Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 November 1886 — THE BRONZE GODDESS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE BRONZE GODDESS.

With a Torch in Hand, Liberty Now Enlightens the World. The Gift of the Land of Lafayette to the Land of Washington. A Million People Witness the Exercises in New York City. The Demonstration on Land and Water of a Most Magnificent Character. *The great statifo, “Liberty Enlightening the World,” was formally presented to the American people, and dedicated to the work of sending forth radiance which shall symbolize to the world the light of liberty, at Bedloe’s Island (hereafter to be known as Liberty Island), in New York harbor, on Thursday, Oct. 28. The statue is a gift to the greatest republic of the

world from the greatest republic in Europe—a tribute of honor and esteem to the oldest popular government from a sister nearly a century younger. The gift and its formal acceptance, with alljthj sentiments involved therein, may he looked upon as constituting one of the greatest events in the history of the world’s progress. Distinguished Frenchmen were sent by the President of the French republic to attend the dedicatory ceremonies as representatives of the French people, among them the venerable De Lesseps; General Grevy, brother of the French President; Senator Lafayette, greatfrandson of the Lafayette whose name will live eaide that of Washington; a French fleet,

commanded by Admiral de Vigne; and also Admiral Jaures and MM. Bartholdi and Deschamps. The great statue was accepted on the part of the United States by President Cleveland, who was accompanied by the members of the Cabinet and Generals Sherman, Sheridan, and Schofield. There were three distinct egremonies—the land parade, the naval parade, and the unveiling of the statue. Over 200 vessels of all kinds participated in the naval parade, and this made xhe line fully eight miles long, the first division forming directly up the river. The land parade was reviewed at Madison Square by President •Cleveland, and dispersed at the Battery. It was estimated that 30,000 people took part in this branch of the display, which moved in ten divisions in the following order: Fill ST DIVISION. United States Naval Brigade. United States Army Brigade. Second Regiment National Guards, State of New Jersey. A Detachment of Massachusetts Volunteer Militia. SECOND DIVISION. First Brigade, New York National Guards, Escorting the French Column. The French Column. United States Judges, and High Officials of the United States, in Carriages. Governors of States and Territories, and High Officials. THIRD DIVISION. Mayors of Cities, and Municipal Officers, in Carriages. Battalion of Police from Philadelphia. Battalion of Police from Brooklyn. Veterans of the War of 1812 in Carriages. The Aztec Club. Veterans of the Mexican War in Carriages. Military Order of the Loyal Legion. FOURTH DIVISION. War Veteran Military Organizations. FIFTH DIVISION. Second Brigade, National Guard State of New York, Escorting the Grand Army of the Republic. Grand Army of the Republic. SIXTH DIVISION; Veteran Military Organizations, Other than Purely War Veterans. SEVENTH DIVISION. Seventh United States Volunteers. Educational Division.' EIGHTH DIVISION. Independent Military Organizations. "Washington's Carriage, Drawn by Eight Horses escorted by Continental Guards, of Washington, D. C., and by the old Washington Continental Guard, mounted. Bonsai the Revolution in Carriages.

