Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1851-07-17

element is that the law is the supreme rul,
for the government of ALL The great sent
iment of AlcRns, SO beautifully presented
to US by Sir William Jones, is absolutely m,
dspensable to the construction and main.
tenance of our political systems
"what constitutes st,te2
Not high ais'd biuenents or labof'l mound,
Thick wall or moited gate
Not cities proud with spires and turrots crown'd
! Not bays aud broad trm'd ports,
Where laughing Of the storm, rich nsyies ride
| Not siarr'd aud spanged courts,
Where los brow'd bnsenoss waits perfume 10 pride.
No -mon, highmnded men,
With powers fir above duh biutes enIuad,
IN forest, brake, or den,
A. bsas.' excel cold locks add brani5ics rude;
Med who their duties know
Bot know their rghi. and knowing, dare maintain ;
Pfeve nt the loas sm'd blow,
And crush she tyraat while they rend the chain.
Theso constitute State
And Sovereign Law, that States collected will,
O'er thrones aud globes elato
SITS empress, GROWING gool-rcprossiag H."
And, finally, another most important part
Of the great fabric of American liberty is.
that there shall be written constitutions.
founded on the immediate authority Of the
people themselves, and regulating and re-
stralning all the powers conferred upon gov.
eminent, whether legislative, executive or
judiciary. This, fellow citizens, suppose
to be Just summary Of onr American prn-
cipes; and have, on this occasion, sought
TO express them IN the plainest and Ia the
fewesi words. The summary may not be
entirely exact, but | hope it may be suiii-
ciently SO to make manifest to the rising
generation among ourselves, aud to those
elsewhere, who may wish to inquire into the
nature of our political institutions, and the
general theory upon which they ar founded.
And | now proceed TO add, that the strong
aud deep-seuleG conviction Of all intelligent
persons amongst us IS that ln order TO sup
port useful and WISE gorernment upon
these popular principles, the general educa-
ton Of the people, aud the WIDE diffusion
OF pure morality aud true religion are ln-
dispensabe. Individual virtue IS part of
public virtue. 1t is difficult to conceive
how there can remain morality IN the gov-
eminent when it shall cease to exist among
tie people, or how the aggregate of the po-
ltical institutions, all the organs of which
consist only of men, should be wise, and
beuehcent, and competent to inspire conh-
dence, If the opposite qualities belong TO
those individuals who Constitute those or.
gans and make up that aggregate. And
DOW, fellow citizens, take leave of tins
part Of the duty which | proposed to per-
iorm; aud once more iellcnlung yun and
myself that our eyes have seen the light OF
tins blessed morning, aud that our ears have
heard ,1e shouts Win winch Joyous lhous-
ands welcome It's return; and Joiniug with
you IN the hope mat every revolving year
shall renew these reloiclugs to the end Of
time, | proceed to address you, shortly, up
on the particular occasion Of our assembling
here to-day.
Fellow citizens BY the act Of Congress,
Of 30th September, 1889, provision was
made for the extension of the capitol ac-
cordIng TO such plan as might be approved
10y the President of the United States, aud
the necessary sums 10 be expended under
his direction by such architect as he might
appoint. This measure was imperailyely
demanded for the use of the legislative and
judiciary departments, public libraries, aud
the occasional accommodation Of the Chef
Executive Magistrate, and other objects
No act of Congress, lncurring large ex-
pendIture, has received more general appro-
baton from the people The President has
proceeded To execute this law lie has ap-
proved plan-he has appointed an archl-
tect, and all things are now ready for the
commencement of the work The ami
yersary of national independence appeared
to afford an auspclous occasion for laying
the foundation stone of the additional build
ing, that ceremony has now been performed
by the President himself, IN the presence
and view of this multitude. lie has thought
the day and the occasion made united aud
imperative call for some short address TO
the people here assembled and II is at his
request that have appeared before you to
perform that part OF the duty which was
deemed incumbent on US. Beneath the
stone is deposited, among other things,
list Of which will be published the follow
ing brief account of the proceedings of the
day, ia my hand writing -
son the morning Of the first day of the
seventy-slAth year of the independence of
the United States of America, in the CITY
of Washington, being the 4th day of July,
1851, tins stone, designed as the corner
stone of "the extension of the capitol, ac-
cordng to a plan approved by ihe Presd-
Ell" IN pursuance OF an act of Congress,
was laid by Mlllard Fillmore, President of
the united States, assisted by the GTand
Master of the Masonic Lodges, ia the pres
ence of many members OF Congress; of Of
hcers of the executive and Judiciary depart
ments, national, Stale, and district; OF Of
icers of the army aud navy, the corporate
authorities of this and nelghborlug Giles
many associations. civil aud military, aud
masonic; officers Of the Smithsonian lmsti-
tuition aud National Institute; professors of
colleges and teachers OF schools of the DIS
trict, with students aud pupils a vast con-
course OF people from places near aud re-
mote, including a few surviving gentlemen,
who witnessed the laying of the cornerstone
of the Capltol by President Washington, on
the 18th day OF September (I793) seven
teen hundred and nlneiy-lhree. II, there
fore, II shall be hereafter the will of God,
that tins structure shall fail from its base,
that It's foundations be upturneG, and the
deposit beneath this stone be brought TO the
eyes of men, be II then known that, on tins
day, the Union OF toe United States of A
meflca stands hrm-that their constitution
still exists unlmpaired, aud with all It's orig
inal usefulness aud glory, growing ever,
} day stronger aud stronger IN the affections