River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-02-26
WASHINGTON MONUMENT.
The Ceremony of Defeating the Wash
ington Monument Executed Ac-
c0rding to Programme.
A Scene of Brilliancy Such as the Ma
tiOnal Capital Has Seldom, if
Ever Presented.
Eloquent Orations by r. c. Winthrop
and John w. Daniels, with Some
Minor Addresses.

The ceremonies attending the completion or
the Washington Monument, the highest strue-
ture ever created by human hands, at the city
of Washington on the 2lst inst, were of an i'm
posing character The celebration was in two
parts, one at the base of the monument and
the other in the hall of the house of represen-
tatives where the principal orations were de-
livered.
AT THE MONUMENT.
The day was cold and disagreeable The
military arrived betmes, the brass bands
were marshaled TO their places, the troops
come to rest Senator Sherman chairman of
the joint congressional commission, from the
center of the stand at II O'Clock allied about
500 people to order, and said 50. thing about
the people keeping their hats Oh. These re-
marks were greeted with lively stamps, for the
opportunity good one 10 Q store circulation
| to chilled limbs and extremites Senator Sher-
man then proceeded 10 give brief history of the
monument, from the organization of the Wash
! ington Monument Association in 1913, and the
laying of the corner stone on the 4th of July of
that year to its completion in 1885. He was
followed by W. W. Corcoran, the philanthro-
pist, who described at length the part taken
Oh the initiation of the projectand the con-
struction of the Monument society.
The Masonic ceremonies by the Grand
Lodge, District Columbia, which then fol-
/ lowed, were brief. The proper functionaries
declared that the square, the level and the
plumb had been applied TO the obelisk, and
| that its corners were found to be square its
course level, its walls skillfully erected ac-
cording to the plumb. Grand Master Myron
| NJ. Parker scattered corn and poured out
wine and oil, emblems of refreshment and
/ 10y and, in the course of the mystic cere-
monies, brought into use certain historic
relics with which Gen. Washington was i'm
mediately connected The gavel used was
one prepared for and used by Gen. Wash
ington, as grand master of the fraternity IN
| laying the corner stone of the national cap
Itol on the Sth of September, 1898, sacred
| volume belonging to Fredericksburg Lodge
No 4, of Virginia, upon which Washing
ton took the first vows of Masonry, and that
belonging to St Johns Lodge No. /. city
of New York, upon which on the 30th of
April, 1889, he took the oath of
office as first president of the United
States; the great light belonging to
Washington Lodge No. -, Alexandria,
Va, upon which he, as worshipful
master, received the vows of the initiation
the apron worn by him, which was worked
by Madame Lafayette; a golden ling, con-
tanning a lock of his hair, belonging to the
grand lodge of Massachusetts; the lesser
light, one of the three sperm candles borne In
Washington's funeral procession, were exhib-
tied The address of the grand master con-
cluded as follows;
Know We all We people that we be Free Masons,
loyal and true citizens, obedient to law and
order, and can never be concerned in plots and
conspirac1es against the true government. The
immortal Washington, himself Free Mason, de-
voted his hand his heart, his sacred honor. and
If need be- his life also, to the cause of freedom
of conscience, of speech and of action, and from
his successful leading has arisen this nation. To
him and the memory of his deeds grateful peo-
pie have erected this memorial in the capital
which he founded and which will bear his name
to remOtest ages, a monume MT towering above
other monuments as his lowered above other
men,
PRESIDENT ARTHuR's. ADDRESS
President Arthur in accepting the monu-
ment said:
Fellow Countrymen: Before the dawn Of the
century whose eventful years win soon have
faded into the past, when death had but lately
robbed this republic of its most beloved and
illustrious citizen, the congress of the United
States pledged the national faith that in this
city bearing his honored name, and then, as
now, the seat of the general govrnment, a mon
ument should be erected to commemorate the
great events of his military and political life.
The stately column that stretches heavenward
from the plain wherein we stand bears witness
TO all who behold it, that the covenant which
our fathers made, their children have fulfilled.
endeavor there is abundant cause for national
rejoicing, for. while this structure shall be to
all mankind a steadfast token OF the
aftectionate and reverent regard In
/ the memory of Washington. well may he ever
! keep the foremost place in the hearts of all his
countrymen. The faith tFa5 never faltered, the
wisdom that was broader and deeper than any
leaning taught in schools, the courage that
| shK4nk from peril and WIS dismayed by no
defeat, the loyalty that kept all selfish purposes
subordinate to the demands Of patriotism and
honor. the saRacity that displayed itself IN camp
and cabinet alike. and above all that harmonious
union of moral and intellectual quarters which
! has never found its parallel among men. These
are the attributes of character which the fntelli
! gent thought of this century ascribes to the
| grandest figure of the last. But other and more
| eloquent lips than mine will to-day rehearse to
you the story of his noble lite and its glorious
! achievement. TO myself has been assigned a
! simpler and more formal duty, in the fulfllment
| OF which do now as president OF the United
! States and In behalf of the people, receive this
! monument from the hands of its builder, and
declare 1t dedicated from this time forth to the
| universal name and memory OF George Wash
/ inRton.
