The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-07-06
THE NEW CAPITOL.

The Legislature, the Architects, the
Builders and the Commissioners
Congratulated.
The following is Gov. Gordon's speech
accepting from the commissioners the new
capitol:
GENTLEMEN OF THE CAPITOL CoMMIs-
sIoN-In the presence of the general assem-
bly,, and in behalf of the state, l accept
from your hands Georgia's new and superb
capitol.
In the fashion of its architecture, in the
symmetry of its proportions, IN the solidity
OF its structure, in the beauty of its elabOra-
ton, and completeness of arrangements, it
| is worthy of the dignity and character Of
this great commonwealth.
In all respects this new home of the state
is my lawful and emphatic warrant for
congratulation 10 the legislature that
authorized it: to the architects who de-
signed it: to the contractors who built it to
the commissioners who supervised it, and
to the people who own it. l congratulate
you also, senators and representatives of
the present general assembly, because it is
your high privilege to celebrate its opening
and dedicate it to wise and patri-
| otto legislation. congratulate the
| state because in her assembled sons
she has representatives worthy of this
distinguished honor, and capable of draw
ing from these suspicious surroundings re-
newed inspiration for the momentous duties
before them. ! congratulate the commits
sioners because through patient investiga-
| ton, untiriDg energy, wise provision ana
| conservative expenditure, they have
| achieved the almost unprecedented success
OF completing great public work within
| the original appropriation. Above all else
| congratulate the people because the whole
enterprise is clean, credltable, and above
suspicion.
From the first bill passed by the legisla.
| ture to the expenditure of the last dollar by
| the commissioners, there has been neither
jobbery nor thought of corruption. From
granite base to iron dome, every chiseled
block and nodded brick, every metallic
plate and marble slab is as free from official
pollution as when they lay untouched by
mortal hand, in original purity on the
bosom of mother earth. Every stroke of
hammer, of trowel or brush, is a record of
labor honestly expended and justly re-
warded.
Built upon the browning hill of her CAPT
tai city, whose transformation from desc
latlon and ashes to life, thrift and beauty,
so aptly symbolizes the states resurrection,
this proud structure will stand through the
| coming centuries fit memorial of the in
domitable will and recuperatlve energies of
this people, and of the answering fidelity
| representatives
While We dedicate to the states service
this new political temple, we erect within it
no new affairs to strange political gods; we
| preach from its pulpits no strange political
gospel; we prescribe for it's services no new
| liturgy or strange political faith. We con-
| secrate it to the old-time doctrine pro-
mulgated by the fathers aud early prophets
| of the republic; recorded in the written
word nd hn titIY-
ton, and sanctioned by the'polltical expa-
| rience of century. We engrave upon this
| temples corner stone our ancestorial canons
| "a perpetual union of co-equal
states: the federal constitution, the
| supreme law of tho land. The preserva
ton of the general government in its whole
| constitutional vigor; the support of the
| state governments in all their rights as the
surest bulwarks against anti-republican
tendencies; the equality of all men before
| the law; burdens and benefits impartially
| imposed and fairly distributed; equal en-
| enlargement and exact justice under the
laws, state and federal, for every class of
citizens and every branch of industry.
We hang upon the outer walls of this new
| fortress the old banners inscribed with the
| additional and ever living tenets of a politi-
cal faith which strengthening with expert
ence, has ripened into assurance, viz: Hos
| Utility to all sectional and class legislation
hostility to all laws and systems of laws
which impose unnecessary burdens upon
| the whole people in order to bring to the
| few undue advantage and unjust enrich
ment; opposition not only to trusts and
monopolies" and their concomitant
evils, but undying hostility to
the discriminating high protective
system and the uOjust and unequal taxa
] tlon, which encourage, increase and per-
| petuate these evils. We war not only
| against the evils themselves, but against
| the governmental partlality which makes
these evils no less hurtful and CALLING in
| this free government than under the aristo-
cratic favoritism of monarchical Europe. Let
no governmental, oIicies, repugnant to the
| great principles of natural equity upon
which this republic was founded, ever find
abettors within these consecraled walls
| Lot no unworthy or unjust action,
legislative, judicial or executive, ever mar
| the bright record made in the construction
! of this capitol. Let the pure winds of
| heaven play around its dome and along its
| corridors, and the u1tarniShed sunlight
| linger in It's chambers without the POSSIBLE
| lty Of defilement. And may its shining
| spires, pointing heavenward. be a perpet-
ual invocation, calling from the skies no
| fiery avenging bolt, but the divine guidance
| for the counselors of the state, and heav-
| ems boundess benedictions upon its people.