Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-22
MR.. DANIELS ADDRESS.
Mr.. Daniel proceeded to deliver his

Mr.. Daniel proceeded to deliver his ora
ton
The following extracts are from the
| orarion Of Hon. John w. Daniel. of Vir-
gmia:
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen Of tie COM
Solitary and alone in its grandeur stands
! forth the character of Washington in history;
solitary and alone like some peak that has no
/ fellow in the mountain range of greatness.
~ asnl1gtOn," 3" says GulZOt: "WashingtOn
did the two greatest things which in politics
I it IS permItted to man to attempt. He main
/ talned by Peace the Independence of his
country which he had conquered by War. He
/ founded free government in the name of
the principles Of order, and by re establishing
| their sway" Washington did indeed do these
! things. But he did more. Out of disconnected
/ fragments he moulded a whole and made il
! country. lie achieved his cOuntry's indepen-
dence by the sword. lie maintained that in
dependence by peace as by war. He finally
esta bllshed both his country and its freedom
| IN an enduring frame of Constitutional Gov
ernment, fashioned TO make Liberty and
/ Union one and lnseparable. These four things
together constitute the uneNampled achieve
ment of Washington.
The World has ratified the profound remark
OF Fisher Ames. that "he changed mankind's
ideas of Olitical greatnt S." IL has approved
! the opinion Of Edward Everett, that he was
tine greatest OF good men, and the best of
/ great men," 1t has felt for him with Erskine:
| ian awful reverence" 1t has attested the
| declaration of Brougham that: she was the
y IL
matter of fact to-day as when Gen. Hamilton
| announcing his death to the army said: .'The
| voice of praise would in vain endeaYor to ex-
alt name unrivalled in the lists of true
| glory" America still prOclaims him as did
Col. Henry Lee in the House of Representa-
| tlYes: "Ihe man first in war, first in peace
and first in the hearts Of his countrymen."
And from beyond the sea the voice of Alfieri
| breathing the soul of all lands and all peoples
I still prOnounces the blessing: Happy are
! you who have for the sublime and permanent
haGig n Olorv 10 o.
| strated by deeds''
COnqueror5 who have stretched your scep-
| tres over bOundless territories; Founders of
/ Empires who have held your dOminious In the
/ reign OF law; Re Ormer5 who have cried aloud
| IN the wilderness OF oppression; Teachers who
/ have striven TO cast down false doctrine
! hefeSy ana scnlsms; statesmen whose brains
| have throbbed with mighty plans for the
7 amehOration Of hsman society: Scar-cfOWned
/ vikings OF the sea, illustriOus heroes of the
] land, who have borne the standards of siege
| and battle-cOme forth in bright arrav from
your glorious fanes, and would We be meas
ured by the measure of his statueY Behold
You not IN hlm more illustrious. and more
/ venerable presence Statesman, Soldier, Pa
Irlot, sage, hefOrmer Of Creeds, Teacher OF
! Truth and JUStlce. AcEieyer and PreserVer of
] Liberty-the First Of Men-F0under and Sa-
| Vior of his Country, Fathcc OF his People
this is BE. solitary and unapproachable in his
/ grandeur.
one hundred and fifty three years ago, on
! the banks OF tine Potomac, in the county Of
| WestmOreand, on q spot marked now only by
a memorial stOne,-o the blood of the pe0p}e
! whom have family described, the fourth in
| descent from the Col. John Washington whom
| have named, there was born son to Au-
| gustine and Mary Washington. And not
many miles above his birthplace is the dwell
ing where he was reared and lived, and now
| lies buried.
Borne upon the bosom of that river which
here mirrors Capitol, dome and monumental
/ shaft. in Its seaward AJw.-the river itself
| seems to reverse its current and bear US 81
| lent y INTO the past. Scarce has the vi ,ta of
| the city faded from our gaze when we behO d
| on the woodland height those swells above
! the Waters-amidst walks and groves and
| gardens-the white porch Of that old colonial
/ plantation home which has become the shrine
/ OF many pilgrimage.
NO sum could now be made Of WashingtOa's
! character that did not exhaust language of
its tributes, and repeat virtue by all her
| names. No sum could be madeO his achieve
/ ments that did not unfold the history of his
/ country and its instItutiOns-the history of
his age and its progress-the history of man
and his destiny to be free. But whether
character or achievement be regarded, the
| riches before us only expose the poverty Of
praise. SO clear was he in his great Office that
| no ideal of the Leader or Ruler can be formed
that does not shrink by the side of the reality
| And SO has he impressed himself upOn the
/ minds OF men, that no man can Justly aspire
to be the chief OF great free people who does
I not adopt MS principles and emulate his eX-
! ample. Fascinated by the perfection Of the
| man, we are 10th to break the mirror of admir-
/ alton into the fragments of analysis. But. 10 !!
| miniature of such sublimIty and beauty that
the destructive hand can only multiply the
forms of immortality.
