The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-09-20

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ing. this great concourse has been graft
fed by the spectacle of those imposing
offices performed by the benevolent or
der of Ancient and Accepted Masons.
Our ewes have seen the species OF coin,
the specimens OF currency, and the sam
pies of public printing in vogue nj the
present, cotiined in the contracted cell
beneath that ponderous rock, there 10
slumber until resurrec.ed in the course
of nature By that decay or change that
time in its march always and inevitably
operates, to rest there until in all human
probability, when revealed, they shall
meet the gaze of generations yet unborn,
and at a period when the night of death
shall long previously have darkened the
vision of all animated beings now living
at time, too, when naught but these
"hiIl.. rock-ribbed ant ancient as the sun,
shall remain spectators of their resurrec-
ton. To that day and 10 that people these
mute and motionlcSs oraclcs Will speak
the language, declare the medium OF eN-
change. and to an extent, proclaim the
manner and customs of the people by
whom they were confined. Moreover in
our presence has been located the lnty
stone on whose outer service has been
cLiselcd the names Of the existing Prts
dent of the Nation, Of His ExccIIcncy,
the Governor of the State, and Ills Honor,
the Mayor of the city, with the design OF
announcing to the men of the coming
ages. the political and municipal
officers Of the pre-ent, together
II. l.l, Of,
ernments; alike city, State and Ma
tiona. Surely these must prove evil
dence Of exceeding interest tothc curious
children of the future; communications
of supcrlative Importance to those who
shall withdraw them from the mu,,v
mausoleum into which they were deposit
ed by hands which shall long ere that
have been returned to litclcss shapelcss
dust. More gladly would the archucOlo-
gst of this age, accept such lcglble and
lucid kilograms from the hidden abode,
of granite to she'd light adowu the din
vista through which we are compelled TO
look into the far far of past in our al.
most unaldrd efforts to solve the mighty
problem a. to who and what were the
aborigincs of this, our own bright land
And we behold, also, the foundation OF
this grand public cdiice with promise
OF great proportions and grand archI.
lecture and real beauty, rising under the
efficacy Of the philosophical citizens
of our own Wheeling, procaiming to
the present the ever active and the living
present, the genius and cutcrprs, Of
her worthy sons inviting and encourage
ing all, the merchant, the mechanic and
the man of letters, to make her mar.s the
theatre of his traffic and her precincts the
scene of his home and happiness, for by
nothing is the prospect OF II city 50 cor
rcctly estimated and the character
of her people So accurately asccr-
taiEcd as by the number and style
of sour public buildings, whether they
be the more private marts for trade or
the more essentially public cdIiiccs for
churches, courts, councils or assemblies
Indeed, what has been in the respective
histories of Athens, Sparta Rome, Cur
thagc and Babylon, d"nOminatcd, and
appropriately too, rs the Architectural
AYE were the ones in which the arts and
science tluurishcd most. In those DAYS.
when they had the most costly and the
greatest number Of public supcrslrur.
lures they had their highest standard
and their greatest advancement in phi.
losophv.
However, ladies and gentlemen, this /,
not only public building, but for the
present ut least, and 50 long Us the law
making power may choose, it is to be-
utilized for most important Of ali pub
lie ciiiiccs for State House the Capitol
OF West Virginia, which, taken ut the
time at which It is about to be completed
furnishes volumes for thought and
reflection along with facts Of great prac-
teal value rs We are ut the point of
century from the birth Of our govern
mrnt.
1t j. by the records OF the past and the
aspects Of the pre-; cut that We are enabled
t. pioguosticnte the future. The lamp of
experience and history sheds the only
light by which we can Guidc our feet in
the otherwise lmpenetrab.c gloom of the
future. The errors described bv eXpcr-
renee and the annals OF DAYS gone by.
furnish more valuable lessons thun the
trumps of which they likewise speak.
Our defeats are more beneficial than bauc-
full The struggles Of yesterday make us
stronger to-day, and our failures OF to-
day make us more wise, wary and watch
ful tomorrow. Knowing the rock upon
which we have once split an absence OF
even stupidity would lead Us to avoid it
on another voyage.
Passing over the lessons which are
plain. and which simple Inspection dis.
closes as viSable to the mcancSt under
staudng. so clear that he who runs NAV
read, it certainly cannot be improper for
me to say that we in the State of West
Virginia, have encouragement from.
and are under obligation by reason OF the
past, to emulate and if possible exceed.
the grandeur Of that past. We are
shurers in the glory and participants
in the reputation of that grand
old State from which we were discover
ed. and of which we once formed
u part. The magic. mi5hty con-
straint which operates unseen upon the
po,terIty to transmit unimpaired not
only the blessing but the fair name Of
the anccstor-tnc same influence that
would lead Us to preserve untarnIshci
the f4ir fame OF our family, compels Us
to guard with sacred care and Argus
ewes the proud character of our mother
aud sister State of Virginia. We Will
do so and Will not let it be sad If Us is
has been of others that their stars were
like stars in the water only there because
of their bright original, in the heavens.
Truly may We aver that no fear need
he unprecedented on account of the differ
ences of the past among ourpeopI"--thcy
have been healed, and they have shaken
hands across the bloody chasm, which is
now RAPIDLY filling up to'cyer. Tn" dill
frreuces have been adjusted with ease by
demanding no concessions upon the part
OF either, but by each acknowledging the
honesty of the other, and leaving the
question Of who was actually right to the
God of the Universe Thu, decided, all
have joined hands and united heart, to
labor earnestly and do NIL in their power