Freedom Returns Home in Capitol Day : History: Cannon shots and speeches celebrate the bicentennial of the home of Congress. But the restored bronze statue on the dome steals the show.

Cannon thundered and politicians made speeches as the U.S. Capitol celebrated its bicentennial on Saturday with the return of the statue of Freedom to its place on top of the dome.

“Here in sunshine, the emblem of freedom is again in her place,” said historian David McCullough at ceremonies marking the laying of the Capitol cornerstone in 1793 and the return of the newly restored, 130-year-old bronze statue.

President Clinton was among VIP spectators on the Capitol’s East Plaza as a bright orange, heavy-lift helicopter linked cables to a framework surrounding the 15,000-pound statue. Gently, the helicopter lifted it into place, more than 287 feet above the ground.

“This is a moment of unity in this great city of ours, so often known for its conflicts,” Clinton told the crowd of several thousand people.

Using a phrase associated with his own campaign for the presidency, he added: “The Capitol is here after 200 years. This beautiful statue of Freedom can be raised, renewed after 130 years, because our forebears never stopped thinking about tomorrow.”

“It’s a comfortable feeling to see this old friend, once again, securely in place, ready to look out over the city of Washington for another 130 years--and more,” Vice President Al Gore said.

Poet Laureate Rita Dove read a poem written for the occasion as a tribute to “Lady Freedom.”

“Don’t think you can ever forget her, don’t even try,” Dove read.

“She is not going to budge. For she is one of the many. And she is each of us.”

The statue has withstood the Civil War, world wars and the deaths of presidents, McCullough said.

“She has been pelted by sleet and snow, and been struck by lightning. And she has seen triumphal times, good times, lots of good times. And she has never looked better than today.”

Freedom was removed from its pedestal in May and underwent five months of repairs in full view of each day’s tourists.

More than 700 holes in the statue were filled with bronze plugs, rusty iron supports in its hollow interior were removed and its corroded metal skin was restored to dark bronze-green.

The entire project cost $780,000, all of it paid by the sale of gold coins issued in 1989 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Congress.

Because of schedule conflicts, the ceremony took place more than a month after the Sept. 18 anniversary of the laying of the Capitol cornerstone by President George Washington.

The cornerstone cannot be identified with certainty because the engraved silver plate known to have marked it has been lost.

That did not dampen Saturday’s celebration, which included Liza Minnelli’s rendition of “America the Beautiful.”

Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) told the crowd that after the original cornerstone was laid in September, 1793, spectators adjourned to tents where they feasted on a 500-pound barbecued ox.

“It was the first time, but certainly not the last, when someone’s ox was gored in the U.S. Capitol,” Dole said.