Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-18

the door Of Congress for admission, during
the session Of 1880. To admit her was to
destroy The equilibrium between the free
ana slave states, and therefore q fierce
struggle at once arose which threatened the
permanency OF the Union. Happily two of
the greatest statesmen and purest patriots
our country has ever produced were In the
councils OF the nation, Henry Clay of Ken
lucky and Daniel Webster Of Massachu-
setts By their combined efforts the COM
promise measures of 1850 were enacted,
which, 1t was fondly hoped, would settle
the sectional strife.
The Extension of the CAPITOL.
1t was at this period that the growth of
the nation demanded an enlargement of
its Capitol The fourth of July, 1851, was
fixed for the laying Of the corner stone of
the addition and the great expo inder ana
defender Of the Constitution. the foremost
of living statesmen, the matchless orator,
Daniel Webster, was selected to make the
address. Those who remember him as he
lived and moved among men easily recall
the massive head, the deep-.oned voice
the grand periods, the profound thought.
which held his auditors spellbolnd when
ever he spoke. On this occasion we seq
him but lately transferred from the Sem
ate to the foremost seat in he cabinet
the conspicuous mark for the arrows of
sectionalism; yet firmly fixed in the posi-
ton he had assumed in his celebrated
speech on the compromise measures, de-
1850. in which, filled with the patriotism
which animated the first continental CO.
Sress. he had uttered the memorable
words, Il wish to speak today, not as
Massachusetts man, nor a northern
man. but as an American" Fit successor
of the father OF his country In the cere-
monies of the day, we see his faith in the
future of the Union emerging from the
cloud which had overshadowed the politi-
cal horizon, and while he recounts the IN
precedented happiness and the wonderful
progress OF the country under the federal
government he appeals to the dissatisfied
to exercise the spirit of disunion, and to
cling to the government framed by their
forefathers as the sheet-anchor of their
liberties, the ark of their safety, the as
surance. doubly sure Of their ever-increas-
ing greatness.
Sectional strife was not, indeed, uuelled
by the compromise of 1850 but fuel was
continually added to the flame, till seces>
sion. so long threatened, was at last at.
tempted by the southern states. In the ter
rible civil war that followed slavery and
secession went down together, cIasped in
the embrace of eternal death, and the
Union survived more firmly knit by the ef-
fort to disrupt ii, and blessing a nation OF
freemen. 1t remains for US now to cast
out the spirit of sectionalism, that bitter
fountain Of our woes, and henceforth to
unite to realize the sentiment of the poet:
"One flag. one land. one heart, one hand,
One nation evermorer'
In the address of Mr. Webster on the
Fourth of July, 1851. he gave a ompara-
tive table of statistics showing The growth
of the nation between 1873 and ISL. Fx-
tending e few of the items Of mis- table
to the present date. and using reports for
lSy2 In doing so, We can realize our growth
within the last forty-two years.