The Mineral argus., 1885-03-05

| Prayer was then offered by Rev 4 A
Wallis. Of Pohick church. near Mount Vernon.
Va The Marine band. Stationed in the
members lobby. played Hail Columbia "
and then Mr. Elmun,is, expressing his re-
greet that Mr.. Winthrop was necessarily alb.
sent, introduced Representative John d.
Long OF Massachusetts. who having been
loudly applauslstl proceeded to read
wINrHI;oPs GRAFTON
| After rese6ong TO the fact of his having teltv.
cred an address at the stone LAYING OF the
monument thirty-scven years ago, and giving
an GU line Of the enterprise and he many dim.
cultic- which had now been overcome by the
coi'ms-ion the orator said u the inonume Mt I:
Heuccforth and forever 1t shall be lovingly asso.
ciate'i. not only with the memory OF hum in
whose honor II has been erected. but with an ere
OF assured peace, unity and concord, which
would Rave tccn dcarer to his heart than the
costliest personal memorial which the toll and
treasure of his cuuntryncn could have con-
strnctcd- IHe Union is itself the al-sufiicient
AMI nniv sumcient 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 immoral! farewell sd.
dress. Nothing less than the Union would eve,
have been accepted or recognized by MN a. .
monument commensurate with his services and
MS lame. Nothing less ought ever to be
accepted or recognized as such by us. OF
by those who shall rise up generation
after generation. to do homage to his memoryi
For the grand co.summation which we celebrate
to-day, We are Indebted primarily To the ma
tional government, under the successive presi-
dents Ut 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 lifeess as II seems, II has living and
audible voice for all who behold it, and no one
eau inisinierpret its language Nor will any
one think, longer cavil about its design. Ii
not the acknowle igcd prominence Of the
father of his country. first without n second,
more htly aud adequately represented by that
soaring shaft. rising high above trees and spires
an du.ncs, and all the smoke aud 81 r OF eaItl-
a. he ever rose above sectional prejldices and
party politics and personal interests -overtop-
.tll
lng and gllstcning out at every vista as far as
human sight can reach, arre-ting and riveiing
u" eve at every turn, while IL shoots triumph
antiv TO the skies; Does not-docs not. I
repeat,
THAT COLOSSAL UNIT
remind all who gaza al IL, more forciblv than
'iN Hfch or statue could do that there il one
name m Amcrcan history above all of her names
IN character more exalted than all other char
ne. en-. one example TO b. studied and revcr-
encci bcycni all other examples. one bright
par irliar star IN the clear upper sky Of our
iirn,anent, whose guiding light and peerless
iuSirc are Tor all men and for all ages. never to
De lot sight of. lever to l,e unheededy Of that
nam :. 81 tiiat character. of that example. NJ
ihit glorious guiding light our obelisk. stand
ig On the very spot selected nv Washington
hiinsef Tor monument to the American Icvo-
Ia ION. AMI 81. the site which mark our mai luaI
IA ildian. viii be 7 unique memorial AMI svmbol
forever For oh. my friends. let us not longer
i"iIe', "rc'eh seem to forget. that We are here
10 cpiniicinotafr not the monument. bnt the
man The well known leading events In The
lite II Washington were rccuunied, the speaker
saving. among other things: II was well said
byJohn Milton. IN one 1T his powerful ,Irfenses
of the people ut England, War has made many
great, whom peace makes small" But OF WASH
nigton we NAV say, rs Milton said of Cromwell
That, while war made him prent. peace
made hun greater: or rat her that both war and
isacc alike gave opportunity Tor The display Ut
those Incompatible inn1t" qualities, which no
mere circumstances could create or DESTROY
Onr Washington Needle, while II has all of the
severe simplicity. and far more than ali of the
massive grandeur. which were the characteris-
Ties of Egyptian architecture, bears no inscrip-
lions whatever. and none are likely ever to be
carved ON u. Around it, base bas-reliefs in
bronze NAV POSSIBLY one day be placed. ilustra-
tive Of some 81 the great events ut Washing
tons life; while on the terrace beneath may.
perhaps, bc arranged cmblcmatic figures 1T
usi Ice and Patriotism Of Peace, Liberty and
Union. All this. however. NAV we'll he left for
future years, or even for future generations. 7
Each succeeding generation. indeed. will take !
ITS own pride in doing whatever may DE wisely !
done In adorning the surroundings of this ma /
TEsTIFYINi ITS own HOMAGE |
70 tne memory VI the father of his country Yet I
70 the minds eye Of an American patriot those T
marble faces Will never seem vacant-neyer seem 9
void or voiceless. What are all the noble word,
which Washington wrote or uttered. what are
al the incidents 1T his birth and death. what are
all the details Of his marvellous career from IL /
commencement to its close, in comparison witt 4
his own exalted character "a man. Rarely was
Webster more impressive than when, on the .
completion 81 the monument at Bunker Hill, in 3
describing what our country had ACCOMPLISHED ,
Tor the welfare 81 mankind. he gave utterance,
with his characteristic ter-eness, and in his in
Irritable tones. to the simple assertion "Am.r- I
lea has furnished the character of washington.' !
institutions had done nothing else, that
alone would have entitled them to the
RESPECT OF mankind The orator then
character of Washington, amt tributes to the
Father of his country bv Byron Lord Brouyhan
annie AKIN ana other, wers anoed The ex
mcndcd to the young men of the country Yet
let NE not seem, even for moment, to throw OF
which belongs 10 their far hers !
pom Us. upon us, II devolves to provide thar the
advancing generations shall he able TO compre-
hend. and equal To meet the demands which are
lhus before them IL Is ours--it Il yours esps-
r,aily, senators and represcntatives-;o supply
hem with tn. means Of that universal e.inca-
lion which Is the CRYING want Of the land and
without which any Intelligent and successful
rec government = impossible We are just en-
ory-the twenty fifth Olympiad since Washing
on first entered upon The alininisfr rat ion OF on
government
THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE
has already designated under whom the first
century Of that government is to he closed and
he best hopes AMI wishes Of every patriot will |
~ with him in the disabilities on which he |
: about To enter. No distinction OF party or II
cction prevents our all feeling alike that our
Iways our country. TO be cherished in all our |
learts, To be upheld and defended by all our
lands The Grafton closes thus Our matchless
bcli-k stands proudly before US to-day, and We |
ai 1t with the Civilizations Of a united and gori-
ms nation II may. o. may not. be proof against
he cavils Of critics. but nothing Of human con-
tructIon Il against the casualties of time. The 4
forms of winter must blow and heat upon 1t.
he act Ion Of the elements must soil and dis
dior II. The light nings of heaven may scar and I,
lacken II. An earthquake NAV shake its foun-
atoms. some mighty tornado. resi-tless
yclone. may rend its massive blocks asundcr
M huri huge fragments to the ground. But the
haracter which IT commentaries and illus q
rates Is secure. II will remain unchanged and q
nchangca Die In all its consumrnate purity and q
plendor. and Will more and more command the =
oiiage 1T succeeding ages In all regions of the \