The Dickinson press., 1885-02-28

antlv to the skies? Does not-does not. !
repeat,
remind all who gaze at it. more forcibly than
any arch or statue could do. that there is one
in American history above all other names,
one character more exalted than all other char
acsers, one example to be studied and revcr-
enced beyond all other examples, one bright
star in the clear upper sky Of our
lustre are for all men and for all ages. never to
be lost sight of, never to be unheeded? OF that
of that character. of that example, of
that glorious guiding light. our obelisk, stand
ing on the very spot selected by Washington
for a monument to the American Revo-
luton. and on the site which marks our national
forever. For oh, my friends, let us not longer
forget, or even seem to forget, that we are here
to commemorate, not the monument. but the
man. The we'll known leading events in the
life of Washington were recounted, the speaker
saving. among other things: 1t was we'll said
byJohn Milton: in one of his powerful defenses
great, whom peace makes small" But of Wash
ington we may say, as Milton. said of Cromwell,
that, while war made him great, peace
made him greater: or rather that both war and
peace alike gave opportunity for the display OF
those Incompatible innate qualities, which no
mere circumstances could create or destroy.
severe simplicity, and far more than all of the
massive grandeur. which were the characteris-
tics of Egyptian architecture. bears no inscrip-
carved on it. Around its base bas-reliefs in
bronze may possibly one day be placed. %illustra-
tive Of some of the great events of Washing
perhaps, be arranged emb]ematic figures OF
] Justice and Patriotism, of Peace, Liberty and
Union. All this. however, may we'll be left fol
future years, or even for future generations.
Each succeeding generation, indeed, will take
Its own pride in doing whatever may be wisely
done in adjoining the surroundings of this ma
]estic pile, and In thus
TEsTIFYING ITS OWN HOMAGE
to the memory OF the father of his country. Yet
to the minds eye Of an American patriot those
marble faces will lever seem v~acant-neve seem
which Washington wrote or uttered, what are
all the incidents of his birth and death, what are
all the details of his marvellous career from it's
commencement to it's close, in comparison with
his own exalted character as q man! Rarely was
Webster more impressive than when, on the
completion of the monument at Bunker Hill, i'll
for the welfare of mankind, he gave utterance,
with his characteristic tcrseness, and in his in
imitable tones. to the simple assertion, Amer
lea has furnished the character of Washington!"
And we'll did he add that. IF our American
institutions had done nothing else, that
alone would have entitled tiled them to the
dwelt at considerable length upon the exalted
character of Washington, and tributes to the
Father of his country by Byron, Lord Brongham,
Fox. lrskine and others We're quoted. The ex-
ample and character of Washington were COM
mended to the young mcn of the country. Yet
let me not seem, even for a moment, to throw off
ulol thS llllAkS viz a lSHulS u llOS L
sponsibilities which belongs to their fathers.
Upon us, upon us, it devolves to provide that the
advancing generations shall be able to compre-
bend, and equal to meet, the demands which are
thus before them. 1t is ours-it Is yours espe-
cially, senators and representatives-to supply
them with the means Of that universal educa-
without which any intelligent and successful
free government is impossible. We are just en-
tering on q new Olympiad of our national his
tory-the tw,nty-tifth Olympiad since Washing
ton first entered mon the administration of orr
constitutional government.
H WILL OF II PEOPLE
has already designated under whom the first
century of that government is to be closed, and
the best hopes and wishes of every patriot will
be with him in the responsibilities on which he
is about to enter. No distinction of party or of
section prevents our all feeling alike that our
country, by whomsoever governed, is still and
always our country, to be cherished in all our
hearts, to be upheld and defended by all our
hands. The Grafton closes thus: Our matchlcss
obeiisk stands proudly before us to-day, and we
hail it with the Civilizations of IL united and glori-
GUS nation. 1t may, or NAV not, be proof against
the cavils of critics, but nothing OF human con-
structlon Is against the casualties OF time. The
storms of winter must blow and beat upon it.
