The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-09-20

National Capital Thronged with the
People Anxious 40 witness the Com
memOrative Exercises.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. 1S.-The
centennial anniversary of the laying Of
the cornerstone of the capitol was ceie-
brated solemnly and impressively on the
broad plaza that stretches out from the
east front Of the building this after
noon. One hundred years ago this day
and hour, Washington, the first presi-
dent of the republic, as grand master of
the Free and Accepted Order Of Masons,
wearing an apron and sash woven by
the wife of Lafayette, laid the found
alton Of the great marble pile that is
now the admiration of the world.
This city was then village, it's broad
sweeping avenues, magnificent build
ings and beautiful parks as yet un-
marked upon the map. Escorted by a
small band Of patriotic citizens and a
troop of sOldiery, Washington, accom-
panied by his cabinet and many of the
illustrious men Of his day, rode to the
| forest-crowned hill on which the capitol
| now stands to lay the cornerstone of
that giant structure.
over the same route today President
| Cleveland was escorted by dashing
cavalry, marching infantry, blaring
bands, and a vast multitude of people
| to add his presence and words to the
celebration of the anniversary Of that
event. The Goddess of Liberty from her
stand on the dome looked down on the
1 faH r.1a oh In,
| addition to the orators OF the day, there
| sat in solemn state the members OF both
branches of congress, the judges of the
| supreme court clad in their judicial
ermine, the members Of the cabinet and
other high dig litaries of the govern
ment. BeyOno She saw, filing the pls "a
in front of the platform, and extending
| far out into the radiating avenues, a
| great concOurse of citizens and soldiers,
which, in numbers, patriotism and en-
| thusiasm, fittingly marked the growth
and grandeur of the country during the
| 100 years that have passed. On the right
| Of the platform was stationed the
| Marine band, under the direction Of
Prof. Fancuilly, and the chorus of 1,5OO
voices under the direction of Prof
Cloward.
A ThrOng of People.
Not since the second Inauguration Of
President Cleveland have the thorough
fares of this city been so thronged with
people as they were today and not since
then has there been such a display Of
civic and military organizations as that
of today. Long before the hour for the
parade TO start the inhabitants Of Wash
| from far and near began to assemble
along the sidewalks of the streets
through which it was to pass. They
| crowded the steps and porticos of the
| public buildings, they were to be seen
on the hoube tops and peering from
hundreds of windows in private houses
and they watched and waited until the
parade passed by, and then there was
an exodus from the streets and houses.
and house-tops to the grounds of the
grand old capitol, where the exercises
were held.
While the people were gathering along
| the line Of march there was a perfect
papdemonium of martial bands, leading
| the way for soldiers and sailors and
civic organizations to the rendezvous
| whence the parade was to start. There
was the steady tramp Of the infantry
the rattle and clash Of the cavalry, and
the rumbling of the artillery, mingled
with the clang of the cable-car gongs
and the shouts Of officers giving orders
| to their commands. Everything seemed
| to be in a hopeless tangle of confusion,
| and the thousands of people who stood
and sat watching seemed to wonder if
order could ever be brought out of such
chaos. The parade started from the
| white house and here it was the multi
| tude of sight-seers was densest A
| Gordon of police kept the crowd away
! from the grounds and out Of the way
| OF the soldiers and civic bodies while they
| were forming in line. Notwithstanding
| the fears of many, order was at length
| restored and the procession started from
| the white house to the east front Of the
capitol, over the same route taken 100
| years ago, when George Washington
| laid the cornerstone.
President CIeveIand's Address.
As he concluded Mr.. Gardner turned
toward President Cleveland and intro
| duced him as the next speaker. The
| president was given a most enthusias-
tic greeting. He said:
| while I accept with much satisfac-
| ton the part assigned to me on this oc-
| casion, / cannot escape the sober re-
| Elections which these ceremonies sug-
BeSl. 1HOse wiz ouPPO0C Niol VIC al z
simply engaged in commemorating the
| beginning Of a magnificent structure de-
voted to important public uses have
| overlooked the most useful and improv-
| ing lesson of the hour. We do, indeed,
| celebrate the laying of a cornerstone,
| from which has sprung the splendid edi-
| fee whose grand proportions are the
| pride of every American citizen, but
| our celebration is chiefly valuable and
significant because this edifice was de-
| signed and planned by great and good
| men as a place where the principles of
a free representative government should
be developed in patriotic legislation for
| the benefit of a free people. If repre-
| sentatives who here assemble to make
| laws for their fellow-countrymen for
| get the duty of broad and disinterested
/ patriotism and legislate in prejudice
and passion, or in behalf of sectional
and selfish interests, the time when the
cornerstone of our capitol was laid and