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The Next Phase Begins:
The cornerstone carried a somewhat pessimistic message written by Secretary of State Daniel Webster: "If, therefore, it shall hereafter be the will of God that this structure shall fall from its base, that its foundation be upturned and this stone be brought to light, be it known, that on this day the Union of the United States of America stands firm..." Webster's message reflected national tensions over slavery that exploded a decade later in the Civil War.
Laying of the Corner Stone at the Capitol
Gleason's Pictorial Drawing-Room Companion
August 2, 1851 |