NINTH DITISIOS. Sons of Veterans. A Detachment of the Brooklyn Fire Department. Association of old Brooklynites in Carriages. - Representative Citizens of Brooklyn in Ca.rioges. TENTH DIVISION. Volunteer Firemen's Associations. Board of Trade and Transportation in Carriages. Regiments of Uniformed Knights of Pythias, of Indiana Regiments of Uniformed Knights of Pythias, o* New York. Charitable Organizations. Civic Societies. Citizens. The naval parade of war-ships and other vessels followed, and then the ceremonies at the nnvailine, at which moment 10,000 rounds from a Gatling -were fired by the Second Battery. The crowd which occupied a’most every inch of standing place on the island was almost entirely made up of men. But few tickets were issued to women, and the tickets were not transferable. Tickets admitting one to almost any vantage point for viewing the exercises of the day were at a premium. Even the agents of the more prominent buildings oil Broadway were over-run by persons wishing to purchase the privilege of standing on the roofs cf their buildings during the passing of the parade. The flagship Tennessee was the ladies’ headquarters, and the wives of many army and naval officers, with the ladies of the French party, were on board. The laud procession was to have started at 0 o’clock, but at that hour it had only begun to form. The Fifth United States Artillery, commanded by Col. John Hamilton, and the Engineer Corps took their posit on in front of Secretary Whitney’s house, at Fifty-eighth street and Fifth avenue, a few minutes after 9 o'clock. Promptly at 10 o’clock the President, accompanied by Secratary of State Bayard, descended the steps and entered an open carriage. They were followed by Secretary of the ’'Navy Whitney, Postmaster General'Vilas, Secretary of the Interior Lamar, private Secretary Lamont, Rear Admiral Luce and staff, and Map Whipple. Iha Old Guard preceded the carriages, and at 10:15 o’clock commenced to march down Fifth avenue. Both sides of the avenue were crowded with people, who waved their hats and applauded loudly as the President’s carriage passed. On all side streets, from Central Park down to the reviewing stand on Tvv nty-fonrth street, the different military companies and civic organizations wore formed. The carriages containing the President and Cabinet were followed by a battalion of 250 jiolice. The United States Naval Brigade came next, with the Engineers' Corps, which consisted of 250 men. The Second Regiment N. G. S. N. Y. then fell in line, together with a detachment of Massachusetts volunteer militia. These were followed by tho Seventh, Eighth, Twelfth, Eleventh, and First Regiments, and the French societies, numbering 2,500 men. The Governors of Massachusetts, Main, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, New York, Maryland and their staffs, together with the United State Judges, entered carnages attlie Windsor Hotel and fell into line behind the French associations. After these followed divisions made up of mayors and official from various cities, visiting policemen and firemen, veterans of 1812, Grand Army posts, civic societies, tho Volunteer Firemen’s Association, Knights of Pythias of Indiana numbering 250 men, oddfellows, and other organizations. The President reached the reviewing-stand at Madison Square at 10:40 o’clock. He was greeted with hearty oheers as he drove up in front of the stand. Secretary Bayard rode in the carriage with him. After the President had taken his place on the reviewing-stand the members of the French delegation were presented to him. Most of the space on the stand was reserved for the French guests. The crowd in Madison square when the President reached the reviewing-stand was vast. Tho side streets were choked with humanity and Broadway was clogged With vehicles and street cars above and below the intersection of the lino of march. When Gov. Hill mounted the platform there were cheers, but when Bartholdi, the sculptor, appeared and was easily recognized by the mass, who had seen his portrait on programmes and in the illustrated papers, a shout went up from tiioSe nearest the stand. The cry of “Bartholdi 1” “Bartholdi!” was then caught up on both the reviewing and grand staeJs; the crowds on the avenue curbings, up and down, heard the name and passed it to the people in the park and side streets, until the heavy air was shaken with a roar of cheering that must have gladdened the heart of the Alsatian, who bowed and bowed his acknowledgments. Music greeted tho officials and guests as they lauded on the island and assembled about the statue. Then a signal gun was fired, and tho Rev. Dr. R. 6. Storrs opened the ceremonies with prayer. Count Ferdinand de Lesseps then delivered an address on behalf of the FrancoAmerican union, and Senator William M. Evarts made the presentation address on behalf of the pedestal committeo. The flag, which had untifthen concealed the face of the statue, was withdrawn, and the features of the Goddess of Liberty were greeted with a salvo of artillery from all the guns in the harbor. Three batteries took part in the salute, steamers in the bay blew their whistles, and the men-of-war returned the salute from their guns. After music President Cleveland was introduced. He said: “The people of tho United States accept with gratitude irom their brethren of the French Republic the grand and completed work of art we here inaugurate. This token of the affection and consideration of the people of France demonstrates the kinship of Republics, and conveys to us the assurance that in our efforts to commend to mankind the excellence of a government resting upon popular will, we still have beyond the American Continent a steadfast ally. We are not here to-day to bow before the representation of a fierce and warlike god, filled with wrath and vengeance, but we joyousiy contemplate our own deity keeping watch and ward before the open gates of America, and greater than all that have been celebrated in ancient Troy. Instead of grasping in her hand thunderbolts of terror and of death, she holds aloft the light which illuminates the way to man’s enfranchisement. We will not forget that liberty has been made her home ; nor shall her chosen altar be neglected. Willing votaries will constantly keep aliVe its fires, and there shall gleam upon the shores of our sister republic in the East. Reflected thence and joined with answering rays, a stream of light shall pierce the darkness of ignorance and man’s oppression, until liberty enlightens the world. ” An address was then made by the representative of France, M. Lefaivro, Minister Plenipotentiary and delegate Extraordinary. There was more music by Gilmore’s Twenty-second Regiment Band, and then Chauncey M. Depew delivered the commemorative address. “We dedicate this statue,” ho said, “we dedicate this statue to the friendship of nations and the peace of the world. The spirit of liberty embraces all races in common brotherhood ; it voices in all languages the same needs and aspirations. * * * Peace and its opportunities for material progress and the expansion of popular liberties sends from here a fruitful noble lesbionto all the world. It will teach the people of all countries that in curbing the ambitions and dynastic purposes of princes and privileged classes, and in cultivating the brotherhood of man, lie the true road to their enfranchisement. The friendship of individuals, their unselfish devotion to each other, their willingness to die in each other’s stead, are the most tender and touching of human records, they are the inspiration of youth and the solace of age; but nothing human is so beautiful and sublime as two great neoples of alien race and language transmitting down the ages a love begotten in gratitude, and strengthening as they increase in power and assimilate in their institutions and liberties." The speaker reviewed the relations of the colonies with France during the Revolution, and paid a warm tribute to Lafayette, the spirit of whose life, he said, was “the history of the time which made possible this statue, and whose spirit was the very soul of the celebration. Continuing, he said: “The flower of the young aristocracy of France, in their brilliant uniforms, and the farmers and frontiersmen of America, in their faded continentals, bound by a common baptism of blood became brothers in the knighthood of liberty. With emulous eagerness to be first in at the death, while they shared the glory, they stormed the redoubts at Yorktown and compelled the surrender of Cornwallis and his army. While this practically endea the war, it strengthened the alliance and cemented the friendship between the two great peoples. * * * To-day, in the gift by one and the acceptance by the other of this colossal statue, the people of the two countries celebrate their unity in republican institutions, in Governments founded upon the American idea, and in their devotion to liberty. Together they rejoice that its spirit has penetrated all lands and is the hopeful future of all peoples.”