The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-08-05
WHOLE NUMBER 60.


Extract from Hon r. c. Winthrop's speech
on laying the corner stone Of the Washington
Monument, July 4th. 49, 'sf
"But above all and before all in the hear
oi Washington was the union Of the States
and no opportunity was ever omitted b,
him to impress upon his fellow citizens the
profound sense which he entertained OF ID
vital importance at once to their prosperity
and their liberty.
In that incompatible address, in which
ne babe farewell to his countrymen al the
close OF his Presidential service, he touched
upon many other topics with the earnestness
OF sincere conviction. He called upon
them IN solemn terms TO "cherish public
credit; 70 ''obseye good faith and Justice
toward all nations" avoiding both .'invet-
crate antiPothies and passionate attach
ments" toward any; 70 mitigate and assuage
the unquenchable fire Of party spirit, 4lest,
instead OF warming, it should consume" 70
abstain from ''characterising parties by gs,-
ogaphicrl distinctions" to sspromote insti.
todons for the general diffusion Of knowl-
edges; to respect and uphold religion and
morality, 'fhose great pillars OF human hap
Piness, those hmest props OF the duties Of
men and citizens"
But what can exceed, what can equal the
accumulated intensity OF thought and OF
expression with which he calls upon them
to cling to the union Of the States? alt is
OF infinite moment" says be, in language
which we ought never 10 be weary Of hear
ing or OF repeating, "thst you should prop
erly estimate the immense value Of your
national union to your collective and indi-
vidual happiness; that you should cherish a
cordial, habitual, immoyable attachment to
il, accustoming yourselves to think and speak
OF il as the palladium Of your political safe
ty and prosperity; watching for its preser.
Walton with jealous anxiety; discountenan-
cling whatever may suggest even a suspicion
that it can, IN any eUent, be abandoned;
and Indignantly lrowning upon the first
dawning Of every attempt to ALLEVIATE any
potion of our country from the rest, or to
enleeble the sacred ties which now link to-
gether the various parts"
The Union, the Union in any event,
was thus the sentiment OF Washington
The Union, ne Union IN any ere1a, let il
be our sentiment this day
Yes. to-day, lellow-cilizens, at the very
moment when the extension OF our bounda-
ries and the multiplication Of our terrific
ries are producing. directly and indirectly.
among the different members Of our politi.
cal system, 50 many marked and mourned
centrifugal tendencies, let US seize this occa,
sion 70 renew to each other our vows Of al
legiance and devotion to the American
Union. and let Us recognise in our common
title to the name and the fame Of Washing
ton, and in our common veneralion for his
example and his advice. the all-sUficieni
cenuiPetal power, which shall hold the thick
clustering stars Of our confederacy in one
glorious constellation forever Let the col
unn which we are about 10 construct, be at
once pledge and an emblem OF perpetual
unionl Let the foundations be laid, let the
be built up and cemented, let
each stone be raised and riveled, in a spirit
Of national brotherhood And may the ear
lest ray Of the rising sun-till that sun shall
rise TO set no more-draw forth from il dai-
ly, as from the tabled statue Of antiquity,
strain Of national harmony. which shall
strike a responsive chord in every heart
throughout the Republic