The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1885-02-28
Things At The Capital,



II was National event and ] may say
the whole nation united in expression of
joy and gratitude over the completion of
the memorial The ceremonies brought
to the Capitol military and civic organi-
Mtions from every part Of the country.
II is contamination which, ten years
ago seemed not likely to occur during
the present century. To-day it is per-
frctcd structure, piercing the sky, the
highest monument ever raised by human
hands. and it will be wonder and de
light forever, to all who gaze upon it.
The dcdicatory program was admirl-
bly, carried out, both at the Monument
and at the Capitol. The procession pre-
scented a splendid appearance ON the
smooth, cleanly swept floor of Pennsyl-
yania Avenue, and finer military dis
play has seldom been seen, even in this
city of memorable pageants At the
head of the line, mounted on Il fine black
horse, and envelopcd in large black
cloak, rode the general Of the Army,
Little Phil Sheridan" followed by four
Aids, General Ayers marshalled anoth-
or division of the procession, and Gencr-
al Fitz-IIugh Lee, on large bay stallion
brought up another. President Arthur
followed about midway in the procession
He was in an open carriage, the only one
in the line drawn by four horses. He
was cheercd and jeered along the route.
One uncouth individual shouted, "hello
Chef, old boy, am sorry | can't go fish
ing with you next SIMMER" The sun
shown upon the celebration, but the win
ter wind was piercing The crowds ON
the streets Rugged the lee-side of the
buildings in their efforts to keep COM
Portable, and seemed far more DESTROYS
of witnessing the military display than
the ceremonies. The program ut the
base of the Monument comprised
prayer; remarks embodying a history of
the Monument by w. W. Corcoran, the
first Vice President of the Monument
society; Masonic ceremonies remarks by
Col. Casey, the engineer of the Commits
sion delivering the Monument to the
President of the United States, and the
dedication of the Monument to the name
and memory Of George Washington by
the President. senator Sherman pre-
sided and prefaccd his introductions by
saying no one was expected to take off
his hat, not even the speakers. The wind
came to the Monument from every point
of the compass; from Virginia across the
frozen Potomac on one side, and across
icy Babcock lake on the other, and the
crowd seated on the grand stand kept
their feet moving to get warm. At the
close of President Arthur's speech, the
asscmblagc broke into cheers and at
signal froms the chairman, Senator Shcr-
man, the military wheeled into line, the
civic bodies and distinguished particle
pants in the proceedings Of the day
sought their carriages, and the pageant
proceeded To the Capitol There it was
reviewed by the President from the East
front aud dismissed The procession
was an hour in passing point, there be-
ing about five thousand persons in line
The program at the Capitol was us follows
Prayer of pastor of Pohick Church, near
Mount Vernon; Grafton by Hon. Robert
Winthrop, of Massachusetts, Grafton by
Hon. John W. Daniel of Virginia, and
bencdiction by the chaplain of House of
Representatives, Among the favored
two thousands who were invited by tick
ct to these proceedings, were the surviv-
ing kindred of Washington, thirteen of
whom bear his name. They came in
body together, and naturally attracted
curious observation.
The history of the National Monument
is almost coeval with that of the Repub-
lie itself for at the close of the revolution
the subject of erecting Il memorial TO the
I General of the Revolutionary Army, was
brought up in Congress. The corner
/ stone was laid on the fourth of July, lS4S
/ in the presence Of President Taylor, both
/ Houses of Congress, and vast concourse
of people. Al the outbreak of the war
it had reached the heigh of $50 feet. But
there it stood for years and years, forlorn
and neglected, and while standing thus
it settled an inch or two out Of the per-
pcndicuar This obliquity was correc-
ted by one of the most remarkable engin-
ecring feats ever performed; a new foun-
daton of broken stone and cement being
placed under the entire structure. Hun
dreds of tons of weight have since been
added, but it has not swcrved hair from
the line. The structure is - feet square
at the base, 800 feet high, its walls are 10
feet thick, and it has cost up to the pres
/