The southern press., 1851-07-09
ling, ard tiod grant that it may thus con.


g On other shores, above their saoudsring towns 4
Ia suen pomP the tall cathedral trowns
simple and trail, our lowly temples throw
Their s!eader shadows ON the paths below
Scarce steals the wind, that sweeps the woodland
track,
The larch's perfume from the settlers axe,
Ere, like vision OF the morning air,
His sligh-iraasd s'eepe marks the house Of prayer
ct Faiths pure hymn, beneath its shelter rude,
Breathes out sweetly 10 the tangled wood,
As where the rays though blazing oriels pour
On marble shaft and tcsscllatcd floor"
Who does not admit that this unparalleled
growth of prosperity and renown is the result,
under Providence, of the Union of these States,
under general Constitutio' :, which guarantees
to each State republican form of government
and to every man the enjoyment OF life, liberty
and the pursuit OF happiness, free from civil
tyranny or ecclesiastical domination!
To bring home this idea to the present occa-
sion, who does not feel that, when President
Washington laid his hand on the foundation of
the first Capitol building, he performed a great
work Of perpetuati.n of the Union and the
Constitution Who does not feel that this seat
OF the general government healthful in its situa-
ton, central in its position, near the mountains
from whence gush springs Of wonderful virtue,
not far from the bays and the great estuaries of
the sea, easily accessible and generally agreeable
ia climate and association, does give strength
to the Union Of these States; that this city,
bearing an immortal name, with its broad streets
and avenues, it's public squares and magnificent
edifces Of the general government erected for
the purposes of carrying OIL within them the i'm
portunt business Of the servcral departments !;
for the reception of wonderful and curious in
ventons, the preservation of the records ofAme-
rican learning and genius; of extensive colec
tions of the products of nature and art, brought
hther for study and comparison from all parts
of the world adorned with numerous churches,
and sprinked over, am happy to say, with
many public schools, where all children Of the
city, without distinction, are provided with the
means Of obtaining good education; where
there are academies and colleges, professional
schools and public libraries, should continue to
receive, IA it has heretofore received, the foster
ing care of Congress, and should be regarded as
the permanent seat of the national government.
Here, too, citizen of the great republic of let
ters, a republic which knows not the metes and
bounds of political geography, has indicated pro-
phetcally his conviction that America is to ex-
ercise wide and powerful influence in the in,
telectual world, and therefore has founded in
this city, as a commanding position in the field OF
science and literature, and has placed under the
guardianship of the government, an institution
"for the increase and diffusion Of knowledge
among men"
With each succeeding year new interest is
added to the spot it becomes connected with nil
the historical associations of our country, with
her statesmen and her orators, and alas its
cemetery is annually enriched with the ashes Of
her chosen sons
Before us is the broad and beautiful river,
separating two of the original thirteen States,
and which late President, man of determined
purpose and nfiexible will, but patriotic heart,
desired to span with arches of ever-enduring
granite, symbocal of the firmly cemented union
of the North and the Sonth. That President
was General Jackson.
On its banks repose the ashes Of the Father
of his Country, and at our side, by singular
facility of position, overlooking the city which
he designed, and which bears his name, rises to
his memory the marble column, sublime in its
simple grandeur, and fifty intended TO reach a
loflier height than any similar structure on the
surface Of the whole earth.
Let the voiivc offerings of his grateful coun-
trymen be freely contributed to carry higher and
still higher this monument May say, as on
another occasion, q Let it rise let it rise, till it
meet the sun in his coming let the earliest
light of the morning gild it, and parting day
inger and play on its summit"
Fellow Citizens, what contcmplations are
awakened in our minds rs we assemble here to
re enact scene like that per formed by WASH
INGToY! Methinks | see his venerable form
now before me, as presented in the glorious
statue by Houdon, now in the capitol of Vir-
ginia He is dignfed and grave; but concern
and anxiety seem to soften the lineaments of
his countenauee. The government over which
he presiies is yet in the crisis Of experiment
Not free from troubles at home, he sees the
world in commoton and in arms all around him.
lie sees that imposing foreign powers are half
disposed to try the strength Of the recently
established American government. We per-
ceive that mighty thoughts, mingled with fears
as well as with hopes, are struggling within
him. He heads short procession over these
then naked fields; he crosses yondcr stream on
"A fallen tree; he ascends to the top of this emf
nence, whose original oaks Of the forest stand
as thick around him as if the spot had been de
voted TO Drudcal worship and here he per-
forms the appointed duty of the day,
And now, fellow citizens, if this vision were a
reality; if Washington actually were now
amongst us, and if he could draw around him The
shades of the great public men Of bis own days,
patriots and warriors, orators and statesmen
and were to address you in their presence, would
he not say to MS, Ye men of this generation
| rejoice and thank God for being able TO see
that cur labors, and tolls, and sacrifices, were
not in vain. You are prosperous, you are happy,
you are grateful the fire of liberty burns
brightly and steadily in your hearts, while DUTY
and the LAW restrain il from bursting forth in
wild and destructive conhagration. Cherish
liberty, as you love it, cherish its securities as
you wish to preserve it, Maintain the Consttu-
ton which we lsbored so painfully to establish,
and which has been to you such source Of in
estimable blessings. Preserve the union of The
States cemen'ed as 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 con.
template you rs a nation; so shall all succeed
ing generations honor you, as they honor us
and so shall that Almighty Power which so gra-
ciously protected US, and which now protects
you, shower its everlasting blessings upon you
o,,1 f.s,ts,