Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-10
THE CAPITOL IN 1897.

United States of America. in the city of Wash
ington. being the 4th day of July. 1851 this
tension of the Capitol, according to a plan ap-
proved by tine President. in pursuance OF an
act of Congress, was laid b. Willard Fillmore
President Of the United States, assisted by the
grand master of the Masonic lodges. in the
presence of MANY members of Congress. of
officers Of the executive and Judiciary depart
ments national, state and District, of officers of
the army and navy, the corporate authorities of
this and neighboring cities. many associations
civil and military and Masonic. officers of the
Smithsonian Institution and National Institute
professors of colleges and teachers of schools of
the District. with their students and pupils. end
a vast concourse of people from places near and
remote, including 4 few surviving gentlemen
who Witnessed the having of the corner stone of
the Capitol by President Washington on the
18th day OF September, 1898.
IF, therefore, it shall be hereafter the will of
God that this structure shall fail from its base,
that its foundation be upturned and this de-
post brought to the eyes of men. be it then
known that on this day the union OF the United
States of America stands firm, that their Con-
stitution still exists unimpared and with all its
original usefulness and glory, growing every
day stronger and stronger in the affection of
the great body of the American people. and
attracting more and more the admiration of
the world. And all here assembled. whether
belonging to public life or TO private life. with
hearts devoutly thankful to Almighty God for
the preservation of the liberty and happiness
Of the country. unite in sincere and fervent
prayers that this deposit. and the walls and
arches, the domes ami towers, the columns and
entablatures now to be erected over il, may
endure forever. God save the United States Of
America. DANIEL HE3srER,
Secretary of State of the United States
wEBsTER's GREAT ORATOR.
Webster was the orator of the day, and his
address, requiring two hours for its delivery,
was one OF his most mastery efforts. In it he
set forth some noteworthy facts and figures to
illustrate the wonderful development OF the
country from I193 to 1851. the dates of the cor
ner stone ayings. At the first date, for instance.
there were fifteen states in the Union, while at
the second there were thirtvone; at the first the
population but 8. ops, 32S, compared with
q, 267 .i9S at the second: the amount of treas
ury receipts was only 5.720. ga, as compared
with 4S.71t.SiS. and expenditures S7,529.575
as compared with S39. ,263; the area of the
United States was sos. i6i square miles, as COM
pared with 1914, $50: the number of post offices
was 209, compared with 81 55l; the number
OF colleges 10, as compared with 12l, and OF
public Libraries IS, as compared with 69i. &c.
How the great statesman and orator would have
opened his eyes to know tina. mis- maximum fig
ures would be doubled and trebled and even
multiplied ten fold in 1898. Then. turning 70
the southern Congressman and Senators. the
orator preached eloquently against the folly of
dlsunlon and secession in the face of such an
record of national advancement.
and concluded by paving his respects glowingly
to the American eagle
Before the close of the year 1851 the founda-
lions of both wings were laid to q depth of
from fifteen to forty feet, and the basement
stories were finished. In December tie western
front of the center or old building, containing
the Library of Cen yres5 was accidentally de-
stroyed by FIRE, bat this was promptly restored