The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-11-27

under other conditions and through other institu-
LIONS, the cardinal principles of constitutional lib
The timesthat tried mems souls in this country
were rather in 1876 than in 1776, for the colonial
ability to win independence involved neither the
righteousness of the nor the character of the
people. The revolution had proved their valor, the
new situation tested their wisdom and without wis
dom the revolution had been in vain. By the conn
mon exertion, sacrificed and suffering, indepen-
dence had been achieved, the enemy had been ex-
PEELED, and the younger England Of the West had
| humbled the crowned and unnatural mother Eng
land upon the sea-girt throne. In this crucial mo
ment neglect or ignorance of the obvious and indis
penssole means of securing the common safety
strength and welfare, the apparent revelation Of
American incapacty to build national American
Commonwealth. might justly fill every generous
and patriotic heart with dismay. Yet if any Amer
to 1887, and doubted whether the men were equal
SPARED on the very of the assembly of the Con-
tinental Congress. "We have not men fit for the
times" he exclaimed; we are deficient in
thing" But scarcely had he written the words
than he fastened to take his part in that immortal
NO man Was I strong or S enough to do We'll did Jeffer
son call him the Colossus for upon his mighty and
indomitabe will be lifted the country to the Declar
dependence had been achieved, that national union
was possible? The leaders of the revolution, the
Sniels % OF tne Continental Congress sti lived Age
mad not dimmed their eyes nor chilled their hearts
nor wlthered their faculties. The work they had
Degun surely they were ready to complete, and the
States. wise enough and strong enough to bind
the American States into nation.
Nay even doubt was treachery For still he iy-
lin the prime OF glorious manhood he still lived
whose faith, and character, and courage when pa
triotism despared and hope expired had moved be-
bs % Of psr ts eT soad Dy 4 aa
see him. The whole scene is radiant with his pres
ence and his power. He was indeed, but one patri-
OF among patriots, and an ardent and ger eral
patriotism It was that marshaled Minute Men and
enrolled Sons OF Liberty. 1t was sublime popu-
lar daring that defied the British empire and made
good its defiance. Doubtless the American revelu-
zion was the work of the people, but it the
work OF 2 man. How can we conceive its heroic
prosecutionts triumphant issue without its leader?
Had he fallen at Trenton, bad he been captured by
Clinton had intrgues of selfish ambition prevailed
against him, had he not nerved-he alone-the hes-
tating army at Newburg, who dare doubt that the
vision of the zone far off divine event. that drew
The country through the war, would still have been
fulnlledr But what American does not know, and
spd4S9dIy own that the perpetual and inspiring as
the Joy Of the victory, the confidence of Congress-
the pride and hope of America was the character
OF Washington.
No voice for a powerful Union was earlier or
stronger more constant, than his. The fervor of
his conviction kindled the faith of the country.
Samuel Adams might hesitate, and Patrick Henry
doubt, but Washington was sure. Union alone had
won independence union alone could secure it,
Without union there was no common revenue no
common regulation of commerce, no settlement of
common territory, no common bond between ada
cent states. Instead of these there were discerd
anarchy and subjugation. y
Then, as in the passionate excitement but uncer-
tain movement of the early revolution, a paper
passed mysteriously from patriotic hand to hand
firing every patriotic heart with the magic motto,
JOIN or Die''; SO, in the air. electric with
national feeling 'Join or Dies became the burden
of the mighty chorus that rolled fl The heart
OF the people. 1t was resistless, like the demand
for independence ten years before. The convention
met. Washington, the good genius of union, was
its President. 1t framed the Constitution and sub
mittsd it to the people. For ten months the land
shook with the great debata rs a
and the conclusive argument for the Constitution
was that Washington would be the first President.
In this very street Alexander Hamilton met John
Lamb, the ardent leader of the Sens of Liberty
who distrusted the new scheme of government, and
Ti'n l a hssp was acs rsS
for to no other mortal would Ientrust authority
enormous" At length eleven of the thirteen
the jubilee of joy that followed as of a people
breaking deadly SPELL opposition silenced,
and the man who, like Moses, had led his country
through the Red Sea of armed strife, was sum
moned by the instructive love and perfect confidence
Of the whole people, to perform the miracle for
which they waited; and like a greater than Moses
to stretch forth his hand and raise the dead frame
of national union to life.
With that manly humility and modest simplicity
which always invested his greatness like the rosy
hus that sutfuses the awful summit of Mont Blanc
Washington writes in his diary the 10th OF Ap-
ril, 1888: about ten O'Clock bade adieu to Mt.
