The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-09-19
CAPITOL'S CENTENNIAL.
The Great Event Marked by I'm
pressive Ceremonies.
THE NATIONS LEADERS SPEAK.


made by the wife of Lafayette, impress
sively laid his hands upon the corner stone
of the great Capitol of the nation. Yester-
day the Tooth anniversary of the laying of
that historic corner stone was appro-
priately celebrated. The great leaders of
the people now, us then, gathered to do
honor to the wise men who laid the foun
dation Of the nations greatness.
<Aere was an imposing parade preceding
the speechmaking, OF which General Ord
way was chief marshal. The procession
occupied little over half an hour in
passing given point. Fhere was an i'm
posing display of Masons and knights
Templar, in their handsome insignia.
Other socleties-sud notably the Red Men,
in their grotesque Indian DISCUSSES, lent
variety to the scene. The regulars and
district militia were in such force that
they gave quite military aspect to this
civic parade. No serious accident marred
the day, and though the suns rays grew
very warm before the procession ended,
the short distance traversed prevented any
suffering from the heat. At the head of
the procession rode the president and cab
inet officers in carriages, escorted by
United States cavalry. Following in car
riages were Bishop Paret, of Maryland,
and chaplains Of congress- supreme court
justices, members of congress and COM
gnissi oners Of the district.
Arriving at the Capitol the parade was
dismissed, and the ceremonies of COM
memoration were commenced from stands
erected on the east front and in the
presence of an immense concourse of spec
tators The musical part OF the program
was exceedingly notable and effective.
Firlt the Marine band under the leader
ship of Professor Fanciulli, rendered the
overture to Tannhauser; then came Bishop
Paret's brief and eloquent prayer, and this
was followed by Dudley Bucks magnif-
cent 'Te Deum in Il Flat" rendered by a
chorus of 300 trained voices.
Mr.. Lawrence Gardner then opened the
oratorical part of the proceedings in brief
address, concluding by introducing Presi-
dent Cleveland as the chairman of the
meeting.
The president was heartily chcered by
the enthusiastic throng as he arose to
speak. He said he could not escape the
sober reflections which these ceremonies
suggest. The celebration was chiefly val
uable and significant, because the great
edifce was designed by great men where
the great principles Of free representa-
tive government should be developed In
patriotic legislation.
.ng,F the lawmakers forget the duty of
'broad and disinterested patriotism and
legislate in prejudice and passion, or in
behalf OF selfish and sectional interests, the
time when the corner stone of our Capitol
was laid and the circumstances surround
Ing 1t will not be worth commemoratinR
The sentiments and traditions connected
with the structure furnish standard by
which our people may measure the con-
duct of those chosen to serve them.
Our fellow citizens have no greater
cause for rejoicing on this centennial than
Is found in the assurance that their public
servants will assemble in these halls and
Eue rd the sentiments and traditions that
gather round this celebration.
After the presidents address there was
music by the band. Then the orator of
the day, William Writ Henry, of Virginia,
delivered an Grafton, which was both
lengthy, learned and ornate. The voice of
the speaker, however, was weak and low,
and his words were inaudible beyond a
circle of ten or twelve feet. Meantime the
multitude became very dense, as the
crowds which had been watching the pro-
cession added their numbers to those who
had already filled up the vast space in
front. Some women tainted and some had
to be taken off in the police patrol wagon;
but for the hour or more during which
went through the apparently dumb show
of reading his address the greatest pa
tience and best good humor were mani
Tested by tho crowd.
The next speaker was Vice President
BIevenson, who was introduced in brief
speech by President Cleveland. The vice
presidents voice rose above the crowd, and
be was heard perhaps better than any of
the speakers who had preceded him. His
brief speech was punctuated frequently
by the applause of the crowd, who en-
/. ped 1t because they could hear it. In the
6dh rse OF his address he said
History furnishes no parallel to the
century whose close wonow commemorate.
Among all the centuries it stands alone
With hearts filled with gratitude to the
God of our fathers, it is well that we re
call something of tho progress of the
Soung republic since the mastorful hour
when Washington laid his hands upon the
foundation stone of yonder Capitol.
when the foundation stone OF this Capl,
tDl was laid our republic was in its infancy
ind self government yet an untried exper-
81 INIT. 1t is proud reflection today that
time has proved the true arbiter, and that
the capacity Of free and intelligent peo.
pie to govern themselves by written CON
stitution and laws of their own making is
no Ion. " an experiment. n The crucial test
of n century Of unparalleled material pros.
perity has been safely endured.
''In no part OF our mechanism of gov
ernment was the wisdom of our fathers
more strlkingly displayed than In the.
division of power into three great depart
ments-legislative, executive and Judicial.
In an equal degree was that wisdom mani
Tested by the division of the congress- into
a senate and house of representatives.
Upon the senate the constitution has de-
volvcd important functions other than
those of nero legislative character.
Coequal with the house in matters of legis-
lation, 1t is, in addition, the advisory
board Of the president In appointments to
Office and In treating wlth foreign nations.
The mode of election, together with the
long term Of service, unquestionGbly fos-
ters spirit Of conservatism in the senate.
Always organized, 1t is the continuing
body of our national legislature"
The presiding officer of the senate was
followed by the presiding officer Of the
house Of representatives, Speaker Crisp,
who said:
"When the corner stone of this great
Capitol was laid our constitution was not
six years old Our government by the
people had barely reached the expert
mental stage. There were but fifteen
states In the Union. Our population was
less than 100000, aRd the house of repre-
sentatives, for which l speak, was com
posed of only 105 members. To-day, one
hundred years thereafter, our constitu-
,tion still exists unimphired; government
by the people has been firmly established;
lour population exceeds 67.0o0.o0Q. and the
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