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

| &e11 tYESv
| Vice President Stevenson.
upon the spot where Washington stood, we
| solemnly commemorate the one hundredth
| anniversary of the laying of the corner
| stone of the nations Capitol
1t is we'll that this day has been set apart
| as national holiday. that all public bust
| ness has been suspended, and that the
| President and his cabinet the members of
the great court and of the Congress, unite
/ with their countrymen in doing honor to
/ the memory of the men who. 100 years ago.
at this hour and upon this spot put in
place the corner stone of the Capitol of
/ the American republic. The century rolls
/ back and we stand in the presence of the
grandest and most imposing figure known
to any age or country. Washington. as
| grand master of Free and Accepted Masons.
| clothed in the symbolic garments of that
| venerable order, wearing the apron and
the sash wrought by the hands of the wife
/ OF the beloved Lafayette. iInpressively and
in accordance with the time -honored usages
of that order. is laying his hands upon the
| corner stone Of the future and perman en-
Capitol OF his country. The solemn cere-
| monies OF that hour were conducted by
Washington, not only in his office of grand
master of Free Masons. but in the yet more
august office of President of the United
| states. Assisting him in the fitting OBJ
se-vance of these impressive rites were
| representatives of the Masonic lodges of
| Virginia and Of Maryland. while around
him stood men whose honored names live
with his in history, the men who, on field
| and In council, had aided. first in achieving
| Independence and then in the yet more
dlffcult task of garnering, by wise legis-
iatien. the fruits Of victory. Truly the CEN
| tennial of an event so fraught with in
| terest should not pass unnoticed.
A Century without Parallel.
History furnishes no parallel to the CEN
fury whose close We now commemorate.
Among all the centuries 1t stands alone.
With hearts filled with gratitude to the God
| OF our fathers, 1t is we'll that we recall
something Of the progress Of the Young
republic since the masterful hour when
Washington laid his hands upon the foun-
dation stone Of yonder Capitol.
The seven years Of colonial struggle for
| liberty had terminated in glorious victory
Independence had been achieved. The arti-
| cleS or confederation. binding the colonies
together in mere league Of friendship"
had given place to the Constitution Of the
United States-that wonderful instrument,
SO aptly declared by Mr. Gladstone to be
the most wonderful work ever struck off
of man."
Without dissenting voice in the electoral
college Washington had been chosen Presi-
dent-At his council table sat Jefferson, the
author Of the Declaration Of Independence;
Hamilton of whom 1t has been said: He
smote the rock of the natural resources, and
abundant streams Of revenue gushed forth
4 He touched the dead corpse Of the public
| credit and it sprung upon its feet" Knox
| the brave and trusted friend Of his chief
during the colonial struggle and Edmund
/ Randolph. the impress of whose genius has
been indelibly left upon the Federal Consti-
| tuition. Vermont and Kentucky as sovereign
| states-coequal with the original thirteen
Supreme Court. consisting of six members,
| had been constituted. with the learned
jurist. John Jay. as its Chief Justice The
| popular branch Of the Congress consisted of
/ members THIRTY cit
| tuted the Senate. over whose deliberations
presided the patriot statesman. John Adams
the population OF the entire country was
less than 100000. The village Of Washing
| ton. the capital-and trust for all coming
| ages the capital-contained but few hun
| dred inhabitants.
Many Places of Meeting.
After peace had been concluded with
| Great Britain and while we were yet under
| the articles of confederation the sessions of
| the Congress were held successfully at
| Princeton, Annapolis. Trenton and New
| York In the presence of both houses of
| Congress on the 30th lay Of April, 1882 in
| the city of New York, Washington lad been
| inaugurated President. From that hour
| the beginning of our government under the
Constitution-the Congress was held in
New York until 1870. then in Philadelphia
| until 1900. when, on November II, IL first
convened in Washington. The necessity of
| selecting a suitable and central place for
| the permanent location Of the seat of gov
eminent early engaged the thoughtful con-
| sideration OF our fathers. 1t cannot be
| supposed that the question reached a final
| determination without great embarrass-
| ment, earnest discussion and the manifesto
ton Of sectional jealousies But. as has
| been well said "the good genius of our sys-
| tenn finally prevailed" md "a district of
| territory. on the River Potomac at some
| place between the mouths Of the Taste m
Branch and the Connosacheague." was. by
| act of Congress of June g, 1870. accepted
for the permanent seat Of government of
| the United States"
The Permanent Capital.
From the 18th day of November. $500, this
| city has been the capital When that day
came Washington had gone to his grave,
| John Adams was President and jefferson
| the presiding officer Of the senate. 1t may
be well to recall that upon the occasion of
| the assembling for the first lime of the
Congress in the Capitol President Adams
| appeared before the Senate and the House,
| In joint session, and said: 1T would bc un-
becoming the representatives of this nation
| to assemble for the first time in this solemn
/ temple without looking up to the Supreme
Ruler Of the universe and implorinS His
| blessing. You will consider 1t the CAPT.
| tai OF a great nation, advancing with IN
| exampled rapidity in ..rts. In commerce, in
| wealth and population and possessing with.
in itself those resources which. II not
| thrown away or lamaniably E,isdirected
| will secure to II long cour Sc Of prosperity
| and self-government.
| To this address of President Adams the
Senate made reply: We meet you. sir, and
7 the other branch Of the national Legislature
in the city which is nonored by the name Of
our late hero and sage, 1he Industrious
Washington, with sensations and emotion,
which exceed our power of description.
From the date last given until The burn
ing Of the Capitol by the British in 1914. In
the room now occupied by the Supreme
Court library, in the north wing. were helC
the sessions of the Senate. That how al
most forgotten apartment witnessed the as
sembltnS of Senators who, at an earlier
period of our history, had been the asso
ciates of Washington and Of Franklin, anG
had themselves played no mean part In
crystahzing into the great organic lnw the
dea thless principles of The Declaration Of
independence From this chamber went
forth the second declaration Of war again 81
Great Britain, and here. before the Senate
as court of impeachment was erra.sne6
a Justice of the Supreme Court of the
United States to answer the charge of al
legged high crimes and rnisderaeaaors.
With the rolling wears and the rapid
growth OF the republic came he imperative