The republic., 1851-07-08
THE REPUBLIC.

Who does not admit that this unparalleled
growth Of prosperity and renown 10 the result, un-
der Providence, OF the Union OF these States, un-
der a general Constitution, which guarantees to
ench State republican form OF government, and
10 every inaii the enjoyment OF life, liberty, and
the pursui of hapbine5s free from civil tyranny or
ecclesiastical donnahon.
To bring home this idea to the present occasion,
who does not feel that, when President Washing
ton laid his hand on the foundation OF the trst
Capitol building, he performed great work
of perpetuation of the Union and the Constitution!
Who does not feel that this seat OF the General
Government health(ul in its situation, central in
its position near the mountains from whence gush
springs Of wonderful virtue, teeming with Ma
ture's richest products, and yet not lar from the
la Ys and the estuarles OF the sea, easily ac-
cessible and generally agreeable in climate and as
sociation, does not give strength to The Union oil
these States; that this city, bearing an immortal
naue with its broad streets aud avenues, lis puohc
squaresald mag Indecent edlces oil tue Generhl Gov
eminent, erected for the purposes ei carrying on
within them the IMPORTANT business OF the several
Departments for the reception OF wonderful and
curious inventions, the preservation OF he !ecofoS
of American learning and genius, OF extensive col
lectons OF the products Of nature and art brought
hither for study and comparison from all parts OF
the world, adorned with numerous churches, and
sPrnkled over, am happy to say with many pup,
lie schools where all children Of the city, without
distinction, provided with the means Of obtain
ing rood education, where there are ntademies
and colleges, Professional schools and public hbra-
HhOuld continue 10 fsrslVcg az II nfts
recc;yed tn fostering care Of Cohgtees and should
be reearded as the permanent seat OF the National
Government. Here, too, citizen oil the great re-
public of letters, republic which knows not the
inees and bounds OF political geography mas lhdi
Gated prophetcally his conviction that America ls
10 exercise a wide and powerful influence In the
intellectual world, and therefore has founded In
this CITY, as n commanding position IN the held OF
science and literature ana mas piaceu unuei e uio
euardianship of the Government an institution
e f1r the increase and diffusion OF knowledge among
men" .,,: N
With each succeeding year new interest Is aua- "a
ed To the spot it becomes cohnecteu WIN az . w
historical associations OF our country WIN hei
statesmen and her orators, anu aias us cemetery
iz anht,aiiy ehtiched with the ashes o her chosen
sons. .r,. .
Before us is the broad ahd beautiful river, sepai
rating two of the original thirteen STATES hhu
which late President man OF determined pur
pose and inhexibie will, but patriotic heart oesr
ed to span with arches cf eyer-enduring efaHuc,
svn bolica of the firmly cemeh'eo Union " eue
North and the South. That President VAS zen
jackson. -., uthor of
On its banks repose the ashes or Tn r amer VI
his Country, and at side, by singular lellciy
of positions overlooking the city which he design
ed and which bears his nairle riseG to his memory
the marble column, sublime in It's simple gran
deur and ftly intended 10 feach a loftiet height
than any similar structure on the surface oi The
whole earth.
Let the votive offerings of his grateful country
men be freely contributed carry higher and still
higher this monument May say, another
occasion, ''Let it rise, let it rise till meet the
sun in bis comngj let the earliest light OF the
morning gild it, and parting day lnger anu play
on its summit"
Fellow citizens, what contempiations are awak.
ened in minds as we assemble here to re enact
a scene like that performed by WAsHINGToN! Me-
thinks see his venerable form now before me, as
presented in the glorious statue by Houdou, now in
the capitol of Virginia. He is dignitied and graves
but concern and anxiety seem to soften the Inca
nents Of his countenance.
The Government which he presldes Is yet
III the crisis of experiment. Not free from troubles
at home, he sees the world i'll conmotion and in
arms all around him. He secs that imposing for
eign powers are half disposed to try the strength
of the recently established American Government.
We perceive that mighty thoughts, mingled with
fears as well with hopes, are struggling within
him. He heads a short procession over these then
naked fields; he crosses yonder stream on ialien
tree; he ascends TO the top OF this eminence, whose
original oaks of the forest stand thick around
him as if the spot had been devoted TO Drudical
worship, and here he performs the appointed duty
of the day.
And now, fellow citizens, if this vision were a
| reality if Washington actually were now amongst
u.s. and if he could draw around him the shades OF
the great public of his own days, patriots and
warriors, orators and statesmen, and were TO nd
dress US in their presence, would he not cay 10 Us,
| aye men of this generation rejoice and thai TX
God for being able TO sec that our labors and tolls
| and sacrifices were not in vain. You are pros
| of liberty burns brightly and steadily in your
! hearts; while DUTY and the LAW restrain II from
| bursting forth in wild and destructive confagra-
tion Cherish liberty as you love IT; cherish It's Sc
curities as you wish to preserve II. Maintain the
| Constitution which labored so painfully to es-
| tablish, and which has been to you such source
! Of inestimable blessings. Preserve the union OF
| the States cemcnted it was by our prayers, our
| tears, and our blood Be true to God, TO your
| country, and to your duty. So shall the whole
! Eastern World follow the morning sun to
| contemplate you nation 80 shall all
succeeding generations honor you, as they
| honor us, and shall that Almighty Power,
| which so graciously protected us, and which now
protects you, shower its everlasting blessings upon
| you and your posterity.' Great father OF your
| country, we heed your words; feel their force
as ii you now uttered them with life of flesh and
| blood. Your example teaches Us; your Affection
ate addresses teach US; your public life teaches US
| your sense of the value OF the blessings OF the
| Union. Those blessings our fathers have tasted,
and we have tasted, and still taste. Nor do we in
! tend that those who come after shall be denied
| the same high fruition. Ou- honor as well as our
| happiness is concerned. We cannot, VIC dare not,
we will not betray our sacred trust. we VIII not
| fleh from posterity the treasure placed in our
hands to be transmitted TO other generations. The
| bow that gids the clouds in the heavens; the pll
lars that uphold the armament, may disappear ana
fall away the hour appointed bv the Will OF 600;
! but, until that day comes, SO long as our nVes
may last, no ruthless hand shall undermine that
bright arch of Union and Liberty which spans the
| continent from washington 10 CaIlOfnla
| Fellow citizens, we must sometimes be tolerant
| to folly, and patient at the sight of the extreme
waywardness ofmen; but confess that when re
fleet the of our past history, on our pre-
sent prosperity and greatness and on what the iu-
ture hath yet TO unfold; and when see that there
are men who can find in all this nothing good, no
thing valuable, nothing truly gorious, feel that
all their reason has fled away from them, and leit
the entire control over their judgment and their
actions. to insane folly and fanaucism; aud more
than ALL fellow citizens, if the purposes OF anauos
| and dsuuionists should be accomplished, the pa
triotic and intelligent Of our generation would seek
to hide themselves from the scorn of the world, and
| go about to find dishonorable graves.
Fellow citizens, take cowdge-be of good cheer
We shall come to such iguoble end. We shall
live and not die. During the period allotted to ouI
several lives we shall continue to rejoice ia the re
turn of this Anniversary The iomened sounds
of ianaticsm will be hushed; the ghastly spcctres
of Secession and DiSunion will disappear, aud the
enemies of united constitutional liberty, II then
hatred cannot be appeased, may prepare to ser'
their eyeballs as they behold the steady flight. o
the AMERICAN EAGLE, on his FURNISHED wings loi
years nnd years to come.
President Fillmore, it is your singulsry gooc
fortune to perform an act such as that which th'
earliest of your predecessors performed nifty elgh