Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-09-19
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette.
WASHINGTON, Sent. ~.

! Avenue is crowded from one emu 10 the
other with people Of both sexes, and all
AGES. colors. sizes and conditions. the
most of whom wore the uniform or the
G. A. K. Indeed there are so many OF
the latter that there is no longer any
wonder that the records OF the war Oh
fee contain the names ofover three mil
lions of men who were enlisted i'll the
federal army during the war. With
few exceptions all the houses on the
avenue are decorated with the Amer
lean flag and various other displays OF
the American colors. This morning all
the L. :. array here, white and black,
comprising cavalry, infantry and artli-
lcry. and all the naval forces, and all
the District militia, part of whom also
are negroes. and 4 bicycle company
with muskets strapped to their backs,
and company OF white females. armed
and well drilled, accompanied by
various bands OF music, formed cast
of the Capitol and marched in process
sion UP the avenue to the White Lot,
which was dedicated as Grand Army
Place. The sidewalks were damned
during the parade, which was really Il
very handsome and attractive one. III
the grounds General Palmer, chief oil
the organization. explained the reason
of re Presidents absence ana nitro
du,ed Wee President Morton who wei
coined the visitors on the President S be-
half. All the public buildings in the
city and most OF the monuments are
profusely decorated. On the north
front OF The White House are displayed
the National Coat-of-Arms aud the
ssrea; seal in colors framed III the ma
tional coiors and surmounted by clus-
tcrs Of flags. At the apex Of the porte
cochere depend wide bands of tri-col-
orcd bunting, which is caught back at
either end, displaying the decorations
over and about the massive doors oithe
mansion. The pillars in front are
wound with flags and upon each one Is
hung a shield bearing Il corps badge.
These badges are also placed Mt inter
walls along the entire front o. the build
inc. Directly over the front door bangs
/. bronze Grand Army badgo about five
feet in length. Flags hang from the
windows round the entire building and
The efi6etis pleasingin the extreme. The
Wings ofthc State, War and Navy build
inc are almost completely covered with
flags and steamers Of bunting and pre-
sent very beautiful appearance. The
Treasury is more proiusely decorated
than any other building. Commander
in Chief Palmer and his staff, and IN
vited guests, will review the marching
veterans. A stand has been erected
in front OF the War Department and is
much larger than the one intended for
the yice-President. Notwithstanding
the number of G.. \. Il. men ON the
streets, thousands had gone TO Alex
andria, Manassas, Nlt. Vernon, Guam
tico and numerous other places on the
river, which places they were familiar
with during the war. The female
soldiers were pretty girls, said TO be
daughters of veterans. They were clad
in blue and white, short skirts and red
caps. They were called the Mary Lo-
can Cadets and came from Ohio. They
were in front of Harper's drug store
during one Of the procession halts, and
at the gallant invitation OF the proprie-
tor went in and took soda. Fac simile
copies of the New York Herald printed
the morning after the assassination OF
President Lincoln had a ready sale.
The Capitol building was thrown open
and was crowded with visitors. Posts
, were arriving all yesterday and through
the whole Of last night, and they
), are at two o'clock this evening still
coming in, the streets resounding with
the music Of bands cscorting item to
their quarters. The 9th Massachusetts
regiment, the regiment that was as
saulted in Baltimore on its way here In
1861, arrived yesterday evening, and
was considerably put out because no
arrangement had been made for its
reception, lis only escort to lis
camping ground being a score or so OF
negroes. There are a large number Of
negroes here wearing the G.. A. II. uni
form and G.. A. II. badges and medals,
but it is observable that the white mem
bers of the organization do not flock
w;til them. The crowd is mitch
larger than any that ever assembled
here at Presidential Inauguration. 1t
is said to-day that no less than lO,0U0
members of the G.. A. r. will appear in
The procession tomorrow. Chairman
Carter, of the national republican COM
mittce. has been invited here to consult
with many of the prominent republicans
who are here as members Of the G. A.
Il. So that politics as well as patriot
ism are to be promoted. General Pal
mer has received the following tcle-
gram from President Harrison:
Loon LAKE, \. y, Sept. Is.
Gen. John Palmer, COMMANDMENTS Chief
G. 4. H.: | had looked forward with
much interest to the great rehearsal in
Washington next Tuesday of the vic
tors march Of 1865 would have es-
teemed it one of the highest hon
ors of my public life TO have
welcomed to the national capital
and to have received in its his
torc avenue this representative assem-
bly, of the men who not only saved the
city from threatened obstruction, but
made it the worthy political capital OF
an unbroken union. 1t would also
have been one of the most favored and
tender incidents of my private life to
have taken these comrades again by
the hand, but all this has been denied
to me by the intervention of a sad and
Imperative duty, and l can only ask you
to give TO all my cordial greetings and
good wishes. Accept my sincere thanks
for your very kind and sympathetic
, message. BENJAMIN HARRISON.
When this toleurom was road ~ yat