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Webster's first Bunker Hill oration and Washington's farewell address
Webster's first Bunker Hill oration and Washington's farewell address Author:Daniel Webster Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE BUNKER HILL MONUMENT AN ADDRESS DELIVERED AT THE LAYING OF THE CORNER-STONB OF THE BUNKER HILL MONUMENT AT CHAHLESTOWN, MASS., ON THE 17'fH OF JUNE,... more » 1825 [THE earliest monument on the battle-ground of Bunker Hill was a shaft to tlie memory of Joseph Warreu, erected in 1794 by the masonic lodge of which Warren was a member. The idea of a monument to the hattle itself, until within a few years of the fiftieth anniversary, seems never to have entered the mind of anyone. The credit of this new conception is given to William Tudor, a Boston man of letters, who, if he was not the originator of it, at least by his persistence and energy did more than anyone else to bring about its realization. Largely through his efforts, a monument association was formed in 1823, and steps immediately taken for raising a large sum of money. To arouse public enthusiasm in the project, the Association resolved to lay the corner stone on the fiftieth anniversary of the battle. General Lafayette, then on a triumphant tour of the States, gladly consented to be present and to assist in the ceremonies. Mr. Webster, as president of the association and the most notable orator in New England, was announced to deliver the memorial address. The day, the magnificence of the celebration, the presence of the nation's guest, and the renowned orator, combined to bring together on the historic field an assemblage of unusual distinction. After the corner-stone had been laid with appropriate solemnities, the spectators, to the number of twenty thousand, moved to the north and took their seats on the sloping hill-side, facing a platform erected at the base. It was an appreciative audience. The time which had elapsed since the occurrence of the battle was not yet so long as to destroy, even for the youn...« less