The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-08-25
THE PLYMOUTH MONUMENT.
Speech of Governor Chase, of Ohm


Speech of Governor Chase, of Ohio.
The cornerstone of the monument TO the
memory the Pilgrim Fathers was laid at Plym-
outh, Massachusetts,, or the I'd inst. Among
the speeches made at the dinner upon the oc-
easion was the following happy and appro-
pirate one by Hon. Salmon z. Chase, of Ohio
M. President, Ladies, and Gentleme,, of Mas.
sdchuSettS: When l came here today. II was
with no other purpose than to manifest nv dis
position to cooperate with you in rearinr a
monument to the memory of our PILGRIM
Fathers. l came with no prepared speech, with
no set phrase, but with a heart brim full of love
to New England and her institutions. Not for
New England alone, but for New England "a
part oil our common country, embalmed I'm
all our hearts Applause. |, sir, desired to
take my humble part in testfyinp. tbrougbstbis
enterprise IN which You are engaged TO-DAY. to
the worth of those who have gone before us,
ieel, as you Massachusetts men can hardly feel
the worth oitheir great example, for come from
a state which was peopled by the descendants Of
lhe PlgrmS-the corner stones Of whose pros.
Perity were laid BY men who were nurtured in
New England, and who partook largely of the
spirit Of New England.
Geu have laid here to-day the cornar.s,o,o
oil monument which is to commemorate the
landing of the Pilgrims and the institutions oC
which they land the foundations but while the
Mayllower came from the Old World lreigbted
WIN empire, with institutions, with laws. with
order, and, last and best with Freedom
plause there was in l7SS to be seen. wendinr
ITS way from amoug the hills of Berkshire towards
the setting sun, some rude wagons. i'm which "a
IN the Mayllowcr OF 1920, were garnered the des-
times OF the mighty West. Ii was \ son or
massachusetts, n patriot of the Revolution. n
soldier enjoying the confidence of Washington
VINO gathered about him a few Massachusetts
ana Connecticut men, and emgrated in 1888
to the shores of the beautiful Ohio. and there
laid the foundations Of new Plymouth. Ar
Marietta, on the banks of the Ohio, Rufus Put
nam and has associates commenced the great
work OF Western civilization, and on that dav.
let me say to you, they laid the foundations of n
monument brighter than any you can rear here.
'hough you pile stone upon stone until it
reaches the sky.
heritage OF ali tiial inigntS region 95rc.ea ..gs
forever-in laying, | say, the foundations of
such a State, they performed work greater
than any which has been performed to-day, or
which can be performed, by the laying Of all
the monuments the world. Applause. Ohio
herself, deriving her institutions from the saga
alone, but also from the concurrent wisdom Of
all the statesmen OF the day, North and South
Ohio, receiving the first impress of her civil
cation from the united wisdom of the whole
country, stands to-day as 4 type of the Union
such as our fathers made it, and such as,
hope in God 1t may be yet. Applause. We
are, Mr.. President, a people gathered from
many lands. AS yet, our institutions are the
work of all our fathers. We have no narrow,
no sectional, no bigoted spirit. We welcome
the American, from whatever country he may
come, and there we unite as brother with broth
er, Virginia has contributed her share Mas
sachusetts has contributed her share Connec-
ticut has furnished part of our population,
and South Carolina has furnished another part.
From the Green Isle of the Ocean, from the
banks of the Rhine, from every quarter of the
world, we welcome those whose love of liberty
and free institutions direct them to our shores !,
and in doing SO, we build monument worthy
Of the descendants of the Pilgrims. Applause.
But Ohio p only the cornerstone. New
States are to be added one by one these stones
are to be laid in their place, the living stones
of a glorious monument. When the end will
be, no man can foresee. But we in Ohio are
accustomed to look upon this Union as indis-
soluble, and as forever linked with liberty. We
in Ohio look forward to the time when stone
after stone will be laid upon that foundation,
until State after State shall form part of this
monument, and the whole ocean-bound limits
of the North shall be portions of the structure.
Cheers.
We are indebted, let me here say, to New
England, not merely for much in the original
foundation of our institutions, but we are in
debted in some part also to New England for
the care with which these institutions have been
| reared. We are indebted to New England for
our system of common schools, and for much
of our religious culture and our literary attain
ment; and should be unjust TO my own feel
| ings, it, seeing here my venerable friend, whom
| knew in Cincinnati, DR.. Beecher,) who con-
tributed so much to the foundation of the West
ern world, who, as has been quantity said, is
the father of more brains than any other man
| in America, laughter, if l did not take this
opportunity to tender to him, a son l believe of
Connecticut, but an honored citizen of Massa-
chusetts my cordial thanks for the part which
| he has played in the formation Of Western NOR
ais and Western manliness. Loud applause |
! We find in Ohio virtue, which has l believe
| a New England name, and it goes under the
denomination Of pIssck. Laughter And TO
that virtue as well as to sthers, New England
teachings have contributed a very large share.
But | must not detain you. have already
| said more than intended when / rose. Let
me close, then, by expressing my great gratifi-
cation in all that have seen to-day. | have
been gratGed and greatly gratfed, by the
sentiments which your worthy Governor has so
eloquently announced. | have been more than
gratifed by seeing a spectacle such as | doubt
whether any spot other than this rock of Plym
outh, could exhibit--so many intelligent men
so many lovely women, gathered together for
so noble purpose. And let me say that
trust this monument will be built much sooner
than the distant time 10 which our excellent
friend, the Governor, has alluded.
| want to SEQ it built in much less than a
quarter Of century, for do not know that
some of us will be here a quarter Of century
hence to witness its completion. We have
been in the habit Of doing things great deal
| quicker out in Ohio; we do not like to put OF
anything that is worth doing to so distant a
day,
While / concur in the remark Of his Excel
lency, that it is the duty of everybody to give
his mite to the monument, perhaps l should
spell it a little differently -m-i-g h-t-give that
kind OF MITE to the monument. Laughter aud
! loud applause. Then the monument viii b