Brilliant VIII not call him, if the bright
ness OF the ripping river exceed the solemn
glory of old Ocean. Brilliant / VIII not call
! him, If darkness must e visible in order to
display the light; for he had none OF that
rocket-like brillancy which flames N instant
/ coruscatiOn across the black brow of night
and then Is not. But if a steady, unfIcker-
ing flame, slow rising to its lofty sphere, high
huup the Heavens Of (OptavlnlQti die
pensing far and wide its rays, revealing all
things OF which il shines in due proportions
and in large relations, making Right Duty
and Destiny so plain that in the vision we are
scarce conscious of the lght-f this be brill
fancy then the genius Of Washington was as
full-orbed and luminous as the God Of Day in
his zenith
If might venture to discriminate, l would
say that it was in the conflicts of opinion that
succeeded the revolution that the greatness Of
| W ashlngton most displayed itself; for il was
then that peril thickened in most subtle forms !:
that rival passions burned in intestine hames
that crises came demanding wider reaching
and more constructive faculties than NAV be
exhibited in war and higher heroism than
may be avOuched in battle.
Long live the United States of America! I!
Filled with the free magnanimoUs spirit,
crowned by the wisdom, blessed by the mod
Grafton, hOyered over by the guardian angel
OF WashingtOn's example; may they be ever
| worthy IN all things to be defended by the
blood of the brave who knew the rights of
man-may they be each a column, and all to-
gether, under the constitution, perpetual
| Temple of Peace. unshadOWed bv a CRsar's
palace; at whose altar may freely com mune
ali who seek the union of Liberty and Brother
hood.
the undying ages may 1t stand, far removed in
fact as in space from the Old Worlds feuds
and follles-solttary and alone in its grandeur
! and its glory, itself the immortal monument
| of Him whom Providence commissioned to
| teach man the power of truth, and to prove
to the nations that their Redeemer liveth.
Mr.. Daniels was many times interrupt
ed by rounds of applause elected by his
clear cut and well balanced periods, and
| by his eloquent style of uttering them
AS he closed Senators Edmunds and Sher-
man, Speaker Carlisle and Representative
| Long warmly congratulated him, while
once more the audience testified their ap-
probation of the orators elOquence.
After benedictlOn by the Chaplain of the
House, the distinguished guests departed,
and the Speaker called the House to order.
THE DISPLAY AT NIGHT.
The ceremonies were appropriately con-
4 cluded by fine display of fireworks at
night in the monument grounds. An i'm
mense crowd was attracted by the sight,
and it seemed as though the entire pOpu-
latiOn OF the city had turned out to do
honor to the occasion. The President
and number Of invited guests, including
several Cabinet officers, viewed the scene
! AlOlu buS WlutOWS VI lU6 w ulLG HOUSE
| The display consisted of so set pieces, and
/ lasted from to O'Clock. 1t opened with
I national salute, consisting of aerial ma
rooms fired from mortars and explod-
! ing with a loud report at a height
/ of 300 feet, and closed with repre-
! sentation of the "Temple of Liberty
! including an equestrian statue of Gen.
/ Washington, and figures repres anting
! Columbus and the Goddess Of Liberty.
/ The display consisted mainly of bomb
/ shells, rockets, balloons, fountains Of
/ fire, bouquets and lights of all c0lors.
/ Telescope rockets were exploded at an
altitude of 600 feet, and discharged show
! ers Of smaller rockets over the apex of
the monument, making it appear as
| though the shaft was rObed with fire. The
monument was clearly outlined against
| the dark background and so magnified
that it seemed top,erce the sky.
HISTORY OF THE MONUMENT.
The monument was first proposed 102
years ago. On Aug. 7, 1888, Congress re-
solved unanimously ''that an equestrian
statue of Gen. Washington be erected at
the place where the residence OF Congress
snail be established;" and directed that
! the statue should be supported by mar
bic pedestal, on which should be repre-
/ sented four principal events of the Revo-
! lutionaTy war, in which he commanded
4 IN person. On the pedestal We're to be