The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-05-01
A NATIONS BIRTH.
HOW 1T WAS CELEBRATED IN
NEW YORK IN 1888.
A Magnificent Parade in Honor of
the Adoption of THE Federal
Constitution Followed by
Sumptuous Banquet.

On the 18th of September, 1888, when
the adoption of the Federal Constitution
was publicly announced, New York was
chosen as the seat of the general govern
nett. Her citizens were jubilant; no
higher honor could be paid them. When
the news arrived festivities of all kinds
followed; dinners, dances and parties
were the order of the day. Public bodies
and private individuals did all they pos
sibly could to mark their sense of the
honor done the city and to show the
qualification they felt.
A magnificent procession was organ
ized to celebrate the Federal Constitution
and money was lavishly spent upon the
memorable enterprise. The procession
was formed in the fields above the city.
Twas the Indian summer and the soft
rays of the sun fell upon the trappings
of silver and gold that marked the
glorious cortcge. A brilliant military
escort led the way. Then came Captain
Moore, who assumed the character and
ancient costume of Christopher Columbus,
surrounded by band of foresters with
glittering axes and the stalwart
foresters, in their attire of green,
commanded the admiration of the
multitude. Foremost among a
large number of farmers were Nicholas
Cruger, driving six OK team, and the
venerable John Watts, holding a plow,
and Baron Poelnitz, attending thresh-
ing machine. All the implements of
husbandry and gardening, emblems OF
peace and prosperity, were carried; the
horses were richly caprisoned and led by
boys in white uniforms.
The tailors made a great display in
numbers, uniforms and decorations. In
the procession of the bakers were boys In
beautiful dresses representing the several
States, with roses in their hands. Jour-
neymen we're clothed in appropriate uni
forms with the implement of the calling
and they carried loaf of bread which
was ten feet long and three feet wide, the
names of the several States being In
scribed on this substantial staff of life.
Then came the banners of the brewers
futtcring gayly in the balmy air. These
sons of Gambrinus paraded cars mounted
with hogsheads and tuns decorated with
festoons of hop vines intertwincd with
handfuls of barley. Seated upon the top
of tun was living representative OF
Bacchus-a beautiful eight-year-old boy
dressed in flesh colored silk, fitting
snuely to his limbs and thus disclosing
all the fine symmetrical proportions of
his body. In his hand he held a silver
goblet, pretending to quaff the "spicy
nut brown ale," and in his hand was a
garland of hops and barley ears.
Quite unique was the long procession
of coopers. Their emblem of the States
was thirteen boys, each thirteen years of
age, dressed in white, with green ribbons
at their ankles, keg under their left
arms and bough Of white oak in their
right hands. Upon an immensely large
car, drawn by horses, appropriately
adorned, the coopers were at work. They
had a broken cask representing the old
Confcderacy, the slaves of which all their
skill could not keep together. In despair
at the repeated notification which their
work experienced they all at once betook
themselves to the construction of an en-
tirely new piece of work. Their success
was complete, and a fine, tight, iron
bound keg arose from their hands, bear
ing the name of the new constitution.
The butchers also attracted much at
tention, for they had car on which was
a roasted OK of thousand pounds which
was given as sweet morsel to. the
hungry multitude at the close of the day.
The car of the Sons. of st. Crispin was
drawn by four milk white studs, beauti-
fully caparisoned. The tanners, curriers'
and peruke makers followed next IN
order, each with various banners and
significant emblcms.
The furriers were picturesque. Their
marshal was followed by an Indian in his
native costume and armor, as though
coming wild from the wilderness, laden
with raw furs for the market. A process
sion of iourneymcn furriers followed each
bearing some dressed or manufactured
article. These were succeeded by horse,
bearing two packs of furs and q huge
bear sitting upon each. The horse was
led by an Indian in beaver blanket and
black plumes waving upon his head. In
the rear came one of their principal men,
dressed in Il superb scarlet cap and plrmes
and smoking a tomahawk pipe. After
these in order marched the stoncmasons,
bricklaycrs, painters and glaciers, cabinet
and chair makers, musical instrument
makers and the upholsterers.
The decorations of the societies Wed
with each other in taste and variety, but
that of the upholsterers excelled. The
Federal chair of State was borne upon a
car supcrbly carpeted, and above which
was rich canopy, nineteen feet high,
overlaid with deep blue satin, hung with
fcstoons and fringcs and glittering in the
sun as with "barbaric pomp and gold. ="
It was in the height of Oriental splendor
and magnifccnce and fit for Persian
Emperor.
Twelve subdivisions OF various trades
succeeded, after which came the most
imposing part of the pageant. 1t was
the Federal ship Hamilton, a perfectly
constructed frigate of thirty-two guns,
twenty-sevcn feet keel, ten feet beam,
with galleries and everything complete
and in proportion, with hull and rigging:
She was manned by thirty sealnen and
marines, with officers, all in uniform, and
nonnn,nndnd hr the DISTINGUISHED revOlu