Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-07-21
.Cofasr Stone Of the CanItal,,

The corner stone ofthe addition to the
National Capitol WINS laid BY Daniel Web.
ster, ,ecm tifsS4ih oil f2July inst. The. follow
ssng iseen extract from bis speech: ! szH
sFelaow CM Fifty eghl years ago,
NV ashiHgton stood in this spot to execute
-zsieailar duty 70 thai which. has row. aeens
performed. He then laid the corner stone
, ,uf the original capitol. He was at the
i, head OF the government, ot that time~weak
!, in resources, bufdened with ~debt, just
struggling into pol4,ical exi>teftcesa'nd agi.
sated by the heaving waves which were
-toyeptdrning Europoa1l throles. But even
then in many inpostsa, RESPECTS, the gov.
ernmeat was asslrong. I'll was; strong in
Washing ton s own 6 gfsaf fcharacter-il was
strong in the WISDOM and patriotism of
other eminent public men, his political as
ssociatee--nd fellow laborers--il was strong
III tire affections Of tie people.
Fsllew Citizel.s W hat cont emplat;ons
are awakened in our minds as We assemble
here TO fe>enact scene like that perform.
,ed@ky Washington. Melhinks see his
Venerable forqI nos7l before me, as lre
sen;e BY the gfsrious slnsue by Il lleuder,
--llow in the Capitol ofNVpgin,a. He is
dignitied aid grave, bui-concern and sehx.
leiy seem 10 soften the iineamenss Of his
cluntepnnce. The government over which
ssie presides is 5et in the crisis Of expert
~nent. Nu,flee from troubles o, ho;l. 9, he
sees The world in commotion and arms al
around him. He. sees that imposing for
.-eign powers are half disposed 10 Try the
streag:h of1he veeemestabished American
geYeanarcnt. Ave perceive that mighty
shongh,s, ,nliagled with lears as. well us
with hopes, are struggling within him. =,
slle.heads q shor, procession over those then
ssseked fields; he crosses FOUNDER stream
on fallen tree; he ascends the top oil this
eulinence, whose original oaks oil the for
est stand rs thick around him as il The spot
hsd been devoted TO Druidical worship, and
there performs the appointed duty Of the
~day 9s.s ..s.s ss#{ "a.
And now, fellow cifzens. il' this, vision
were q realiiy-if Washington actually
were now e4aosest i,us-ahdsiif he could
draw around hiln Ihe7 shades Of ,the great
.public men Of bis own tday--pasriots and
warriors, Orators aatfstatesnueE-an were
10 addsess.usinI their presence, would be
not say--.,Ye men oi this generation, re,
,ice and thank God for being able TO see
that our, labars and tolls, and sacrifices
4ssess mol in vain. You are prosperous
-yoa are hnppy--you are grateful. The
fire vf liberty burns brightly and steadily
in your hearts,. while duty and the law
.res:rain il from bursting forth in wild and
destructive eolflagration. Cherish liberty
ans you love IL cherish its securities asyou
wish 70 preserve it Maintain Tie consii-
iaislon which We ,labored so painfully 10
ae.tdbksh, .sndswtSeh has been to you such
shssaprce Of ipestinabie blessings. Preserve
s-ihe union of The States. cemented as il was
by our praye our tears, and our blood
Be true to Il d, yoar scountry, and your
duty. So shah The whole Eastern world
follow The n,orning sun, 10 contemplate you
as q nation; so shall all succeeding genera
sians henar sou ms .tEey honor JUS; and so
ssh..H ,hut Almighty fowers which SO gra-
.aieusfy projected US, ard which now pro-
stects 5 Or shower his everlasting blessings
sspon you nnd your prosseri;y.o 3.