The action of the elements must soil and dis
color it. The iightnings Of heaven may scar and
blacken it.. An earthquake may shake its foun-
dations. Some mighty tornado. or r%esistless
cyclone. may rend it's massive blocks asunder
and hurl huge fragments to the ground. Butt the
character which it commentaries and illus
trates is secure. 1t will remain unchanged and
Interchangeable in all its consummate purity and
splendor. and will more and more omman the
homage of succeeding ages in all regions OF the
earth. God be praised, that character Is ours
forever!
Mr.. Long spoke from the clerks desk in an
impressive manner, and in q voice which,
though not loud. was so clear as to reach
every corner in the chamber. The eloquent
passages of the speech were delivered with
fervor, which elected frequent bursts of APP
plause, and as Mr.. Long read the peroration
ill., l.~1-~ = -A-.-x - 49,.
piause. On the right of the speaker were
the chaplains of the senate and house anC
Rev. Mi. Wallis, while on his left sat Hon
John w. Daniel of Virginia and Senator Sher.
man, chairman of the congressional joint
commission. AS MI. Long ceased the bant
struck up columbia, the Gem of the Ocean.
and as the strains OF the air ended Mr.. Ed
mund introduced Hon. John w. Daniel, wht
was greeted with long-continued clapping Of
hands.
Mr.. Daniel proceeded to deliver his ora
Jon:
Solitary and alone in its grandeur stands fortf
the character Of Washington in history; solitary
and alone like some peak that has no fellow il
the mountain range OF greatness. Washing
ton. says Guizot: Washington did the two
to man to attempt. He maintained by peace the
independence Of his country which he had con
quered by war. He founded a free government
in the name of the principles Of order, and by re
establishing their sway" Washington did in
deed do these things. But he did more. Out O
disconnected he moulded a whole ant
dependence by the sword. He maintained
that independence by, peace as by war
d He finally al f fsssddm both an his oe eGunt53
frame Of constitutional government, fash.
Toned to make Liberty and Union one and In.
separable. These four things together consti
tute the unexampled achievement Of Washing.
ton. The world has ratified the profound re-
mark Of Fisher Ames, that "he changed man
kinds ideas OF political greatness" He has ap
proved the opinion of W Everett, that h
was the greatest of good men. and the best o
great men" 1t has felt for him with Erskine
IAN awful reverence" 1t has attested the dec
man of his own or Of any age" Tell me We, VIII
have unrolled the scrolls that bear the records o
the rise and fall of nations-ye before who's
eyes has moved the panorama of mans strug
giles, achievements and progression, find yo1
anywhere the story Of one whose life work i
more than a fragment Of that which in his life i
your sceptres over boundless territories: found
ers Of empires who have held your dominions
IN THE REIGN OF LAW;
rerOrmerS VINO fave cried aloud in the wilder
ness of oppression: teachers who have strive1
to cast down false doctrine, heresy and schisms
statesmen whose brains have throbbed will
mighty plans for the a1nelioration of human SO
ciety: scar-crowned vikings of the sea, illus
trious heroes of the land, who have borne tn,
standards of siege and b~attle-come forth il
bright array from your glorious fanes, and woult
We be measured by the measure or his stature
Behold you not in him u more illustrious ant
more venerable presence? Statesman, soldier
patriot, sage, reforlner of creeds. teacher o
truth and justice, %aclliever and preserver OF lib
erty. the first of men, founder and savior of hi
country. father of his people-this is he. %solitar,
and unapproachab!e in his grandeur oh. felic
itous Providence that gave to America on
Washington! High scars into the sky to-day
higher than the pyramids or the dome of St
Paul's or st. Peter's-the loftiest and most i'm
posing structure that man has ever reared-higl
scars into the sky to where
Earth highest yearns to meet a star"
I the monument which I'VE the people of tn