Daily Kennebec journal., 1885-02-23
F0RTY-ElGHTH CONGRESS-.
Second Session.
sen ATE.


SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2l.
The Senate met at O'Clock.
The chair laid before the Senate letters
from the acting secretary of the treasury,
transmitting the estimates of the deficiency
appropriations for the fisheries commission,
etc.
The Senate resumed consideration of the
postoffice appropriation bill.
At 40 the committee from the House ap-
peared, and Mr.. Dorsheimer, in behalf of the
committee. made a formal announcement
that the House was in session and awaited
the coming OF the Senate, in order to pro-
ceed with the ceremonies appointed to be
held in the hail of the House
The chair informed the Senate that the
President of the United States was Tor mo-
ment engaged in reviewing the procession,
and that until the President arrived at the
capitol, the Senate might continue its busi-
ness.
The consideration of the pestoffice appro-
priation bill was therefore continued.
The Senate retained in the bill CONTRARY
TO the recommendation of the appropriation
committee) the legislature provisions insert
ed bv the House, fixing the postage on news
papers sent from the Office of publication to
regular subscribers at one cent pound, but
cut out the discrimination against sample
copies. making the rate mentioned a uniform
rate for all newspapers sent from the office of
publication, whether sample copies or other
wise.
Al =. 10 the chair announced the President
of the United States now ready to proceed to
the House of Representatives.
The Senate then proceeded TO the hall of
the House
At ) % p. VI. the Senate was again called
to order, and adjourned to Monday next at |
o'clock.
The House OF representatives presented a
brilliant appearance. The floor of the House
was thrown open TO the ladies and invited
guests, while the galleries were filled with a
brilliant and gay throng
Shortly after ,, Gen. Sheridan and
staff entered. amid loud clappng of hands
The President and cabinet next appeared and
the large assemblage rose and heartily ap-
plauded them. The supreme court judiciary
of the District and diplomatic corps followed,
and at 230 the Senate was escorted to the
space reserved for it.
MIR. Edmunds proceeded to the speakers
desk, where the gavel was courteously handed
to him by Speaker Carlisle.
In calling the assemblage together, Mr.
Edmunds said: Gentlemen, you are assem-
bled pursuant to the concurrent order of the
two Houses to celebrate the occasion of the
completion of the monument to the memory
of the first President of the United States
IL is not only memorial, but an inspiration
that shall live through all the generations of
our posterity. as we may hope, and which we
this dav inaugurate and celebrate bv cere-
monies which have been ordered by the two
Houses.
Prayer was then offered by Rev. S. C.
Wallis of Pohick church, near Mount Yer
non, Va.
Prayer being ended, the Marine band, sta
toned in the members lobby, played Hail
Columbia" and Mr.. Edmunds, expressing
regret that Mr.. Winthrop was necessarily
absent. introduced Representative John ID.
Long of Massachusetts, who proceeded to
read Winthrop's Grafton.
ABSTRACT OF MR. wINTHRoP's GRAFTON.
MIR. Winthrop spoke in retrospect of the 81
years that have elapsed since he was present
at the laying OF the corner stone of the monu-
ment, when he delivered the Grafton in the
place of John Quincy Adams, who had been
designated therefor. He pictured. in graphic
language, the inception of the monument BY
the Congress of 1889; the poverty compelled
delay in making a beginning; the earnest
efforts of the Washington Monument Asso-
citation, which, in 1888, determined that the
work should be begun; the presentation of
massive blocks of marble, granite, porphry
or freestone from every State in the Union,
and from many foreign MISUNDERSTANDING,
according to the catalogue, with stone from
Bunker Hill, and ending with one from the
Emperor of Brazil; the great day." July 4,
l84S, when the corner stone was at last laid
and 1.-THE long intervening agony between the
laying of the first stone and the lifting of the
last"
For the grand consummaton which we Gel.
ebrate today, we are indebted primarily to
the national government, under the success.
i've Presidents of the past nine years, with the
concurrent action of the two branches OF
Congress, prompted by committees so often
under the lead of the veteran Senator Morrill,
of Vermont. But think you will all cor.
daily agree with me that the main credit and
honor of what has been accomplished belongs
peculiarly and preeminently to the distin
gushed officer of engineers who has beer
their devoted and untirng agent from the
outset. To Col. Thos Lincoln Casey, whose
name is associated in three generations with
valued military service to his country. the
successful completion of the monument i.
due. But he would not have US forget hi,
accomplished assistant, Capt. Geo. W. Davis
and neither of them would have us fail tc
remember Supt. Mclaughlin, and the harC
handed and honest-hearted mechanics who
have labored SO long under their direction.
| Finis coronat opus. The completion
crowns the work. Today that work speak,
| for itself, and needs no other orator. Nut,
and lifeiess as it seems, it has a living anC
audible voice for all who behold il. and n,
one can misinterpret its language Nor viii
any one. think, longer cavi about its de
sign, which was originally prepared by the
Washington architect, Robert Mills of Soutt
Carolina. and adopted long before had any
relations to this association But il is the
man and not the monument we are here te
commemorate.
The orator then paid an eloquent tribute tc
the character of him in whose honor thi.
work of art is raised.
No flaming inscriptions cover our plair
and simple column No mystic figures oil
hieroglyphical signs will be deserted on them
No such vainglorious words as ''conqueror'
or ''chastiser of foreign nations" nor any
such naughty assumption or Heathern as
cription as Child of the Son." will be de-
ciphered on them. But ever and anon, a:
we gaze there will come flashing forth il
letters of living light some of the great word.
/ a N n n aud Il. e