« And how stands the city on this winter night ? More prosperous, more secure, and happier than it was eight years ago. But more than that : After 200 years, two centuries, she still stands strong and true on the granite ridge, and her glow has held steady no matter what storm. And she’s still a beacon, still a magnet for all who must have freedom, for all the pilgrims from all the lost places who are hurtling through the darkness, toward home. »

Ronald Reagan, Farewell speech