Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1836-08-05

IN the lace Wherever | turned my
eyes, and Mount Vernon, though
small in comparison, reminded me OF
the Grecian Pairas, known like jeru.
salem and the cities of The Plaiu, not
Tor what they are, but for what they
have been in the history Of the past,
The very walls, built by the father OF
his country, to surround anil enclose
his family edifce were tumb|ing down
like the ruined palaces Of Italy, mol
because America like Italy was dead
and buried, but because America would
raise no other monument TO her be
loved son, than the temple every A..
merriam has raised in his own bosom.
Not only was the family ediGce Ga;ilng
10 decay, but every building upon the
premises. The garden walls were
for the most part in ruins. "Dull
lime" every where had fed "ike a
slow fire upon q hoary brand"
"---- the tooth Of Time
Had ground the sculptures 10 rude
forms,
Such as the falling waters eat from
rocks, ..... .-.
In the deep gloom ofcaves."
Where, ask is the love of Wash
ington, when that one "Sweet spot"
called home, is thus permitted to per
ish by the hand oftime? Where will
the tomb of Washington and Mount
Vernon be few years hence? Will
it always be said that ''he lives in the
hearts Of his counlrymen2' When
not even a decent pathway conducts
you 10 his dwelling, aud where, whea
you have reached the halIowed spot
where his bones are crumbling 10 dust
even the surrounding earth itsefIooks
like a deserted, forgotten and despised
spot. | would not ask that Mount
Vernon, like the plains Of Troy,
should ever be covered with the mag
nificent tomb raised in honor of the
Greclsn Trojan warriors. | would
not desire that the "monumenlaI brass"
should be raised in honor of George
Washington, but | do wish that the
spot beloved by Washington above ali
others, should be made an object rath.
er of pleasure than Of disgust 10 the
eye of the American and foreigner
But to return 10 our walk;
From The front piazza we returned
10 the house, examining with the eye
Of a lynx every thing that could lie
seen. The furniture was 10 the olden
style Of the Revolutionary times. The
walls Of the rooms upon the lower
aoors, were covered with paintings,
most of them family portraits, contain.
ug, as was told excellent, likeness Of
each of the occupants Of the Vernon
Estate since the death of Washington.
We fastened from this House of the
living Washington, TO the grave Of The
Father of our country. Every thing
here was imposing and solemn. The
slave who CONDUCTED US to this spot.
where he had conducted thousands be-
fore, seemed affected as with US he
sassd upon the monument and in.
sCriplion before us---lclIing Us simply
that "he'v lies The remainS OF George
Washington." The tomb was new
vault, enclosed with an iron railing,
and had been built about six years.
Curiosity satiated by ga ng upon the
new tomb, we sought out The still more
interesting spot where Washington
was first buried. My companions
on. Like Hamlet and l.aertes
nto the grave of Ophelia, SO did my
elbow traveller and myself leap into
he tomb of Washington. The ladies
determined not 10 be ouldone 10 reve-
'ence, followed on--our conductor,
'mlIed and said that no female had
ever before, since the removal of the
'emains Of Washington, which was
iix years, entered the vault.
We stood upon The broken boxes
md frames that once enclosed the re-
mains of our hero, gathering some
tones and several pieces of the crum,
ling tomb as relics of our journey:
hen leaving the vault we again exam.
ned the gardens, the green house filed
With oranges, lemons, flowers and
rees all AouriShing as in mid summer,
nd then in the language Of the ex.
client DR.. Reed, of England The en-.
husastic admirers of Washington,
we soon left the domain, perhaps
'rever, which was on1 dIgniled by |
he presence aud which is sill sacred |
y the remains Of Washington"
Il. 3.
mn ATORV