The monument was then formally de-
liyered to President Arthur by Col
! Thomas l. Casey, the engineer.
THE PROCESSION
| The procession was then formed by Gen.
| Phil Sheridan, assisted by brilliant staff, and
\ an honorary staf,representing all the states and
territories. The following were on the homo
| rary staff Iowa, Col VIM. p. Hepburn;
| Minnesota, Col c. W. Johnson; Wisconsin,
! Gen. J. Starckweather; Dakota, Col. VIM.
| Thompson; Montana, Hon. Martin Maginnls.
! The procession was composed of large
/ body of United States troops, and military com
| panies from many States, including the Ancient
and Honorable Artillery OF Massachusetts,, or
ganized in 1888. and other very ancient organ
| iZations; Masons, Odd Fellows and a variety of
civic organizations.
| Pennsylvania avenue presented a brilliant
scene during the progress of the pageant
Thousands of people thronged the sidewalks
! and occupied grand stands erected on all reser-
vations along the line Of march.
At the capitol there was vast attendance,
! and the hall of the house was crowded with
the most notable people of the land
CALLED TO ORDER.
It's presiding officer, Mr. Edmunds, pro-
ceeded to the speakers desk where the gavel
was courtouslv handed HIM by Speaker
Carlisle. In calling the assembly to order,
Mr.. Edmunds said:
Gentlemen: You are assembled pursuant to
concurrent order of the two houses TO celebrate
the completion of monument to the memory OF
the first president of the United States. 1t is
not only a memorial but an inspiration that
shall live through all the generations Of our
posterity, az we may hope, and which we this
day inaugurate and celebrate by ceremonies
which have been ordered by the two houses.
PRAYER was then offered by Rev. s. A.
Wallis, of Pohick church, near Mount Vernon,
Va. The Marine band, stationed in the
members lobby, played Hail Columbia,
and then Mr.. Edmunds, expressing his re-
gret that Mr. Winthrop was necessarily alb
sent, introduced Representative John d.
Long of Massachusetts,, who having been
loudly applauded proceeded to read
wINTHRoPs GRAFTON
After referring to the fact Of his having deliv-
cred address at the corner stone LAYING OF the
monument thirty seven years ago, and giving
( an outline of the enterprise and the many diff
-culties which had now been overcome by the
commission, the orator said of the monument:
Henceforth and forever 1t shall he lovingly ASSOC
ciated, not only with the memory OF him in
whose honor IL has been erected but with an era
Of assured peace, unity and concord, which
would have been dearer to his heart than the
costiest personal memorial which the toll and
trea sure of his countrymen could have con-
strcted. The Union is itself the all-sufhc1ent
ana only sufficient monument TO Washington
The Union was nearest and dearest TO his great
heart. The Union in any event were the most
emphatic words of his immortal farewell adj
dress Nothing less than the Union would ever
have been accepted or recognized by nm as
monument commensurate with his services and
his fame Nothing less ought ever to be
accepted or recognized as such by ua, or
by those who shall rise up, generation
after ger era On, to do homage to his memoryi
For the grand consummation which we celebrate
to-day, are indebted primarily TO the ma
tional government, under the successive presl-
dents of the past nine years, with the concur
rent action of the two branches of congress The
completion crowns the work To-day that work
speaks for itself, and needs no other orator.
Mute and lifeless as IL seems, IL has living ana
audible voice for all who behold It, and no one
can misinterpret its language. Nor Will any
one, think, longer c1vii about its design is
not the acknowledged preeminence OF the
father OF his country first without second
more fifty and adequately represented by that
soaring shaft rising high above trees ana spires
and domes, and all the smoke and stir OF earth
as he ever rose above sectional pretudices, ana
party politics. and personal interests -oVertop-
ping and dominating all its surroundings. glearn-
ing and Rlistening out at every vista as far AS
the eye at every turn while it shoots triumph
antly to the skies? Does not-does not
repeat,
THAT COLOSSAL UNIT
remind all who gaze at IL. more forcibly than
any arch or statue could do, that there is one
name in American history above alt other names,