The Washington union., 1858-02-23

cate that he either calling the object that had just
struck his eyes the notice of his companions, or
giving acommad 10 be executed at the spot to which
he points The figure is erect the chest thrown forward
the knees pressed to the saddle the heel nearly beneath
the shoulder and the sole Of the foot almost horizontal
The seat isa military and not hunting scat, aud the
whole imprcsscs the mind with the idea Of perfect ease
calnness, aud command" 30 says G. L. II. James, the
novelist who should be judge.
CLOSING rssrivITIss
State banquet was provided at the custom house
for the governor the legislature the State guests and
other distinguished individuals Tho knights Templars
dncd at Cernthian Hail. where the brcthrcn Of the
mystic tie had refreshments provided throughout the
day The military well cared for and the citizens
exercised prodignl hospitality
At eight clock grand illumination was generally
commenced and kept up until ten with blazing bonircs
at various points. There has been illumination in
Richmond since that In 1880, the occasion Of the
three days revolution Some of the tanspaencies
admirably executed.
DISTINGUISHED euEsrs.
Among the many distinguished persons present wero
Governors Floyd and Brown, of the cabinet; Gov. Hol
ley, of Connecticut Gov. Howell Of New Jersey Lieut.
General Scott, Brigadier Generals Harncy and Smith,
Col Faunteroy, 1t Col Lay Major selden Captains Ma
grudcr, Van vlict and Iill with other officers Of the
United States army Edward Everett of Massachusetts
VIM Il. Yancy, of Alabama w. c. Rives John A. Wash
ington, and Col L. w. Washington. Mrs Crawford tthc
widow Of tho SCULPTOR also in Richmond guest
of the State accompanied by her two eldest daughters
SENATOR HUNTERS GRAFTON
FELLow 1t must indeed bo great occasion
which collects this vast asscbagc of people, and which
surrounds the with many circumstances of pomp
and pageantry. The chief magistrate of Virginia the
members of her general assembly the judges Of her high
est courts law and these, her sons and daughters stand
here the hosts TO receive honoed guests high func
onaries of the federal the representatives
Of the sister States who fill their chief of power
home and abroad, and these gttering files Of citizen
soldery
The State of Virginia this day responds to the demands
of world wide sympathy for shrine to which pilgrims
from all the earth may resort to offer their oblatons of
love, gratitude, and admiration to the memory of her
greatest son. and where the Imagination may refresh its
conception Of that grand and noble character by the
sensible impression Of the around 1t. She Is
about to discharge the last duty which she to that
memory by celebrating it in yet another form of history
whose monuments incorporate and make sensible to future
generations the conceptions which its writings have fixed
impcrishably in the mind of man To do this she builds
wondrous structure which speaks of the arts and
power of those who made it than of the life and charac
ter which it was designed to commemorate. She
vast pile like those in whose mysterious depths the
ages they fled have buried their memories well
their dead and which longer tell the tale that they
were designed to transmit, nv was proudly supposed
from generation to generation, until the cpos of human
ty closed She seeks remote valley to found her
rock hewn metropolis whose silent and awful chambers
they lie shroudcd in mystery and night, perpetuatc
nothing but the idea of death-mQking that more
sensible by the gloom in which they are clothed But
she has appealed to the hand of of the highest
of the arts to restore in form at least the type Of
that temple which none but the Master Workman
| can rebuild, and in which dwalt the soul of
her much-lovcd She has invoked the mid of human
genius, which cannot indeed relume that form with
the Promethean spark SO as to impart the charm of
life and the grace of motion but which reflect through
its clear mirror the rays of that spirit light which
made the human face divine and which yctgive
living expression to marble or to bronze And 10! there
stands its work "1e animated bus" " untenanted, 1t is
true, by the ''fcetng breath, but mighty studyan
incorporate tale, which speaks, and OH how much not
only of that consummntc character which IL formed
express but also of him who made it, of that bright ge-
MUS who having married mortal to immortal name
like of those victims of uncarthy love of whom poets
sing has pcrshed In giving birth to the mighty conception
with which it eemed His chsel now r,sts beside the moul
derng hand which welded it with almost creative
power But the work of his genius will live, and his
name connected with one which die will be
borne through succeeding the vine is supported by
| the oak which it crowns and adorns. They will live to-
getherand long may that union of grace and strength
| endure
This day eincntly appropriate to the occasion which
we celebrate. 1t this day which gave birth to him
who not only irst in war, first in peace, and first in
the hearts of his ieowctzens, but whose is the
representative Of perhaps the greatest epoch in hui
history OF a] human natviics there is other
which connects itself largely with the destiny OF
| men IL this day hundred and twenty SIX
years ago that Washington was born in Wcstmorcand
county the of simple country gentleman No peal
ing artillery proclaimed his advent into the world No
churches reouded with the ~ Dc, and procession OF
priests and mobiles paused bcndcd knee to thank God
for the event which continued the succession of mpe-
rial dynasty neither FEE nor holiday, public
oicing marked for him the expectation with which is
ceivcd The birth of of the princes of the earth We
do not know how far the mother dared to hope or
whether she dreamed of for him than the common
success of life How little prcscient is In that
humble chamber was cradled the minister of destiny.
There reposcd the infant In whose future Ia
bc garncrcd of mans hopes for progress and Inn
fore and there too, folded hands that the rod OF
empire might have swayed if in heart and head he had
| not been too elevated to desire it,
| Here in many other instances, Providence ap-
pears to have left public expectation at fault in regard to
its instruments The very accidents of his position
to have been arranged with design to train and dscip
line him for the great struggle of his life At time
with HIMSELF and supposed perhaps, to be more
fortunately crcumstanced pursuing their studies
in the halls of learning, he surveying lands in The
wilderness AT the age of sixteen he already clothed
with the duties and responsibilities of manhood, and
bravcd the pcrs aud difficulties of that wild mode of life
Thus early Injured to danger and hardship and thrown
upon his individual to encounter them the
perence of his life must have served to strengthen and
elevate his character 1t taught him presence of mind IL
the face OF DANGER and self reliance in the midst of
expected difficulties and trials Nor these the only
teachings of his forest life For, doubtless in that close
communion with Nature and himself he learned lessons
Of manly virtue and derived that knowledge of the Sc
cret springs Of action which essential to thorough
acquain tance with human nature in general Nor coult