surrounding com- munities, demands and receives my warmest gratitude. You have well observed, sir, that these multitudes have joined in this glorious pa- geant, not as curious spectators, but rather as joint owners of the great work whose com- pletion we this day celebrate. It is indeed the triumph not only of the city but of the country at large. Its results reach far beyond the narrow confines of the metropolis. 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 va- rious parts upon " the broad and universal theatre of nations," and amid the shifting 76 302 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 em- body the emotions excited by the event, nor even to depict the feelings of pleasure awa- kened 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, " inter fluminanota Et fontes sacros." But it is not for the purpose of dwelling on the grandeur of this noble work,-or even its manifold and beneficial influences upon the health and happiness of a vast population, that I have risen, but rather to draw from the occasion whatever of instruction it suggests. I would then venture to remark that this stupendous aqueduct, and these splendid fountains, so worthy of being enjoyed, are equally worthy of being paid for. They owe their very existence to that mighty engine of modern civilization — public credit. With borrowed money they have been built. Is there one among us " with soul so dead," as to doubt that this debt will be paid to the utmost farthing ? Is there one among this assem- bled multitude who would enjoy the benefit, yet basely shrink from the burthen ? The glorious work yet remains, manfully to meet, and punctually to pay, the debt which has been so wisely, so beneficently incurred. Who will venture to predict that this sacred duty will not be fully performed 1 Who can believe that the foul blot of repudiation will ever spread itself over the pure, untarnished credit of this high-spirited community ? Were this possible, the massive walls and lofty arches of this noble structure, now the city's pride, would stand as monuments only of her degradation and shame. It is not, sir, that I believe it possible thatunder any circumstances or under any temptation, our city or ourstate could fail for a moment to maintain its unsullied public faith, but rather that it seems peculiarly proper on this occasion of rejoicing, to declare our firm belief that the debt incurred for the public works, not only of this city and this state, but of all ttie American communities will be, as it ought to be, paid to the utmost farthing. It is true, sir, that in some mis. guided portions of our country, breaches of public faith have occurred, injurious to the national character and dangerous to public morals ; but I cannot doubt that each and CROTON AQUEDUCT. 303 every of the defaulting communities which shall steadily and manfully persevere to the final completion of its works, will find in the resulting benefits, ample means for redeem- ing the faith plighted to the public creditor. It is in this point of view that the comple- tion of the costly structure we this day commemorate, is replete with encouragement and instruction. Sir, let us for a moment suppose that the Municipal Legislature after incur- ring a heavy debt, had, in a