An achievement like this, which casts a mantle of protection over the commercial store-house of the continent, may indeed be a subject of felicitation for the whole American people.

We have this day enjoyed the spectacle alike, rare and sublime, of a vast community uniting in one common emotion, called forth by the performance of a great act in the mighty drama of a nation's history. If the immortal bard spoke truly of individual man

when he said, "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players ;

They have their exits and their entrances, And each man in his turn plays many parts."

how much more august the spectacle to him who meditates on social man playing his various parts " the broad and universal theatre of nations," and amid the shifting upon

302 CELEBRATION OF THE scenes of human society. And such a spectacle is this day presented. We celebrate a work, commenced and completed indeed within our day and generation, but extending its results far into the lengthening vista of succeeding ages. I will not attempt, sir, to embody the emotions excited by the event, nor even to depict the feelings of pleasure awakened by the physical change which has stolen over the city of our pride and affection. A new feature has been stamped upon the face of our metropolis. But yesterday it was the dusty trading mart, unattractive and unadorned to-day the pure mountain stream gushes through its streets and sparkles in its squares. To the noble rivers with which it was encircled by Nature, is now added the limpid stream brought hither by Art, until in the words of the Roman poet, alike descriptive and prophetic, her citizens exult,