The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-10-20
The Congressional Commission and
Other Distinguished Guests Arrive
at Yorktown to Take Part
In the Celebration.
Visitors Greeted by Salutes from War
Yessels.-Speeches and Addresses
of Welcome.
The Condition of Ireland Getting
WOrse..English Troops.
Tammany and Irving Divide SpOils.

Congressional Commissioners Arrive at
Yorktown.
YORKTOWN, VA, October 1s.-The steamer
Excelsior, with the Yorktown congressional
commissioners on board, arrived this morn
ing, and received salutes from General
Hancock's company and war vessels in the
harbor. Shortly after the Dispatch and
Tallapoosa hove in sight and were also
saluted by the company and gunboats.
President Arthur left the Dispatch about
halfpast II o'clock, and proceeded to the
Lafayette hotel, where he was received by
the governor Of Virginia.
YORKTOWN, VA, October 1S.-The scene
on the river front to-day was inspiring
Men-of-war, passenger steamers, tugs and
pleasure craft were profusely decked with
flags and Streamers, saluteS were constantly
being fired in honor of the arriving digni-
taries and the air was filled with music by
numberless bands there, with the gay uni
forms of the templars and military, and the
gess great sF4Td e dpp of peop who ashered ee to
scene of great interest. At II o'clock
the governor and his staff, in Lafayette
hall, which was beautifully decorated, met
AMI welcomed the governors of other states
and other distinguished guests. General
Hancock called and paid his respects,
and an interchange of pleasant greetings
occupied the time until the arrival of
President Arthur and the French guests.
At 1:30 this afternoon, the Masonic process
sion, under the direction of ex-senator
Withers, as marshal, marched into the hall.
President Arthur, accompanied by Secreta-
ries Lincoln, Hunt and James, was escorted
to the stand amid the cheers of the crowd
The ceremonies then opened with prayer
by Rev. DR.. Nelson, grandson of Governor
Nelson, who commanded the Virginia
militia at Yorktown. lie thanked
God. for the one hundred years
of blessing vouchsafed this country; for
Washington, for our allies and tor our vic
tory. He prayed for peace among all ma
tions and fraternal concord among sections
of our country. At the conclusion of the
prayer the band played the "Star Spangled
Banner with artillery accompaniment.
Governor Halliday then delivered an ad
Virginia, chairman of the congressional
commission, made few appropriate re-
marks, concluding by saying that the col
umn to be erected was to commemorate not
only the victory of the colonies, but the
part taken in that victory by France. The
recognition and acknowledgment ofaid Civ
en- by France to this country was
the solemn duty left by the continental
congress to its successors and now after
the lapse of one hundred years the congress
of thirty-eight states and fifty millions of
people is fulfilling that duty. The corner
stone of the monument was then laid, with
Masonic ceremonies, under the direction
of the grand master of Virginia.
The gavel used was historical
one, made from the timber from Com
modore:P :Perrys flag ship, the Lawrence, and
was used on the--occG sions of laying the
corner stone of the monument at Mon
mouth New Jersey and of the Egyptian
obelisk in Central Park, New York. At
the conclusion of these ceremonies the
presidential party and the foreign guests
returned 10 the war vessels on the river. The
military continued to arrive until late in
the evening.