Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1852-12-25
The Dime Contribution.

I A AiAS ~ NA~
| oath ult., who signs himself"Union," says that
the suggestion Of the 'Dime Contribution is
not original with our paper, but that 1t vas first
proposed by a correspondent OF the StauntoI
(Va.) Spectator, on the 18th April, 1901, III
these words, that each voter when he gives his
vote, ''pay to the commissioner OF election the
sum of fire cents, as a contribution toward the
| building of the Washington Monument" 1t
appears that the plan failed at the election for
which it was specially intended, but that in De-
cember following, it went partially into effect
that a hundred dollars were procured, and that
the sum was appropriated to the purchase OF L
block Of stone for the Monument-and there
the plan dropped; and the communication says
also that the suggestion was discouraged by
the Monument Committee, in one Of their COM
munications to the National Hteuigencer."--
This may be all true. but we never before
heard Of it, or any other plan, alike in sub
stance to the proposition which emanated in
this journal. 1t is not strange that a sugges-
ton similar to ours, which has had such extern
ded influence, should have been thought of by
others. 1t is 4 wonder, indeed, that 4 plan so
simple and efficacious was not long since de-
yised and carried into successful operation.
Now for the argument, to show that Plaque
Observation-Disclosures Sentinel-are
entitled to the full credit of the suggestion
which caused the late "Dime Contribution" at
the polls on the occasion of the late Presiden-
tial election. When we recommended, on the
10th of last April, that boxes be placed at the
polls at the elections which were to follow, but
particularly the election for the Presidency, for
the purpose of receiving contributions to the
Washington Monument, with these inscriptions
upon them, " Washington Monument Boz" and
beneath, "One Dime TO the Memory Of Wash
ington p (Which was adopted here) we marked
the article, that the attention of many of our
influential exchanges might be attracted to it.
In various sections of the country the ugges-
ton was highly approved, and recommended
for general adoption; it was further accepted
by the Monument Association, who .honored
our remarks upon the subject, by embracing
them in a publication in the National InteHi-
gencer, over the signature Of G.. WATTERsToN,
Secretary, and the plan also recommended to
be adopted throughout the Union. 1t went
first into practical operation in this town, at
the Mayors election on the first Monday in
May last, through the fundamentally of DR.. ].
l.. HoRNsBY, then Mayor of Plaquemine.-
About $40 were obtained by this effort, al
though there were but eighty or ninety votes
polled, which sum was Immediately forwarded
to Washington by Mr.. VIM. A. READ, and duly
acknowledged by the General Agent. This
was undoubtedly the first money ever received
by the Association through such means. The
plan was subsequently carried into operation
throughout the parish at the Convention cleo
ton in June, when over $50 were collected;
and again on the I'd of November, when about
$40 were obtained.
All this, we should think, is more than suffi-
suggestion, becoming of interest for the reason
it has already been the cause of placing
thousands of dollars in the treasury Of
the Monument Association which would not
otherwise have been there, and presenting a
fair probability that by this means the entire
necessary to complete the Monument
will be obtained, aud at an early day.
No invention is of Importance, whether of
mental or mechanical character, except through
the results which it accomplishes. The form
of a Government similar to ours, was often
previously conceived before our Declaration of
independence and the Constitution which fol-
sprang forth from human intellect to
and illumine the world, and to give at
once practical evidence of their genius and
The power and the applicability of
steam were known even to the aneients, but
with Fulton rests the immortal honor of put
it into useful operation. And by the same
.easoning we may conclude, that whoever pre-
might have given form to a suggestion
similar to ours, it was destined for this pa
per 10 put it into acceptable shape, and achieve
grand results: and whatever of honor or Gre
lit is attached to such an act, it most unequi-
locally belongs where we said it belonged.
The writer above noticed, concludes his ar
icle thus
Il am sorry for the sPlaquemine Sentinel
,ut that celebrated parish can well afford to
tand TOR Immortality upon other grounds
The gentleman, like many others, labors un.
LEI an egregious error. The immortality to
vhichshe alludes was the election fraud perpe-
rated in the parish Of Plaqaemiines in 1874,
when Polk got about six hundred votes more