On June 17, 1825, Congressman Daniel Webster spoke at a ceremony honoring the new Bunker Hill Monument. Past, present, and future came together in this stirring historic speech. He first honored the sacrifice of their ancestors, then moved on to show gratitude to their current veterans, including the forty survivors of the Battle of Bunker Hill who were present at the ceremony. Lastly, he gave an optimistic prediction for the future of democracy in America, saying, "The principle of free government adheres to the American soil. It is bedded in it, immovable as its mountains."