Year: 1871

Insiitute-The Speeches and the Speak


ers-Exuberant Enthuaiasm-No


Disorder and an Immense Success.


There is but one opinion about the trades unions
display OF yesterday. 1t was the most respect
able and significant demonstration that New
York has witnessed since the close Of the war for
the Union. Carefully planned, and carried out with
the wonderful executive skill that so striKngy
distinguishes these associations as well here as in
Europe. 1t was an immense and imposing success,
In spite OF the cherries influence OF darKened sky
and drlzzling rain. Perhaps, indeed, fair weather
would have added but little TO the meaning OF
parade which, like this, depended for its meaning
more upon the numbers Of Its participants and the
preservation Of good order In its ranks than upon
gaudy lags and richly embroidered regalla.


AS might naturally be expected from men who
had cheeriully sacrificed days pay to show the
earnestness Of their demand for justice the
members OF the various societies mustered at
their several headquarters IN good season. 1t was
an instructive glimpse into the character OF Ameri.
can workmen to watch this gathering OF the clans,n
and to note how quietly and In what perfect order
the various organizations formed i'll line SO soon as
there was o quorum sufficient to cOnstltutea re.
spectacle nucleus. And then how patiently they
waited in the rain until the word was gwen for the
start Their demeanOr seemed, indeed that OF the
drilled soldier rather than that Of the peaceful citl
Zen Doubtless many had actually learned in an army
marshaled at the hour OF our cOuntry's drest need
the habits OF intelligent obedience which they thus
strkingly displayed. But IT is noteworthy th at
these men, who yesterday ung out to the breeze for
the first time on American soil the red flag of the
International, are admirably prepared for the
emergency Of disorders which, like good citizens
they trust 1t may never be found necessary to resort
TO for the redress OF their wrongs


For an hour or so on either side of
noon the streets every now and again echoed
to the tread of these gathering companies Of
the children Of toll as they moved forward, many Of
them headed by a band to the appointed trysing
place in Fourteenth street. So little had the demon
stration been advertised that most people had no
knowledge Of who they were or where they were
going 1t may be recorded, therefore, as deserved
compliment that their appearance was invariably
tavOraby commented upon.


'Trades union men r' said spectator to friend,
"That can't be; they're the fellows who wear long.
tailed coats, St. Patrick's Day hat and stick-up
collars. But these men, why, they look like gentle.
men-wel dressed, with civilized faces, and--yes.
they carry umbrellas, every man Jack OF them. No,
Bir; 1t must be q Masonic lodge bound for fune-
ral"


The streets round about the starting point became
crowded soon after noon The men took up stations
In compact bodies on most Of the blocks between
First ana Third avenues an0 Fourteenth aud
Eighteenth streets The most admirable order pre-
vailed. Mounted marshas Of the procession moved
slowly about, like the aide.Cn-camps Of general,
and gave the word for the position Of each arriving
organization. Once in its place each company kept
Et and waited events. On Second avenue the men
divided into two files and fringcd the sidewalk with
protecting cordons, SO as to keep the roadway clear
Tor the passage OF the procession On the other
streets, however, the men did not leave the ranks,
but waited patiently and silently until the welco
order to move should be given, chatting In UNDER
tones, and now and then looking with evident pride
at their banners Except on Third avenue there
but few spectators and even what there were did
not iraternize very freely with the paraders. About
half-past two the only disturbance that occurred
during the day broke out. 1t began at the corner
OF Seventeenth street and Third avenue From
some cause chat it was impossible to discover an
alteration took place between labOrer and
policeman After little talk the labOrer struck the
oficer On the head with cane aud was, OF Course,
Immediately arrested. Some OF his friends at
tempted 70 N rescue nm ana sue d0mS So
o little while with assistance, and there ensucd
a general melee. The fighting was quite despc-
rate for moment or two, and 1t seemed pos.
sible that the 0rlcers would have to draw their
revolvers. Several times the alarm was gwen to
get out OF the way, and the mob scattered with an
alacrlty that showed that the 18th of July Is
still well remembered. All through this affair
the men In the procession behaved, however,
admirably. One of them seemed inclined OF
interfere, but his associates took him IN charge and
persuaded him to remain quiet The disturbance
was simply an incident mat might nave happened
on the outskirts OF any crowd equally large, and it
reflects In no way upon the men who figured in the
parade.


About three O'Clock there was stir on Second
avenue and, after good deal OF Gathering over
the stones by the mounted aldes-de-camp everything
was reported to be III readiness, ana the Grand
Marshal issued the order 10 advance In couple
min hn Atom 10 lad nn or
and from that moment the procession steadily held
on without minutes delay. The men fell into
could not have executed the same movement in the
open field with greater success.


the best view OF the procession could be had on
Broadway, near the Fifth avenue 1t dled past with


celerity singuarly unlike the iunerea pace OF st.
measure for the absence OF gaudy dresses and en-.
signs, and lent 1t an air OF earnestness and power
the Grand Marshal IN cocKea Oh hat M ws
plumes Of red and white and blue, and
%n asne M ny ga sash the entire
attended by an assistant ollclal Behind these
three mounted leaders followed Graiulla's Band
revolutionary, patriotic and martial hymns. Next
came the leading banner of the demonstration
blazoned with the legend,


By art and industry the most untoward substances





Then came body OF some five or six thousand
men, all stonecutters, and each man wearing q
leather apron, upon which was figured the device
OF brawny arm welding mallet. They marched
eight abreast, each company headed by sort OF
captain, who now and then, at the first symptoms
oi irregular marching, rallied his men into decent
discipline, In true military fashion, by calling
out the word or command aud walking
few steps hack foremost. Ii would bo hard 10
have mustered together an equally large BODY OF
men whose appearance should be more respectable.
Dreaded, as they may be, by some foolish people,
who are haunted necessarily by the spectre OF the
Commune; denounced, as they have been
already In certain quarters as the enemies
or law and order and property, these
men are indlsputaDly the very flower OF
the toillng masses. They were all well dressed,
and many OF them evel pretty fashlonably, and per-
haps one man in Ten bore bouquet In honor OF the
occasion. LOOK where you would, the eye fell only
upon features tnat inspired trust and awakened
sympathy and good will. II seemed too, as though
every face, honest and intelligent as 1t must always
he, was looking It's best watching them closely you
saw that every now and then the ewes OF the
men fastened on their banners and gnttcred