The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-04-25


OF Virginia, he left Mount Vernon in liza rs
a delegate to the Continental Congress. and
the following year commenced his duties as
Commander-in-Chiefo of the armies of the II.
nIted States. From that period, until he re-
signed his commission, ''few and far between"
were the visits he paid to this spot. The con-
cluslon OF the war permitted him to return to
these domestic scenes, in which he delighted.
and from which no views OF ambition seem to
have bad the power to draw his affections.
here his friends frequently sought him and
spent pleasant hours in his society The gift
ed' the great and the good of our own and
other lands, became his guests, in this retreat.
and gathered new moral courage, to Ego and
do likewise. Here in 1896, Louis PhiIippe
Chen as nor an erile,) together with his broth
crs, Duke de MontpenSier and Count Beauiol-
ans, we're for some time entertained with more
than Nirginian hospitality.-But let us enter
the enclosure. \ substantial brick and
mortar wall-a work "of the oLdera time" sur
rounds the garden, and ornamented grounds.
attached to the house. In the rear of the man
son, IS an open court, mostly surrounded BY
buildings for domeSticS attached to the house
hold. The house, which is constructed of
! wood, appeared to be in a good state of preser-
Walton, ii we consider its great age Its exte-
nor: however, must soon receive repairs, or II
Will become unfit for 4 residence Upon the
presentation of our card, and request to paw
visit to the rooms of chief interest. servant
was sent to conduct US through the house. En-
tcring from the piazza which faced the Poto-
mac, we were admitted into large hall. Thi>
IN former times, when guests were numerous,
was occupied as dining hall 1t was plain.
but very respectable in its finish Upon the
left wall, safely secured in a glass case, hangs
''that oldkey," which once commanded the av-
enues to the old French State Prison, better
known as tie Basfilc, erected in 1888 and de-
molished in 7S9- Had that old key n tongue.
who would be willing to hear it discourse Of the
past? 1t was presented to Washington by
| Gen Lafayette soon after the destruction of
the Bastile.
On the right of the hall is a parlor and bed
room. The parlor must formerly have been
considered really elegant in its embellishments.
! The walls are succeed and ornamented over
head, with numerous raised figures The
mantle and janbs, composed of pure white J.
Italian marble, Of delicate workmanship, pre-
! sented great attrat ton. On their surface is
represented in high relief, domestic animals,
plants and flowers. This work was executed
abroad, and comes from the hands of a master.
The furniture and paintings are of the older
style, but possess little interest, when tlivested
Of their early history. From the verandah in
! front, fine view is obtained Of the Potomac.
and long stretch Of the Maryland shore The
park, before the house, is ornamented with a
variety Of evergreen and other trees. many of
which were planted by the hands of General
Washington. That portion o Me- Vernon on
which stands the house and original tomb. j.
J f1aN-rfpI abouf Oh Il.
the river.
Let us now visit the last resting place of the
llustriOus dead Its location is about forty rods
/ from the mansion, at the foot of the hill. South
and equally distant from the first tomb.
The room consists of an elliptical vault. n.
bout fourteen feet square, enclosed on three
sides with brick masonry, and having a coarse
iron picket gate, extending nearly across the
fourth or front side. 1t is entirely above
ground and the visiter looks directly upon the
collins. On the coffin at the right, he reads
the simple inscription "Washington," and on
the one at the left 'Martha, the consort of
Washington" Upon the foot of the coffin,
which lncloscs the remains Of Gen. w I'VE Oh
served with surprise. the advertisement of a
stone mason, who sought to immortalize his
name, by informing the public that he had
much 10 do IN preparing for the re-entonlbment
Of the ilustrious Washington.
With the location and general appearance OF
the tomb, together with the scenery in it, in
mediate vicinity, we were all disappointed, and
this future of cxpet tation Invested the visit of
much anticipated interest. Surely, it is hal
lowed place, but we sought in vain for those G.
motions Of religious veneration, which often
give elevation to the moral feelings, as one
approaches the tomb of the great and good
Ourpowers Of approaching the sublime and
the beautiful may not have been Just; the sea
son of the year, and the appearance of decay
or ruin, connected with all the former improve
ments Of the place, may have untitled us in adj
vance, to realize as We otherwise should, the
sacred sublimity Of the spot. Nor was it les
difficult to appreciate the reasons. which led to
the removal of the rema ms from the first toni
"A place fitted up under Washington's per-
sonal direction, for the place Of his final rest
Us we stood upon his first tomb. we could not
divest ourselves of the feeling. that here hi
sacred dust should ''steep The sleep that kno,rs
JW one Girak1nq"
Within a few years, it has been my fortune
to visit the graves of Generals Allen, Mont
gomery, Hamilton and Bonaparte, and as
have found something fitting and appropriate
in the place, or the scenery surrounding their
tOmDs. II Is diihcult TO lay aside the feeling.
that ''Lie J'Ta IN The hearts If his couptl57nen"
should receive secure and fitting sepulchre.
on that pleasant spot, by himself selected, near
the summit Of his own much loved Mount
Vernon.
petition, numerously signed, is now in the
hands of Committee ofCongress, asking the
General Government to purchase a part of the
Washington Estate 1t is to be hoped that the
constitutional scr7pIes" of those in high places
will be so controlled; as to allow some of the
"slnpius rereaues'' to be appropriated in con-
forInity to the prayer of this petition. If this
plan Should meet with success, the bodies.
(confnedby ,iHfo IN. Ternon,) may be return
ed to, and properly secured in the ''old tomb,
and the mansion, together with the tomb, NAV
be perpetuated for centuries to come. Then
the pilgrim and the citizen. unmolested, will be
allowed to visit the shrine of Washington, and
bending over his sacred dust. will be led to re-
call to mind his exalted worth, and to emulate