Enoch Crosby, who was the original of Fenimore Cooper's famous _Harvey Birch_ in "The Spy," was present, and so was David Williams, one of the captors of Major Andre,--not to mention about thirty thousand others! This year saw, too, the founding of the University of the City of New York, on the east side of the Square,--or rather, the Parade Ground, as it was then.

That fine old educational institution came close to having its cornerstones christened with blood, for it was the occasion of the well-known,--shall we say the notorious?
--"Stonecutters' Riots." The builders contracted for work to be done by the convicts of Sing Sing Prison, and the city workmen, or Stonecutters' Guild,--already strong for unions,--objected.

In fact, they objected so strenuously that the Twenty-seventh Regiment (now our popular Seventh) was called out, and stayed under arms in the Square for four days and nights; after which the disturbance died down.
The next important labour demonstration in the Square was in 1855, when, during a period of "hard times," eight thousand workmen assembled there with drums and trumpets, and made speeches in the most approved and up-to-date agitator style, collecting a sum of money which went well up into four figures! In 1833 society folded its wings and settled down with something resembling permanence upon the corner of the "Snug Harbour" lands, which formed the famous North Side of Washington Square.

Of all social and architectural centres of New York, Washington Square North has changed least.

Progress may come or go, social streams may flow upward with as much speed, energy and ambition as they will; the eddies leave one quiet and lovely pool unstirred.