River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-02-26

Union Ali this however. NAV we'll be left FOL
future years, or even for future generations
ats own pride in doing whatever may be wisely
done in adorring the surroundings of this ma
lesttc 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 viii never seem vaeant-never seem
Volu OF Folceless. what are all the noble words
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 its
commencement to It's close, in comparison with
his own exalted character a mani Rarely was
Webster more impressive than when, on the
completion of the monument at Bunker Hill, in
describing what our country had accomplished
for the welfare OF mankind, he gave utterance.
with his characteristic terseness and in his in
imitable tones, 10 the simple assertion, Amer
lea has furnished the character of Washington"
And well did he add that, If our American
institutions had done nothing else that
alone would have entitled them TO the
respect of mankind. The orator then
dwelt at considerable length upon the exalted
character OF Washington, and tributes to the.
Father of his country by Byron, Lord Brougham,
Fox. Irskine and others were quoted. The ex-
ample and character OF Washington were COM
mended to the young men of the country. Vet
let me not seem, even for a moment, TO throw of
upon the children the rightful share of those re-
sponsibilities which belongs TO their fathers
Upon us, upon MS, 1t devolves to provide that the
advancing generations shall be able to compre-
bend, and equal to meet, the demands which are
thus before them. IL is ours-it Is yours espe-
cl2lly, senators ana repfeSenNatlNeS--tO supply
them with the means OF that universal educa-
ton which is the crying want of the land and
without which any intelligent and successful
free government Is impossible. We are just en-
terinR on new Olympiad OF our national MIS-
tory-the twenty-ffth Olympiad since Washing
ton first entered upon the administration Of our
constitutional government
THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE
has already designated under whom the firsG
century of that government is to be closed, and
the best hopes and wishes of every patriot will
No xxff IN : a. ~ ha
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 aud defended by all our
hands. The Grafton closes thus Our matchless
obelisk stands proudly before us to-day and we
hail il with the Civilizations of united and glOri.
Gus nation. II may, or may not, be proof against
the cavils of critics but nothing OF human con
struetton 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 IL. The lightnings of heaven may scar aud
blacken IL. An earthquake may shake It's toun-
datiuns. Some mighty tornado, or resistlesS
cyclone. may rend its massive blocks asunder
and hurl huge fragments TO the ground. But tho
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 command the
homage of succeeding ages in all regions Of the
earth. God be praised, that character Is ours
Ioreverl
Mr. Long spoke from the clerks desk in an
though not loud, was so clear as to reach
every corner in the chamber The eloquent
passages of the speech were delivered with
tervor, which elected frequent bursts of APP
plause, and as Mr.. Long read the peroration,
The multitude broke into a storm of an
plause. On the right of the speaker were
the chaplains of the senate and house and
Rev Mr. Wallis while on his left sat Hon.
John W. Daniel of Virginia and Senator Sher-
man, chairman of the congressional JOINT
A. ~. 4
struck up Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean
and as the strains OF the air ended Mr. Ed
munds introduced Hon John W Daniel who
was greeted with long-continued clapping Of
hands
Mr.. Daniel proceeded to deliver his ora
ton:
Solitary and alone in its grandeur stands forth
The character of Washington in history; solitary
and alone like some peak that has no fellow i'm
the mountain range NJ greatness. Washing
sOn," SAYS Guizot: Washington did the two
greatest things which in politics il is permitted
TO man to attempt. He main tainei by peace the,
independence of his country which he had con-
luered by war. He founded free government
IN the name of the principles of order and by re-
establishing their sway" Washington did in
Iced do these things. But he did more. Out of
disconnected fragments he moulded 2 whole and
made 1t a country. He achieved his country $ in
dependence by the sword. He maintained
lie finally established both his country
and it's freedom in an enduring
'rame of constitutional government fash
loned to make Liberty and Union one and IN
separable. These four things together constl-
tute the unexamped achievement Of Washing
ton. The world has ratified the profound re-
mark of Fisher Ames that he changed man
kind ideas OF political greatness lie has APP
proved the opinion of Edward Everett, that he
was "the greatest Of good men, and the best Of
great men,. II has felt for him with Ets5ne.
