Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1859-01-14

put it out of our power to maintain care to maintain
any such relations with it. IF submission to any of its
whims assumptions be the price of its good opinion
then must be content to do without such good opn
ion, for we will pay no such price
ba The removal of the Senate of the United States
from its old Hall to the commodous and splendid
apartment which it is hereafter to occupy the
casion of evokng many historical "reminiscences
ted with the location of the seat of government in the
present district of Columbia the difficulties originally
encountered and which had again to be met and
come after the vandal act of the British army in 1914
when the public buildings were laid in ruins.
Senator Crittender made brief but eloquent speech
referring in most feeling language to the ilustrious
dead whose words of wisdom and patriotism had
ded through the old Hall, with which their memories
would continue to be allied in the hearts of their CRATE
full countrymen. Vice President Breckenridge, on be-
half of the committee of arrangements spoke at greater
length gancing briefly the shifting locations of the
seat of government or, rather the meeting places of
Congress, during the Revolutionary struggle and under
the Confederation, until its location at Philadelphia
after the adoption of the Constitution and its subsequent
removal to the present Federal District the selection of
which, with the carrying out of the necessary arrange
ments was largely due to the influence and exertions Of
President Washington. The Government of the United
States removed to the District of Columbia on the 18th
of November 1900, the Senate occupying wing and
the House the other wing of the Capitol On the Oath
of August, 1914, the British Army entered the City
and burned the public buildings. This was in the
cess When Congress next met its sessions were held
in brick building, known as Blodget's Hotel, which
stood part of the square now occupied by the Gener
al Post Office. Some public spirited citizens erected
more commodious building Capitol Hill, and tender
ed it to Congress the offer accepted and Congress
continued to occupy it until the wings of the capt.
tol were completed. The Senate occupied for the first
time, the chamber they have just vacated the 9Th
December 1872 and it has been the theatre of their
deliberations for more than thirty-nne years.
After referring to the history of the greater
participation than at the beginning, in legislation,
concession to the Importance and individuality of the
States-its growth in numbers, etc., Mr. Breckenridge
concludes with the following eloquent tribute to those
great men who have occupied seats in that body, but
who have since gone to their account:
The Senate is assembled for the last time in this cham
ber Henceforh it will be converted to other yet
must remain forever connected with great events, and
sacred to the memories of the departed orators and states
who have engaged in high Debates and shaped the
policy of their country Hereafter the American and
stranger they wander through the Capitol will turn
with instructive to view the spot which
many and great materials have accumulated for history
They will recall the images of the great and the good
whose renown is the common property Of the Union
and chiefly, perhaps they will nger around the seats
occupied by the mighty three whose names apd fame
associated in edeath has not yet been able to sever
ilusrious men, who in their generation sometimes dyi
cd led nuhic
for they of that higher class of statesmen who
seek the right and follow their convictions.
There sat Calhoun, the Senator-infexible austere,
oppressed, but not overwhelmed by his deep Of
the importance of his public functions seeking the
truth, then fearlessy following it; whose unspar
ing intellect compelled all his emotions to harmonic
with the deductions of his rigorous logic and whose no
BILE counenance habituay wore the expression of
engaged in the performance of high public duties
This was Webster's seat. He, too, was every inch
Senator, Conscious OF his vast powers he reposed
with confidence on himself and scornng the continuance
of smaller men, he stooq among his peers all the greater
for the simple dignity of his senatorial demeanor Type
of his northern home, he rises before the imagination n
the grand and granite outline of his form and intellect
like grand New England rock, repelling a New
England wave. AS writer his productions will be
cherished by statesmen and scholars while the English
tongue is spoken. AS senatorial orator. his great
efforts historically associated with this chamber,
whose very air yet to ybrae beneath the strokes
of his deep tones and his weghty words.
On the other circle, sat Henry Clay, with his impet-
and ardent nature untamed by age and exhibiting
in the Senate the vehement patriotism and pas
sonate eloquence that of yore electrified the House of
Representatives and the country His extraordinary
personal endoWments, bis courage-a his noble quail
ties, invested him with ap individuality and charm of
character which, any age, would have made him ia
vorte of history He loved his country above all earth
ly objects. He loved liberty in all countries Ilustr
GUS man Orator, patriot and phianthPopist-w
light at its meridian and felt in the remotest
parts of the civilized world and whose declining sum- as
it FASTENED down the West threw back its lovely beams
iu hues of melowed spendor to illuminate and to cheer
the land he loved and served so well.
All the States may point with greateful pride to the
services in the Senate Of their patriotic sons Crowd
ing the memory, come the names of Adams, Hayne
Mason Otis, Macon, Pinckney and the rest cannot
number them-who in the record of their acts and ut
terances appeal to their to give the Union
destiny not unworthy of the past. What models were
these to awaken emulation, or to plunge in despair p
Fortunate will be the American statesmen who In this
age or in succeeding times shall contribute to invest
the hall to which go with historic memories like
those which cluster here.
And now, Senators, we leave this memorable cham
Der, bearing with unimpaired, the Constitution we
received from forefathers Let cherish it with
grateful acknowledgment to the Divine Power who con-
trolls the destnies of empires and whose goodness we
adore The structures reared by men yield to the zorro
ding tooth Of time These marble walls must modlder