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nes of the same material； dotted with pink rosebuds。 The corsage was decollete； with berthe to match。
At 3 o'clock the bridal party left the reception room； and retired to their private parlor； when the company soon after dispersed。 Upon leaving the hotel the guests were supplied with wedding cake； over two thousand boxes being thus distributed。 In a parlor adjoining that used for the reception were exhibited the bridal presents。
The jewelry and silverware were displayed in glass cases。
That night； at 10 o'clock； the New York Excelsior Band serenaded the bridal party at the Metropolitan； when Mr。 Stratton appeared upon the balcony and made the following speech to the large assemblage in front of the hotel：
〃LADIES AND GENTLEMENI thank you most sincerely for this and many other tokens of kindness showered upon me to…day。 After being for more than twenty years before the public； I little expected at this late day； to attract so much attention。 Indeed if I had not become a family man I should never have known how high I stood in public favor； and I assure you I appreciate highly and am truly grateful for this evidence of your esteem and consideration。 I am soon off for foreign lands； but I shall take with me the pleasant recollection of your kindness to…day。 But； ladies and gentlemen； a little woman in the adjoining apartment is very anxious to see us； and I must； therefore； make this speech； like myself； short。 I kindly thank the excellent band of music for its melody； the sweetness of which is only exceeded by my anticipations of happiness in the new life before me。 And now； Ladies and Gentlemen； wishing you all health and happiness； I bid you all a cordial good…night。〃 ＇Applause。＇
The following entirely authentic correspondence； the only suppression being the name of the person who wrote to Dr。 Taylor； and to whom Dr。 Taylor's reply is addressed； shows how a certain would…be 〃witness〃 was not a witness of the famous wedding。 In other particulars the correspondence speaks for itself。
TO THE REV。 DR。 TAYLOR。
Sir： The object of my unwillingly addressing you this note is to inquire what right you had to exclude myself and other owners of pews in Grace Church from entering it yesterday； enforced； too； by a cordon of police for that purpose。 If my pew is not my property； I wish to know it； and if it is； I deny your right to prevent me from occupying it whenever the church is open； even at a marriage of mountebanks； which I would not take the trouble to cross the street to witness。 Respectfully； your obedient servant； W*** S***
804 BROADWAY； NEW YORK； Feb。 16； 1863。 MR。 W*** S***
Dear Sir： I am sorry； my valued friend； that you should have written me the peppery letter that is now before me。 If the matter of which you complain be so utterly insignificant and contemptible as 〃a marriage of mountebanks； which you would not take the trouble to cross the street to witness；〃 it surprises me that you should have made such strenuous； but ill…directed efforts to secure a ticket of admission。 And why； permit me to ask； in the name of reason and philosophy； do you still suffer it to disturb you so sadly？ It would； perhaps； be a sufficient answer to your letter； to say that your cause of complaint exists only in your imagination。 You have never been excluded from your pew。 As rector； I am the only custodian of the church； and you will hardly venture to say that you have ever applied to me for permission to enter； and been refused。
Here I might safely rest； and leave you to the comfort of your own reflections in the case。 But as you； in common with many other worthy persons； would seem to have very crude notions as to your rights of 〃property〃 in pews； you will pardon me for saying that a pew in a church is property only in a peculiar and restricted sense。 It is not property； as your house or horse is property。 It vests you with no fee in the soil； you cannot use it in any way； and in every way； and at all times； as your pleasure or caprice may dictate； you cannot put it to any common or unhallowed uses； you cannot remove it； nor injure it； nor destroy it。 In short； you hold by purchase； and may sell the right to； the undisturbed possession of that little space within the church edifice which you call your pew during the hours of divine service。 But even that right must be exercised decorously； and with a decent regard for time and place； or else you may at any moment be ignominiously ejected from it。
I regret to be obliged to add that； by the law of custom； you may； during those said hours of divine service （but at no other time） sleep in your pew； you must； however； do so noiselessly and never to the disturbance of your sleeping neighbors； your property in your pew has this extent and nothing more。 Now； if Mr。 W*** S*** were at any time to come to me and say； 〃Sir； I would that you should grant me the use of Grace Church for a solemn service （a marriage； a baptism； or a funeral； as the case may be）； and as it is desirable that the feelings of the parties should be protected as far as possible from the impertinent intrusion and disturbance of a crowd from the streets and lanes of the city； I beg that no one may be admitted within the doors of the church during the very few moments that we expect to be there； but our invited friends only；〃it would certainly； in such a case； be my pleasure to comply with your request； and to meet your wishes in every particular； and I think that even Mr。 W*** S*** will agree that all this would be entirely reasonable and proper。 Then； tell me； how would such a case differ from the instance of which you complain？ Two young persons； whose only crimes would seem to be that they are neither so big； nor so stupid； nor so ill…mannered； nor so inordinately selfish as some other people； come to me and say； sir； we are about to be married； and we wish to throw around our marriage all the solemnities of religion。 We are strangers in your city； and as there is no clergyman here standing in a pastoral relation to us； we have ventured to ask the favor of the bishop of New York to marry us； and he has kindly consented to do so； may we then venture a little further and request the use of your church in which the bishop may perform the marriage service？ We assure you； sir； that we are no shams； no cheats； no mountebanks； we are neither monsters nor abortions； it is true we are little； but we are as God made us； perfect in our littleness。 Sir； we are simply man and woman of like passions and infirmities with you and other mortals。 The arrangements for our marriage are controlled by no 〃showman；〃 and we are sincerely desirous that everything should be ordered with a most scrupulous regard to decorum。 We hope to invite our relations and intimate friends； together with such persons as may in other years have extended civilities to either of us； but we pledge ourselves to you most sacredly that no invitation can be bought with money。 Permit us to say further； that as we would most gladly escape from the insulting jeers； and ribald sneers and coarse ridicule of the unthinking multitude without； we pray you to