Vernon to private life and to domestic felicity, and
with a mind oppressed with more more anxious and
painful sensations than have words to express set
der service to my country in obedience to its call.
but with less hope of answering its expectation
From state 70 state from town to town ale1g that
INJURED with benedictions as he passed. Under lau-
relied arches and walking upon flowers, amid the
music OF bells, the thunder of canuon, the aeclama-
uons of tie people, the singing of hymns and the
eloquence of votive addresses, Washington at
last TO New York, and landed at the foot of this
street, amid such joyous exultation as New York
had never known. After week had passed. the
great object of his coming was to be accomplished
and on the Both of April, 1885, the procession at
tending the President moved from his house on
Franklin Square, through Pearl street TO Broad
and through Broad street to the spot upon which
We are now assembled.
Among the most imposing events in history must
always be accounted the SIMPLE ceremony which
was transacted here The human mind Graves
lofty 1gures for memorable scene, and loves to
decorate with fitting circumstance the fullment of
great affairs For this event all such conditions
satisfied The scene was set with very ample prep
aration of historic significance and patlotc sssocia-
tion with the most eminent actors, with the aus
lea offered no place more becoming, for no spot is
more conspicuously, more honorably, more
closely identified than this, with the history of
American liberty. The scene around US is mar
yellously changed indeed, from its ssspect in the
colonial, the provincial, the revolutionary city.
How transformed this street from the resort Of
fashion, the seat of the State government, the mod
eat residence of merchants, diplomatists, and
statesmen which was the Wall street of century
agoi Then the social and political heart of q small
and struggling community, it is the financial
nerve-centre Of continent. But if the vast COM
petitions and contentious of capital and enterprise
which involve the prosperity Of states and nations
have overlaid the plain scene of political strife
with field of cloth of gold, yet still the
haowed soil Is here. The swarming street is but
picture painted over. Beneath the ever shifting
characters of speculation and of eager trade nces
sanity traced upon this pavement of the modern
ord of old New York.
From the balcony of the hall that stood here the
Declaration of Independence was first read to the
l citizens of New York, and, although the enemys
Ceet had entered the harbor the people, they lis
tened, tore down the royal arms from the wal of
the hall and burned them in the street. their fiery
patriotism about to consume the royal power In
the province Here sat the Continental Congress in
| its closing days. Here John Jay prepared the in
| structions of John Adams the first American Min
lister to Great Britain, and here the Congress
ceived Sir John Temple. the first British Consul
General to the United States. Here, jefferson was
selected by Congress Minister to France aud here
1 Secretary Jay, with the same equable mind and
clear comprehension and unbending integrity that
afterwards illustrated the first exercise of the ju-
dicial power OF the Union, directed the foreign at
| fairs of the confederation. Here, also, when the
confederation disappeared, the first Congress of the
spring memories and kindling local associations
| fonder, almost within sound of my voice, still
stands the ancient and famous inn where the Com
mander-in-Chief tenderly parted with his officers
and there, over the way, where once modest man.
sion stood. the Federatist was chiefly written. The
very air about this hallowed spot is the air OF
American patriotism. To breathe it, charged with
l such memories is to be inspired with the loftiest
| human purpose and the noblest endeavor. By the
| dignifed and important historic evets was
this place dedicated to the ilustrous transaction
| which we commemorate to-day.
But the majesty of the event was not its circum
| stance, it was its import. people whose courage
| and endurance in the field and whose capacity Of
local self-government, had been amply tested wa,
here to take its place united republic beside,
| the ancient and powerful monarchies of Christer
| dom. 1t was to dc this amid the scornful distrusi
of the world, and involved in domestic jealousies
and vast and obscure internal perils. The hope o.
| success lay apparently in one man. revered and be
loved as no other man had ever been, and upon tht
successful issue of the trust to which he was her,
solemnly devoted. What scene in human histor,
transcends the grandeur and significance OF tha
conservation? Gazing upon this sculptured form
and remembering thai this the very hour anC
this the place of the sublime event; that here un
der the benignant arch of heaven, Washington ap
peared to take the oath of his great ofice-the al
Is hushed, the joyous tumut OF this glad day
| stilled the familiar scene fades from before ou
| eyes, and our awed hearts whisper within us; Pu
| off thy shoes from off thy feet for the place OF
| which thou stanuest is holy ground"
| The streets, the windows, the roofs, were throng
| ed with people, and drowning my feeble voice
| surely you can hear the vast and prolonged shou
that saluted the hero. Touched to the heart by tn
| affectionate greeting, he advanced 10 the railing
and placing his hand upon his breast, he bowed low
| and for a moment, overwhelmed by emotion, b
| stepped back amid sudden and solemn silence
| Then he arose, and coming forward, his majesti
| and commanding frame Stood upon the identics
| stone upon which / stand at this moment, an
| which fixed fast here beneath the statue will re