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nounced by minute guns, and an immense procession which occupied an hour and a quarter in passing, began to move from the south ferry. About 2,000 troops composed the van, immediately behind whom was the hearse containing the body, drawn by eight horses, clad in black drapery, and led by eight mulatto grooms dressed in Turkish costume. Prominent to the eye was the memorable inscription, "This is the last of earth," which were among the last words uttered by the expiring states

man.

On either side, the hearse was accompanied by the light-guards, preceded by the grand marshal and his aids. The pall-bearers, officers of the army and navy, the Hon. Henry Clay, General Gaines, and others, followed in carriages. The closing ceremonies consisting of a prayer by the Rev. Dr. Ferris, and a benediction by Rev. S. H. Cone, were performed on the esplanade of the city hall, and three volleys of musketry were fired by the national guards. The remains were then deposited in the governor's room, to be removed in the morning for Boston.

The remains of Mr. Adams were delivered in due form at Boston, March 10th, by the committee of Congress to the state authorities, through the committee of the legislature; thence taken to Faneuil Hall, which was dressed in mourning for the occasion, the rostrum being converted into a temporary mausoleum, and there transferred to the mayor and the authorities of the city. The ceremonies were attended by great crowds of both sexes,

and on Saturday, the remains were deposited in the family burial-place at Quincy.

153. Mob at the Opera-House, New York.

One of the remote causes of this mob, appears to have been the publishing of some unfavorable strictures on the performances of Edwin Forrest, the American tragedian, in London. In 1849, Mr. Macready, a London actor (who was considered in some sort, a rival to Mr. Forrest), was announced to perform at the Astor Place opera house, New York. The friends of Mr. Forrest, con necting Mr. Macready with the authorship of the strictures in question, in order to show their indignation, and to redress his grievances, made inflammatory appeals through the press, so as to get up some public demonstration against Mr. Macready, who was in a certain sense, considered as a representative of the English stage or theatre.

A riotous disposition having been exhibited at the operahouse, on Mr. Macready's first appearance, Monday evening, May 7th, 1849, some prominent citizens who were in some way identified with the support of the drama, promised him protection against farther interference and induced him to appear again on Thursday evening. Early in the morning, placards were posted up through the city, stating (falsely no doubt, and for effect), that the crew of the British steamer then in port, had threatened violence to all who "dared to express their opinions at the English aristocratic opera-house," and calling on all working men to "stand by their lawful rights." In consequence of this, and similar threats, a large body of the police was ordered to attend at the opera-house. In addition to this, two bodies of the military were held in readiness, one stationed in the Park, the other at Centre market.

In anticipation of a riot, the rush for tickets was very great, and before night, none was to be had. For some

time before the doors opened, people began to collect in Astor Place, and the police took their stations at the doors, and in the building. The crowd increased, and there was such a crush about the doors, that several of the entrances were obliged to be closed. The house was filled, but not crowded, and the amphitheatre was not more than half full. The first two scenes passed off without disturbance; but the appearance of Macready in the third act, was the signal for a perfect storm of cheers, groans, and hisses. The whole audience rose, and the nine tenths of it (who were friendly to Macready), cheered, waving their hats and handkerchiefs. A body in the parquette, with others in the second tier, and amphitheatre, hissed and groaned with equal zeal. The tumult lasted for ten or fifteen minutes, when an attempt was made to restore order, by a board being brought upon the stage, upon which was written, "The friends of order will remain quiet." This silenced all but the rioters. The leader of the disturbance was secured after a short, but violent struggle. One by one, of the rioters were taken and carried out, the greater part of the audience applauding as they disappeared.

Before the second act was over, something of the play could be heard. Mrs. Pope, as Lady Macbeth, first procured a little silence, which ended, however, immediately on Macready's reappearance. The obnoxious actor went through his part with perfect self-possession, and paid no regard to the tumultuous scene before him. As the parquette and gallery, were cleared of the noisiest rioters, the crowds without grew more violent, and stones and missiles were hurled against the windows (which had been previously boarded up), on the Astor-Place side. As one window cracked after another, and pieces of brick and paving-stones rattled in on the terraces and lobbies, the confusion increased till the opera-house resembled a fortress besieged by an invading army. Sometimes, heavy stones would dash in the boards, which had been nailed up as a protection, and a number of policemen were constantly occupied in nailing up and securing the defences.

The attack was sometimes on one side, and sometimes on the other, but seemed to be most violent on Eighth street, where there was a continual volley of stones and other missiles. The retiring rooms were closed, and the lobbies so "raked" by the mob outside, that the only safe places were the boxes and the parquette. But in spite of the constant crashing and thumping of stones, and the terrible yells of the crowd in the street, the tragedy (too truly a tragedy to many), was played to an end; the curtain fell, and Macready and the police were cheered. After the play was over, the noise being somewhat diminished, the audience were allowed to go out quietly by the door nearest Broadway.

The military under the command of Major-General Sandford, arrived at Astor Place about nine o'clock, where they were assailed by a shower of stones and brickbats, by which most of the horsemen in front, about forty in number, were more or less hurt, and their horses rendered almost unmanageable. Two or three times in succession the troops were ordered to charge. They did so, drove back the mob, but on falling back, were instantly again hemmed in, and pelted with stones. It is stated that several pistols were fired by the rioters at this time. Seeing that his men were falling around him, General Hall reported to the mayor, the condition of things, and stated that unless permission was given them to act on the defensive he would withdraw his troops. The recorder, Mr. Tallmadge, came forward, read the riot-act, and ordered the mob instantly to disperse. They did not obey, but continued their assault upon the troops, who were now ordered to fire. By this discharge one or two were killed, and several wounded.

The noise of the firing intensely excited the vast crowd in the streets, and all who had taken part in, or sympathized with the rioters, were exasperated to the highest pitch. Soon one or two wounded persons were carried on shutters through Broadway, which added fuel to the flame. Many of the rioters seized stones in Broadway, where the pavements had been torn up to make a sewer, id rushed through Astor Place, and presently another

volley of musketry told of their reception. In about ten or fifteen minutes afterward, a third volley was fired, the mob now mainly left the streets, and gathered in separate crowds at different points in the vicinity. After the third discharge a company of light artillery arrived and posted their cannon so as to sweep every street in the neighbourhood.

After the firing had ceased, and the military had firmly occupied the ground, the rioters were scattered in squads through the streets, arming themselves with stones, and striving to arouse the indignation of the thousands who had assembled as spectators. They met, however, with but slight success. The crowd numbered it is supposed about twenty-five thousand persons; but it is supposed that but about five hundred took an active part in the riot; and of these half were boys. The whole number of the military engaged was about two hundred and ten. number of persons killed, was nineteen.

The

154. Colonel Fremont's Expeditions.

The first expedition of John C. Fremont was made to the Rocky mountains in 1842, under the authority of the government of the United States. The object of this expedition was to explore the country lying between the Missouri river and the Rocky mountains, on the line of the Kansas and Great Platte rivers. Captain Fremont's

party consisted of about twenty-five persons, mostly of French descent, principally creole and Canadian voyageurs, who had become familiar with prairie life in the service of the fur-companies in the Indian country. Christopher Carson (more familiarly known, for his exploits in the mountains, as Kit Carson) was the guide of the expedition. The company assembled at St. Louis, and thence they proceeded in a steamboat about four hundred miles near to Chouteau's trading-house, whence on the 10th of June they departed to explore the country. After an interesting journey, they on the 8th of

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