Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-05-13
I'D DMEST1C INTELLIGENCE
Correspondence ofhe National iateiiigeneer.
NEW YonK, MAY 1, 1S3p.

Correspondence ofhe National iaieihgeneer.
Nrw YonK, May I, is3o.
foscrday was the anniversary Of the Iuaucurz-
lion Il George Washington the first President OF
the United States of America. This event took
place IN the balcony of tho CITY Hail. in New York
on tho 30,h Of April, 1889, divine services having
been previously performed In ST. Pauls Church,
This SAINT centennial anniversary IL was very an.
propr,a,ey determined by the New York flisiorica,
Society to celebrate in manner becoming the mo :.
mcnous associations OF the occasion and tho now.
erIul pen OF JohnQuncy Adamswa. invoked to give
!, its chief interest, THIS request. alike discrimipa.
Ting IN those who preferred it. and honorable TO him
TO whom Il was addressed, was complied with. Tho
Society made an attempt to obtain the use Of ST.
Pauls Church Tor the occasion, but, an, sor,y IN
be authenticity informed, was refused in te, ms MI
most chnrllsh by The vestty and the large church
the OF Cedar Nassau. and Iibery SIN e,.
was selected instead. This house was literally cram
mod to an overflow at AN early hour The perfor.
manccs commenced with pray or of about an half
hours duration. from n gentleman, whose name |
do not know. Then followed an appropriate HYMN.
written for the occasion, and sung by the whole con-
grcgalion, TO The time -hororcd tune of '.Od Hun.
drcdth Psalm" and then came tho Oiation.
Mr., Adams has noh for many years appeared IN
good bodily health upon this most interesting
day. Ills physical powers seemed all 10 have becn
renovated for the occasion. There was mora
frmncss in HISS step more re in his eye more VOLUME
10 his voice, more play upon his ieatu,ss, NJ zach
lie was classical, srrip,u, historical, philosopcn
reminsccntia argument,live, reflective, prophet
ic, IN The making mp Of his Recommendations
from ali these resources OF his well stored and cana
bio mind, in turn, as for near, two houls he held
tia, immense auditory in breathless silence Jcoul
not but admire that n man possessed Of 80 few Of
what generally deemed the necessary elrmrn. of
oratory, and with 50 feeble voice. should DO able
by the mere force Of the matter he uttered nlons.
thus to cultural such mass of listeners fur so long
time. TWAS one Of the greatest tributrs To genius,
pro Sc, ever paid by man.
Mr. Adams began by carrying his audience bsch
to the first prime pies OF the Constitution, Ms contain
sd in the Dccla alton Of Independence and then
he alluded to the obeyance in which, for time fthS
time Of The contederaiion) thosn principles, Law to
tho process by which the necessity Of returning To
them again, and making them The foundation of Tho
Constitution, by which tie county was alone to DO
governed, gradually grew upon the convicon Of thu
people of the new nation the unanimy with which
the Father OF Ills Country called to serve her
in council as he had done ~ the field the reluctant
di0idence with which he consented to accept tho
trust coniJed to linn ; his lriunpha journey hthor,
aud the performance here Of the act omnemorated
on this anniversary which was, indeed the consumnd
dng act Of he Repoaon. In the progress of his "a.
marks upon all these incide Dts in our constitution
al history much scope was OF course, afforded tho
speaker to aDayze the grand political princjplss
which lie at the base Of this Government. fIc de.
serbed the Declaration Of Independence ms tho de-
pcndcnce ~ the act of a Pcopis-as a people. Hs
showed the pretenslons set up by the advocates OF
paramount State sovereignty To be departure from
the prime pies thus set up and thus indicated BY tho
People; and to this variation from The true doc
lrnes Of the early reyoluIionists-nameIy the doc.
trne Of popular rights against power-did he i'm
pute all the doubts the embarrassments, the fears
and forebodiDgs which filled the land under " the
Confederation" The suggestion Of that return to
first principles which Washington made, and which
Others, under his guidance, carried out successfully
the maintenance OF those principles during Wash. 3
ington's administration Of the GoverDmentlh per-
feet success with which the adoption of the Con-
stiluon was crowned, and which, ever since has
continued even amidst many gloomy threaenings Of
its falling short of lis end Il objoc--vere topics up
on which Mr.. A. dwell with cloqncnce and an sls-
gance, with apness and force, that, in such n
as this, shall not DO expected to
aualyze. Ills euloginm on the Constitution his ear
nest ncucation of its principles the only safe guard
Of liberty. his exposition Of the true meaning Of
those much abused terms republican and "demo-
cratic" his touching description Of Washin cton's
character and the part he took, from first to last in
the great work ofmaking nation lree-were all lost
brilliant passages in this ndent perforaace
and cannot be adequately described.
The Discourse is immediately to be put 10 press,
and expect TO be in possession Of one OF tho
richest historical performances which has enian-
aed from the pen OF an American statesmen.
DIR. Wainwright pronounced the impressive ben
ediction OF the Episcopal Church, and then the So
cieiy and guests dned together at the City Hotel.
learn there was some good speaking there. aud
very written and appropriate ode (prcpared for
the occasiou) was read by its author GreenyIe Mel
len and so ended this Interesting anniversary.
Among the guests. ought to have stated, were
General Scott, Mr.. Southland, of the Senate Mr.. h.
Whittesey, OF Ohio, Messrs Hastings. OF Massachu-
sets, Hoffman. OF New York, Smith of Maine OF
the next Congress and other distinguished public
characters.