an awful reverence" II has attested the dec
iaration of Bruugham that: he was the greatest
man of his own or Of any age. Tell me We, who
fb.aa hat f1,p cpf
the rise and fall of nations--Ye before whose
eyes has moved the panorama Of mans strug-
giles, achievements and progression, find you
anywhere the story OF one whose lie work IA
more than fragment of that which in his life is
act before YOU? Couquerers who haze stretched
your sceptres over bouudlees territories: found
- - IN THE REIGN or Law;
reformers who have cried aloud in the wilder
ness of oppression: teachers who have striven
to cast down false doctrine, heresy and schismss
statesmen whose brains have throbbed with
mighty plans for the amelioration of human so>
ciety: scar crowned vikings of the sea, Illus
trious heroes of the land, who have borne the
standards Of siege and battlc-come forth in
bright array from your glorious fanes, and would
We be measured by the measure OF his staturef
Behold you not in him more illustriOus and
more venerable presenter Statesman, soldier.
patriot, sage, reformer Of creeds, teacher OF
truth and Justice achever and prescrrer Of lib
erty, the first of men, founder and savior of his
country, father of his people-thts is he, solitary
and unapproachable in his grandeur Oh, felic-
itous Providence that gave 10 America our
Washington High scars into tho sky to-day
higher than the pyramids or the dome OF st.
Pauls or st. Peter's--the lottiest and most i'm
posing structure that man has ever reared--high
scars into the sky to where
Earth highest yearns to meet star.
the monument which We the people Of the
United States" have upifted to his memory IL
is fitting monument. more fitting than any
statue. For his image could only display him
in some one phase of his varied character, as tho
commander, the statesman, the planter of
Mount Vernon or the chief magistrate OF his
country. So art has fifty typited his exalted
life In yon plain, lofty shaft. Such Is his great
ness that only by symbol could IL be repre-
sented AS Justice must be blind in order TO be
whole in contemplation, so history must be
silent that by this mighty sign she may disclose
the amplitude of her story The speaker re-
ferred to the great deeds of Virginia during the
Revolution, and thanked the commission for tho
honor done Virginia in choosing one Of her citi-
gems to speak on This occasion. Many illusions
were then made to events in English and Amer.
lean history, and an extended biographical
sketch of Washington was given.
GREATEST As A STATESMAN
1t was as a statesman that Washington was
greatest. Not i'll the sense that Hamilton and
Jefferson, Adams and Madison were statesmen;
but in a larger sense Men NAV marshal armiCa
who cannot drill divisions Men may marshal
nations in storm and travail who have not the
accomplishments of their cabinet ministers.
Not so versed they was he IN the details Of
political science Aud vet as Ec studied tactics
when he ANTICIPATED w.. 80 he studied politics
when he foresaw his civil role approaching,
reading the history and examining the principles
OF ancient and modern contedcracies ana max
ing notes of their virtues defects and methods
of operation. His pen did not possess the facile
play and classic grace of their pens, but his
vigorous eloQnence had the clear ring OF our
mother tongue. / will not say that he was so
astute, so quick so inventive as the one or an
other of them -that his mind was characterized
by the vivacity of wit, the rich colorings OF
fancy, or daring flights of imagination. But
with him thought and action, like we'll trained
cOursers kept abreast in the chariot race, guided
by an eye that never quailed refined by hand
that never trembled He had more infallible dis
his contemporaries He weighed facts in just
err SCALE with larger equity, and tirmer equa-
nimity. He best applied to them the lesson Of
experience. With greater ascendancy OF charac-
ter he held men to their appointed tasks, with
more inspiring vigor he commanded more i'm
plicft confidence. He bore truer divinng rod,
and through wilderness of contention ne alone
was the unerring pathfinder Of the people
There can indeed be no right conception OF
Washington that does not accord him n great
and extraordinary genius. The speaker con-
cl1ded with these words: In the name Of the
people of the United States-ther president
then senators, and their representatives, and
their JUDGES, do crown to-day with the gTandcst
crowd that veneration has ever lifted 20 tho
brow of glory, MIN whom Virginia gave To Amer
ica-whom America has given to the world, and
to the ages-and whom mankind with universal
suffrage has proclaimed the foremost or the
founders of empire in
THE FIRST DEGREE OF GREATNESS.
whom Liberty herself has anOinted as the first
citizen in the great republic Of humanity En-
compassed by the inviolate seas stands to-day
the American republic which he founded-a free
Greater Britain--upifted above the powers and
principalitfes Of the Earth, even as his monument
is upiifted over roof and dome, and spire Of the
multitudinous city. Long live the republic Of
Of al Us sons, long may II be the asylum Of the
MOOT and OpUressed of all lands and religions