Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-05-17

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'e.r aai q r NEW {
9Ht1h hHs 80 Too A'H ~ :
is under an Illuminated arch-way {
in which was inscribed in golden letter
ID "The defender Of our mothers will
Is the protector of the daughters, /" he W,
ID met by the matrons of the city leadir
m their little daughters bcdecked wit
n garlands Of flowers, and singing Il
praises Of the Chicftain MS they strewc
Of their floral tributes in his pathwa,
o. No scene in this great mans careS
ic was to him more touching and impre
e sivc than this manifestation of Il,
l. gratitude which the mothers of th
I land felt II their privilege to bcsto,
6 upon him for. the gallant defense b
II had made Of the rights OF the Colonies
n The warm-hearted Virginiaps, a
d they ever have been, delighted to homo
d their favoritc citizen, and as early a
n 1884 the Legislature Of that Stat
d passed q resolution ordering a statu
5 of Washington of the i'finest marbl
; and the best workmanship" as monu
Q mcnt Of affection and gratitudcto tn
0 man who had with combined heroisu
0 and patriotism rendered bis name dea
: to all bis fellow-citizens. The statu,
was executed by Houdon, and nov
. stands in the Capitol grounds at Rich
! mond. But the Mother Of tho Presi
dents, not satisfied with one statue o.
her gallant son, on the 22d Of Februa
J ry, 1858, inaugurated with imposing
ceremonies q second one, executed by
Crawford, q native artist, in the same
city. $40 81 01l o1s ~
But Virginia was not alone in her
zeal TO do him honor. Her patriotic
sister States, Maryland and, North
Carolina, both We'd with her in perpet-
uating the memory and achievements
OF Washington. And indeed, all
through the Union the same patriotic
spirit made itself manifest in erecting
monuments as memorials of gratitude
and respect to his memory. 'f'i
Mr.. Speaker, | am unwilling to be-
lieve that the Centennial Congress of
1876 is any less patriotic than those of
its predecessors who have recommend
ed appropriations for the completion of
this National Monument to the men,
ory of Washington. / am unwilling
to believe that the patriotism which
led our fathers to deeds of glory and
victory has departed, and that we are
but tho degenerate sons of noble sires.
God forbid that the day shall ever
come when we shall forget the noble
band that laid their lives upon the al
tar OF their country's safety as sac
rificial Offering in the hour of danger
and peril. / will admit that in our
busy age we have done too little to
perpetuate their glory, but there is no
more fitting time and no more fitting
occasion than this to kindle anew the
half smouldering fires Of patriotism
whose embers with single favoring
breath will kindle into new flame
that will dazzle with its effulgent glow
all the patriotic ardor Of past ages. |
have too much faith in the American
people, too much faith in American pa.
triotism, too much faith in the patriot
ism of the members of this House, the
representatives Of the American peo-
pie and Of American patriotism, 70
think that they will permit our Gem
tennial year TO pass without taking
such steps in favor Of the completion
of this National Monument to Wash
ington as will change it from monu-
ment of our disgrace, as it now stands
in its unfinished condition, to monu-
ment representing that patriotism and
public spirit which shall ever preserve
our free institutions and perpetuate to |
the remotcst ages the benefits Of our
free Government.
i The patriotism of the nation is not
dead. The year 1876 will yet witness
such an ou.burst of this sentiment
among the American people as the
world has never before seen. The
same spirit that animated tho heroes of
q hundred years ago on the battle
fields of Monmouth and Princeton and
Yorktown is as strong in the breasts
of our people to-day as it was a centu-
ry ago, But this is essentially time
of peace, and the world witnesses a
sight in the celebration of our Centen-
NAL Anniversary in this coming to-
gcther and fraternal mingling Of all
nations TO join with us in our jubilee
such as the most sanguine of us never
Jared to dream Of And now that
France and England and Japan Join
with us, now that the nations of the
'arth come together and foes are lost
md forgotten in the kindly feeling
which brings all to our land to unite
With us in our rejoicing, shall we for
,et to arouse anew the love and vener-
ltion for our country and for the no.
'le men who established the nation ? ,
Dare we forget that we this year en-
er upon the beginning of a new centu- 1
y, and that our institutions are safe /
My when the spirit of love for our ,
ountry is instilled into the heart of 9
very American youth? Dare we for /
,et that the youth OF to-day will take 4
ur places in the generations to come, h
nd that they will be the conservators {
{ the future interest and future wei. S
ire OF our common country Let il b
YER be our pleasant duty to hold be- @
're thcm those brilliant examples
lhich in our own boyhood and youth /,
lied our hearts with patriotic ieryor :
> we read the records of our early +
history. 4
In the design for tho National Mon. II