity of knowing from hearing her
this week in Washington. DRIFT.
DELAWARE DEMONS.
Exposure Of the Cruel Treatment to Which
Farmers Subject Their Round Boys.
Cruel treatment, hunger, and exposure