Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-07-14
MIR. WEBsTER's ORATION
On Laying Me Corner Stone Of tie Nea
CapitM at Washington.

stant, the Hon. Daniel Webster delivered
the following Grafton We copy from the
New York Herald, for which paper it W as
reported in full:
FELLOW CITIzENs:-I congratulate you
Il give you JOY on the return of this an
nlversary, and felicitate you also on the
more particular purpose of which this ever
memorable day has been chosen to wit
ness the ful6lment. Haill-All hail! /
see before and around me mass of faces,
glowing with cheerfulness and patriotic
pride. l see thousands of eyes turned to-
wards other eyes, all sparkling with graft
fication and delight. This is the New
World, this is America, and this is Wash
ington, the capital Of the United States
And where else, among the nations, can
the seat of government be surrounded, on
any day Of any year, by those who have
more reason to rejoice in the blessings
which they enjoyl This is the anniversa-
ry. of American Independence. This
bright and brilliant morning witnesses ano-
thcr return of the birthday of a nation, and
that nation, Of however recent origin, now
among the most considerable and power
ful, spreading over the continent from sea
to sea.
Among the first colonists from Europe
to this part Of America, there were some
doubtless, who saw great futurity, but,
in general, their hopes were limited to the
enjoyment of a safe asylum from tyranny,
religious and civil, and to respectable sub
sistenceby industry and toll. A thick veil
hid our times from their vision. But the
progress of America, however slow, could
not but at length awaken genius, and at
tract the attention of mankind. In the ear.
ly part of the last century, Bishop Berke-
ley wrote his well known verses on the
prospect Of planting arts and learning in
America. The last stanza seems high
poetlcal inspirations:
Westward the course of empire takes its way;
The four first acts already past,
fifth shall close the drama with the day;
Times noblest offspring is the last"
This extraordinary prophecy may be
considered only as the result of long fore
sight and uncommon sagacity; of fore.
sight and sagacity stimulated by excited
feeling and high enthusiasm The clear
vision Of what America would become,
was not founded on square miles, or on ex-
lsting numbers, or any vulgar laws of sta
tistics. 1t was anintuitive glance into futu.
rity; it was a grand conception, embracing
all time since the creation of the world,
and all regions of which that world is
composed; and by judging of the future by
just analogy with the past, and the mimi
table imagery and beauty with which the
expressed. joined to the concep-
ton itself, render it one of the most striking
passagesin our language. On theday of the
declaration oflndependence, our illustrious
fathers performed the first act in this drama:
an act, III real Importance infinitely exceed
ing that for which the great English poet
invoked
"A muse of FIRE,
kingdom for stage, princes TO act,
And monarchs to behold the swelling scene. 4"
The muse inspiring our fathers was the
genius Of Liberty, all on fire with the sense
OF oppression and resolution TO throw it
of; the whole world was the stage, and
higher characters than princes trod it; and
instead of monarchs, countries, and nations,
and the age, beheld the swelling scene.-
How well the characters were cast, and
how well each performer acted his part,
and what emotions the whole performance
excited, let history now and hereafter tell.
At subsequent period, but before the de-
claration of independence, the Bishop of
St. Asaph published discourse, in which
the following remarkable passages are
found:
at is difficult for man to look into the
destiny OF future ages-the designs of Pro-
violence are too vast and complicated, and
our own powers are too narrow, to admit
of much satisfaction to our curiosity. But
when we sec many great and powerful
causes constantly at work, wecannot doubt
of their producing proportionable effects
The colonies in North America have not
only taken root and acquired strength, but
seem fastening, with an accelerated pro.
gress, to such powerful State as may
introduce a new and important change in
human affairs Descended from ancestors
of the most improved and enlightened part
of the world, they receive, as it were, by
Inheritance, all the Improvements and dis
coveries of their mother country; and, it
happens, fortunately for them, to com
mcnce their ilourishing State alta time when
the human understanding has attained to
the free use of its powers, and has learned
to act with vigor and certainty. They
may avail themselves not only of the expe-
rence and industry, but even of the errors
and mistakes of former days. Let it be
considered for how many ages great part
ofthe world appears not TO have thought
at all; how many more they have been bu-
sled in forming systems and conjectures,
while reason has been lost in labyrinth of
words, and they never seem 10 have sus-
pected on what frivolous matters their
minds were employed. And let it be well
understood what rapid Improvement, what
important discoveries have been made in a
few years by few countries, with our own
at their head which have at last discover
ed the right method of using their faculties.
May we not reasonably expect that a
number of provinces possessed of these
advantages, and quickened by mutual en-
ulation, with only the common progress OF
the human mind, should very considerably
enlarge the boundaries of science. The
vast continent itself over which they are
gradually spreading may be considered as
a treasure, yet untouched, of natural pro-
ductions that shall hereafter afford ample
matter for commerce and contemplation
And if we reflect what a stock of knowl-
edge may be accumulated by the onstant
progress of industry and observation, fed
with fresh supplies from the stores of ma
ture, assisted sometimes by those happy
strokes Of chance which mock all the pow
ers ofinvention, and sometimes by those
superior characters which arise occasional
ly to instruct and enlighten the world, 1t Is
difficult even to imagine to what height Of