The Evening critic., 1883-06-01
a BRILLIANT SCENE
At the New York Academy of Music
ON the Occasion Of the Memorial
Services.

At the New York Academy of Music
ON the Occasion Of the Memorial
Services.
The New York World Of yesterday gives
the following account Of the brilliant scene
at the New York Academy Of Music, on the
occasion of the memorial services
brilliant congregation assembled at the
Academy OF Music last night In accordance
with the desires Of the Grand Army Of tho Re-
public.
The decorations were superb, and the stage
set etrepresented camp scene.
When the United States Army Band broke
out with "Hail to the Chief" the building was
crowded from stage to gallery doors and hum
dreds OF ladies were present.
Seated on the platform were President
son, General Henry 4. Barnum, Admiral
Cooper, Henry Bergh, Lloyd Aspinwall. John
u. Haskin, John R. Lydecker, General Gesrge
Shook, Joseph W. Collier, ex-sheriff Reilly,
William H. Bellamy, Captain Brackett JohnI.
Davenport ex-senator Murphy and others.
After few felicitous remarks from Chair
man Barnum happy time followed. 1t was
noticed that whenever the name of General
Grant was mentioned 1t was greeted with
cheers.
Rey. Henry Ward Beecher prayed long and
fervently for prosperity, peace and happiness,
and then Mayor Edison spoke.
He said that while Decoration day was usu-
ally considered day OF mourning, and while
II must, perforce, bring unpleasant memories,
the very weeping and mourning were cement.
Ing closer the ties that bound North and
| South. Mourning was fast giving way to hap
| pipess and sorrow to 10y. There was now no
moving forward into bond OF friendship that
could never be severed, and he thanked God
for 1t. Each recurrence OF the anniversary
| showed that, instead of increasing IN animos-
ity, those who had fought against each other
| In the late war-the Blue and the Gray-had
| proved that the country vas one and insepara.
| In mi n nj
gone to the aid OF tho impoverished South,
| and happy future was assured.
General George A. Sheridan's Re.
| marks.
General George A. Sheridan was the orator
| of the occasion. He made thrilling speech,
which was frequently Interrupted by ap-
| Joined. He said in effect, that although twenty
| years had elapsed since the close of the war,
| the graves they had Just decorated were sa-
| cred and eloquent, bidding those that are left
behind to be ever ready to do and die for
the preservation OF the Constitution and the
country. He gave vivid description OF the
battle scene, when the North and South first
met in the shock of war. Fathers, mothers,
sisters and children beating their hands In
agony, awaiting the news, while those they
| loved lay bleeding and dying on the field of
battle. So vivid was the description that at Its
| close several minutes elapsed before the
speaker was permitted to proceed, so great
General Sheridan described the progress OF
the United States from Its babyhood to the
| present time, anu salu tndt tuo WOrlu was
watching the great ane glorious Union of
States. Acentury ago we were 100000, now
we are 5OOOO,00O. Years ago we bought
grain is cut and reaped by Yankee reapers.
American watches tick in their pockets, and
they look to us for everything they eat and
Cheers greeted the remark that although
our fathers had written the Constitution, their
sons had rewritten 1T with the bayonet and
| the sword, and In addition had broken the
| shackles OF three millions of people. All honor
to those who had died In the great and good
cause, which had taught every nation through
that they had quarreled, they had again
shaken hands and were now inseparable and
Turning his attention to the great good the
war had done, the speaker said that the three
great things which had been guaranteed e
Immortality were free thought, free speech
and free press, blessings whose worth coult
not be estimated In gold or silver.
He then pictured vision and asked his
| hearers to watch the dead heroes as the,
passed by: Ellsworth, Lyon, Baker, Farragut
Lander, Thomas, Anderson, Custer, Scott
, Wool, Mead, Heintzleman and Kearney, witt
J sleeve pinned 10 his shoulder; Anderson
| Thomas Francis Meagher, the exile; James
Mcpherson, the hero OF heroes; Mitchell, thu
Abraham % m % Lincoln and s James lam a. GARFIELD, @ al
shining lights in the war and names ever 3
be remembered. The memory OF such mel
! | never could perish nor fall to flush the fac
and quicken the pulse of every patriotic Amer
lean.
In conclusion he said: while we have
country 10 love, while peace, prosperity am
| plenty crown US, we will not forget our dead
, who died that we might enjoy these bless
ipgs. And IL ever the people OF this Natioi
grow faint OF heart, they will visit the grave
upon which we have strewn flowers to-day an
{. find in their presence an inspiration that shal
, rouse them to deeds In their country's behal
. heroic as those wrought by the dead soldier
i, sleeping around them"
: Emma Abbott, dazzling In diamonds, san
: "Auld Lang Syne," and, In answer to an er
9 | core, "Columbia, the Gem OF the Ocean," s
? | enthusiastic did the lady become in the closin
3 notes OF the last patriotic air that In swingin
z her arm in the tsThree Cheers for the Rec
i White and Blue" she almost lost her footing
: She recovered herself and left the stage ami
a a perfect torrent of cheers. She was again ~
called and sang ''The Last Rose of Sun
mer," holding a rose In her clasped hand
and then picked petal from petal as she sant
"The Charge OF the Light Brigade" was r
" cited by Charles Roberts, jr., and then Rev
. lutionary recollection by Bret Harte, both
= which were applanded.
;, The sprightly Emma Abbott and IA
n | Formes sang the "Deughter of the Regiment
n and then, after grand finale by the band, a
, | was over.
j As Miss Abbott and Karl Formes left u
o stage, President Arthur followed. Mr. Beech,
v had gone ten minutes before.