The Wilmingtonian., 1824-04-22
TO the Editer Of the New York American.
WASHINGTON March 81, 1924.

Washington March 81, 1924.
Yesterday being pleasant day, l set
out on what may be trul y called the Ameri-
can pilgrimage, viz. visit to Mount Ver-
non. in company with friend who had
travelled through Europe, and who was
consequently we'll acquainted with the man
ner in which the government of the Old
World testify their respect for the memory
of their departed worthless. Between us
and the object of our journey stood Alex
andria and following the desultory style
uf all modern tourists, should give you
description OF this receptacle of the flour
and tobacco of Virginia, but as it is not re-
markable for any thing, except.its capture
and sack during the last war, shall now
pass by it, as we did yesterday. without
stopping. Beyond Alexandria, the road is
wretched--so narrow that in many places
I've were obliged to drive with one wheel
upon the bank, several feet above the o.
ther; and in other parts both wheels sunk
into the mud several feet below the sur
face.
am nevertheless, not certain, as the re-
lies of Washington have not yet received
the honors that have been voted to be due
TO them, that it is to be regretted that
strangers are not attracted by the pleasant
ness Of the road to bear testimony TO the
ingrati.ude Of the republic. After leaving
the main road, and entering the plantation,
we were mush struck with the wild, and
even romantic scenery, through which the
avenue to the house was laid out. Passing
over alternate hill and dale, we'll covered
with an evergreen forest, we were 0cca-
sionally presented with view of the man
sion house, and also of the river, which
gave us sort Of foretaste Of the splendid
scene which manifested itself, when we
reached the lawn in front of the house.
The estate seemed to be well worthy Of the
high honor of being the seat ofWashington.
There was tranquility in the scene, which
strongly reminds spectator OF the cha
racter of its former owner.
Upon our arrival we were waited upon
by the gardener, who showed US the gar
den and greenhouse. These are kept in
excellent, order, and evince strong con
srast with the tomb of the greatest man A.
merica, and perhaps the world, ever pro-
duced. His ashes lie in rude vault,
without stone or inscription to distinguish
it from wine vault or an ice house. On
the oaken door which opens into this cham
ber of death, there are indeed the names
of many individuals, who have been at.
tracted there by curiosity. and were will
ling to impart to posterity the important
information, that they had lived after
Washington had died, to inscrbe thei,
names on his sepulehre. l felt too strongly
the influence of the character of the hero
who there reposed, to seize upon such al
occasion to perpetuate my name. To mi
his tomb was so sacred, that l would no
violate it so far as to scratch my initial
upon its humble door.
At the other extremity of the vaul
there is an other marked difference be
tween it and the cellars in which our lux
uries are deposited, viz: one of the stone
in the top Of the vault has been dispace
and free passage is afforded to the mois
ture and rain. in order that the work of de
composition may be sooner completed
and the country relieved from the reproac
which will always wait upon it while tn
remains of Washington are to be distiI
guished from any other remnants of mort
lity.
In Europe, public funeral honours a
awarded to eminent men, whether soldie
ar statesmen. Chatham and Nelson ha'
their monuments, and even in this count
crowd of inferior men have their sepu
chrai urns and tomb stones at the publ
expence. Some indeed have been broug
from foreign lands, for the purpose of bell
deposited in the bosom of their own cou
try. But he who was both soldier al
statesmen, who in the field was the gu;
dian angel of his infant country, and 5,
sequently, by his moderation and weight
character mainly contributed to the est
ishment of the confederacy under ,
present constitution is left without mol
mens, or even tomb stone--and that
after an ostentatious request by the
,ional Legislature. that his family wo
permit the government to provide su
bile sepulchre for him, who was emphatic
ly born and lived for the public.
1t is no answer TO say, that the gr
tude of the American people cannot
testified by the erection of huge piles
stone, and that they fee. all the resp
which can be felt by men towards one '
has done so mnch for them. That they
entertain such sentiments cannot be do,
ed and they are un9uestionably free fr
the impYtation of deliberate ingratit,
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