The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-06-15
LETTER.
WASHINGTON. d. c., June l. 1886.

tWAsHINGTON. ID. g., June l, 1886.
mentioned in my last letter from New
York that l was going that day to Co.
ney Island. did go, and am frank to
say that l formed no very high opinion
of this famous Sunday resort for the
people Of New Y ork and Brooklyn. IT.
beach is beautiful and some Of its
hotels are mammoth in proportion and
magniicentin appointments. Bnt thcr
are few things to attract one there. On
this day, which was 10y tie way, the
opening Of the season, there wcr'
thousands Of visitors present. Ricl.
people, poor people, men women II
children were there. The place is
nodern Babylon in wickedness. Sun
day as it was. every form Of amuse-
ment was IN full blast. Here was Il dis,
gushing concert Of tho lowest order in
full blast, there a more pretensiou>
theatrical performance engaged the poo.
pies attention. On all sides brass
bands, good, bad and Indifferent. were
playing. Men and boys were playing
billiards and pool. In n hall a dane
was in progress. And "on the dia-
mond" a game of base ball was being
played. The view Of the ocean from
the piazza of the Brighton was grand,
and this | enjoyed. But l was glad to
leave Coney Island after 4 very short
stay.
That night I went to hear Henry
Ward Beecher preach. Perhaps you
Willtthink this a fitting ending for n day
begun at Coney Island the thought
Occurred to me. I had before hearing
him, formed a very high opinion Of MIR.
Beecher's intellectual and oratorical
abilities. 1 confess l was disappointed
when ! heard him. He is evidently
growing weak, physically, and though l
c91fnot say that this even tho coupled
with his burden of years, has affected
his intellect, nevertheless his sermon
On this occasion was dull and ordinary.
His text was the from V verse, VI chap.
of the Fpistle to the Ephesians, which
according to the Revised Edition, which
Mr.. Beecher uses, reads thus "Ser-
wants be obedieut to them that accord
ing to the flesh, are your masters.
This gave him the opportunity to
touch upon mis- favorite theme, "Slav-
cry and its abolition.n but be said moth
ing offensive even to our Southern ears.
The music in this church is very fine,
the organ, it is said, being the largest in
the United States. There was no i'm
mense CROWD in the church, indeed
there we're . good many empty benches.
] think MI. Beecher has lost something
Of his poyer Of attracting large
crowds.
Monday. May 3lst. was 'Decoration
Day" in New York, and was observed
as a holiday, the greater number of the
places Of business being closed. The
inhabitants turned out into the streets
to enjoy the day. At Madison Square
where was erected the stand from
which tho President reviewed the pro-
,~cesslon-was a mass of closely packed
humanity. It was amazing how many
people we're crowded into that space.
And the streets, and venues radiating
there from were just as full. BY dint
OF squeezing and elbowing | got near
enough to the stand to take a good
square look at President Cleveland. 1t
is but candor to state that ! was not
profoundly impressed with his personal
appearance. He is very heavy and
awkward in his movements. His face
is fst and red and wears rather a surly.
expression. It was enough, however,
to try any mans good nature to under
go the ordeal he stood that day. He.
was to be married the next day, and
every paper and every tongue was busy
with the minutest details of his move
ments and those Of Miss Folsom.
We left New York at / O'Clock and
arrived here at 9 p. M. To-day we have
seen . good deal of Washington. Gen.
Grant when he returned from his tour
around the world, said Washington was
the most beautiful city in the world.
Certainly it is the most beautiful one |.
ever saw. Its wide and elegant aven-
ues and streets are laid in Asphalt and
make the finest possible drives. Whilst
the public buildings and parks, and the
elegant private places and grounds sur.