The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-06-27
Our Washington Correspondence.

WASHINGTON, June ~, 1871.
The Corner Stone of the Wings of the Capitol-An
other Great Day for Mr.. Webste-P9 Contra, the
Lancaster Contention.
The President has selected plan for the pro-
posed additions to the Capitol. 1t is wing at the
north end of the present building, for the Senate
and wing at the south end for the House. The
present hall of the House, understand, is to be
turned over to the Congressional Library-and
splendid room for the library it will make. The
present Senate chamber, it is to be hoped, will be
surrendered to the Supreme Court. But these
changes, of course, will not be made until the
wings are completed. When finished, the Capitol
viii present front to the city below, of 660
feet-the extent of the existing building is 800 feet
hundred thousand dollars appropriated last
session for the commencement of the work, which
will cost probably g. OO0 900 to finish, though the
estimates are much less. Mr.. Walker, architect of
the Girard College, is the architect for this magn
fcent job although the plan is, perhaps, more pro-
perly the Presidents plan, he having developed it
from consultations with the architects, and from
the numerous plans submitted for his inspection
The great objects secured in the plan adopted, are
the preservation of the Capitol it stands without
mutiation of the exterior, and the adaptation of
the wings to the style of the main edifce, as, in
the end to give 60 the whole pile the appearance of
a single harmonious structure.
The corner stone Of the new work will be laid on
the Fourth Of July, by the President, and the Sec
rotary of State will deliver an address on the oc
sion. And grand occasion it will be for great
patriotic effort. The memory Of Washington, the
founder Of the city-the history of the last fifty
years, since the occasion of the removal of the go
vernment here fifty years ago-the invasion and des-
truction of the capital by the Britth in lSl 1.-THE
Missouri compromise of 1920, the Tariff compro-
mise of 1888, and the grand adjustment of 1880,
rich in the most interesting materials for the pro-
posed speech Of Mr.. Webster. And the rapid i'm
provement in the city since the settlement OF the
nfxf in
los and houses, might also be turned to good ac
count, indicating the restored confidence of the
people in the stability Of the Union. And the last
Fourth Of July, and the presence of Gen; Taylor
and his cabinet at the celebration at the Washing
ton monument, and the death of the brave old man
a few days thereafter, doubt not will be wildly
remembered py Mr.. Webster. Take all these things
together and the gold mines, the big fires, and the
recuperative energy Of California, and the extent
of our boundaries, and our unexamped and mar
veousy stupendous pros perity, and tn. sublimity,
and the happiness, and the power and the glory Of
these United States, amen; and the universal peace
and the universal jubilee Of the atoms in Prince
Aberts crystal palace, and what field for the olo
quence of MIR. Webster the Fourth Of July, 1851,
on the laying OF the new corner stone OF the new
Congress buildings, in the city of Washington
What an occasion, and what splendid materials
are those, to be sure, for Mr. Webster, upon which
to spread himself! How he make 1t tell upon
the Presidenth question and the wing convention,
IL he will! And we believe he will But If the
Lancaster convention, in the meantime, should
pronounce in favor Of General Scott, 1T Will throw
good deal of cold water the enthusiastic
patriotism OF the Secretary of State. Better that
the Fourth of July should be rainy day.
But in any event, and under any circumstances,
Providence concurring, the Fourth of July will
give Mr.. Webster another brilliant chance for q
brilliant speech-the most splendid opportunity,
indeed, for the most splendid speech Of the age.
Let him deal kindly with the South, and not
threaten chastisement to South Carolina, while he
spares the abolitionists, and we don't mind how
hard he may bear down the empty vanities Of
military glory, as compared with the substantial
triumphs of peace.
At the wing convention at Harrisburg, in 1910,
when Henry Clay set aside for Gen. Harrison,
John Tyler affected TO tears, and wept bitterly;
and we remember very well that at the wing
convention at Baltimore, in 1874, when Webster
spoke out for Clay, Webster was promised the
next good chance The time Is at hand. IL is
between the house Of York and the house Of Lam
caster. You may depend upon it, there is mighty
good time coming.
WASHINGTON, June q, 1851
Departure Of he PresSen-Secession IN South Carolina &c
The President gone down for few days recreation
at old Point Comfort and the Rip-Rsps the celebrated
salt resorts Of old Hickory lie will return proba-
bly,, by way Of Richmond, Virginia.
The government works smoothly oil-plenty Of