The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-08

public grounds reservations within the ety OF Wishing
by tbs President Of the Untrd states and The board
oil managers OF said society suitable site which "
sisel The said @onumsu and FOL the necessary prolsetoR
Mr.. NILES was decidedly ia favor Of the motion
OF reference, with view, il they not To control
the erection Of the monument, that they might at
least give their sanction TO IT, II it thus 10 20
forth TO the country there was degree Of RESPONSE
blty attached 10 their action on the subject. II a
corporation was 70 erect the monument, they (the
Senate ought TO be informed what its purpose was
and what sort Of monument was 10 be erected as
II involved the honor of the nation.
Mr.. CALHOUN inquired whether tie question
was now on the resolution; and
The PRESIDENT having informed him thai il
was on the reference,
Mr.. CALHOUN expressed hope that the mo-
ton would prevail. 1.-The understood the resolution
correctly, II provided for the erection Of monument
by an association; but he knew of no association.
tie trusted that whenever monument was erected
70 Washington, il would be by Congress, and rot
10y nn association.
Mr. DAYTON deaired to say ono word on
the subject lie was not very familiar with
details, but there was Washington Monu-
ment Association, If he Understood IL. He did not
know whether the association was Incorporated or
not. He was inclined TO believe il was. !, had
been IN existence some years. and had already col
lsessa e9oa,asrass sum o. 81
the amount being limited 10 one dollar for each
donor. IL was With this money together with such
additional sum as the association may derive from
like sources, that they wished to erect monument
asking Of the government simply site on the pub
lie grounds, and not an appropriation of dollar.
lie could conceive no benefit that would be derived
by reference Of this resolution 10 the committee
The subject had already been before the Committee
on Public Buildings Of the Senate, and had been
acted on during the present session-he would not
say identcaly the resolution, but one subsaIl-
TALLY the same.
Mr.. WESTCOTT said that If the object Of the
motion Of reference was that Congress should, in
any wise, control the manner in which the monu-
ment was 10 be erected, 1t would be an additional
reason with him why he would vote against IT,
Directly after the deeease Of Washington Congress
declared that a monument should be erected 10 his
memoryi and since efforts had been made in one or
the other branch OF Congress 10 do So but without
success Twice hid Congress refused 10 carry out
the resolution passed few weeks after the death of
that great man But number of patriotic citizens
had undertaken the work, limiting subscriptions to
one dollar for each Individual. He did not know
whether the association was Incorporated he hoped
not They had raised large amount fifty or sixty
thousand dollars, or upwards, 10 build a monument;
not to carry out, however the resolutiun of 1899
but private monument, to be built by the people
OF the United States without reference to Congress
All that they asked was, that a site should be
given them for the purpose, TO be designated BY the
President, on which to build their monument 10 he
erected by their private funds Congress ought not
to interfere with the character Of the monument He
repeated if the object OF the reference was to inter
fere with its erection IL was An Additional reason
WHY he would vote against the motion.
Mr.. CALHOUN was understood to inouire
whether the resolution was intended to involve an
expenditure by Congress; and
The PRESIDENT replying negatively,
Mr.. CAMERON said that the Ilan OF the monu.
i
liz. Buildings and that the affairs of the association
had been managed with care He was understood 70
remark that an interest of s3 600 had accumulated
on the principal and that the association desired IN
make a commencement of the monument The
President by the resolution WINS to select the site
As il was signed To Law the cornerstone on the
birthday Of Washington, and the time would soon
be here il would be better TO pass the resolution
now
Mr. BENTON was sorry TO fnd himself alone
He was contemporaneous with all the operations for
raising money by individuals for the erection of a
monument TO Washington. The subject had at
trac,ed the attention OF Congress for years. and
evies had been made throughout the United States
10 raise money for this purpose Repeated inouries
had been made as to how much had been collected,
and the amount paid to collectors for the service rem
dered He would not repeat what other senators had
said but he spoke for himself when he asserted the
fact and he coutd prove it, that the amount colect
ed in the State Of Missouri had not been accounted
for He was entirely opposed TO any action ON the
part of Congress by which an association of indi-
vduals could Law hold of the nome of the United
States for the purpose Of going abroad to lew con-
tributions on the human race Ifindiyiduals assume
to erect a monument let them do il as individuals:
but let no opportunity be afforded them of using the
name of the Congress of the limited States in fur
therancc of their individual schemes. If Congress
put but one single word in the bil-if only an inch
souarc of ground were to be gven-it would be pub
listed all over this country and throughout Europe
dat the association had the authoritV and sanction
of the United States, and that thew were resnonsi
BILE for the application of the funds IN hi. assume
ton money would be raised wherever n human be.
ing could be found Where was there nm individual
who would not subscribe dollar, That was the
amount proposed to lie collected from each person
for the erection of a monument in tins citv' Put
how many dollars had been collected; He would
refer to the case of Missouri Nearly every man,
woman and child in thnt State subscribed. and he
knew the fact, and could prove il in a court of ms.
tce that that money had not been accounted for
Were senators willing to affx the name ofthe Uni
ted States TO a company of individuals Of whom
they knew nothing and who were in no way re-