Daily American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1852, 1852-03-27
AMERICAN TELEGRAPH.
1Communicated.l
washington National Monument and the
Roman Block.

Roman Block.
understand that sundry resolutions protest
ing against the admission of block OF marble
from the Temple of Peace in Rome into the Wash
ington Monument were adopted by meeting held
in Philadelphia on the 10th inst, and sent to the
Board of Managers of the Washington National
Monument Society, and very properly, think,
ordered to be laid on the table. / am, and have
been brought up from infancy, Protestant;
but | am happy to say that | repudiate oil feel
ings Of bigotry and sectarianism, and especially
where these feelings are calculated to interfere
with the duties of the patriot and the good citi-
zen. 1t would seem that the head of the tempo
raj government of Rome has manifested a de-
sire to show the estimation in which he and
the Roman people hold the character of the
illustrious Washington, by proposing to place in
the great monument now in the course Of erection
in this city in honor of his memory part of the
ancient Temple of Peace; and this offer, as it
ought to have been has been accepted by the
Board as an honorable offering from g Rome to
America" One would have supposed that a
present like this, though coming, as they assert,
from the head of the Catholic church and tyv
ranncal monarch, would not have been objected
to by any in this country, when it was done to
honor the memory of distinguished Protestant
and republican. 1t evinces liberality of feeling
on the part of the head Of the Roman govern
ment which those protesters are far from mani
Testing. Who they are, and what | am unable
to say, But l am inclined to think that not
man of them has contributed dollar towards
the accomplishment of this noble object; and yet
they undertake to assemble and pass string Of
resolutions arrogantly debating to the Board of
Managers, who have perseyeringly and gratui-
tously devoted, it would appear, seventeen years
Of their lives to effect an object which, they
imagined needed only to be suggested to the
American people to raise in few months the
sum necessary to erect statue that would do
honor to them and to the illustrious patriot to
whose memory it was to be dedicated. They
assert that the monument should be erected by
the American people exclusively. This is no
doubt the purpose of the Board and that pur-
pose imagine it is, and always has been, their
desire to execute. But surely the contribution
of stone of small dimensions, and placed in the
interior of the monument, will aid but little or
nothing, comparatively, in its intended elevation.
All the stones or blocks which have been sent from
the different States associations &C.. would not,
suspect form single course of the obesk. All that
has been contributed to the building of the monu-
ment so far has been contributed by the people of
this country; but | begin to apprehend there is
among them, after ALL too little patriotism, public
spirit, and gratitude for the great services he
rendered to that country, to insure its compile
ton. The onc-f1th of the obelisk only is
completed, and the funds are scarcely, |
learn, sufficient to justify much longer
continuation Of the work. And it certainly
but i'll becomes those who perhaps have contrib
uted nothing or but a mite to this great struc-
ture to pout and buster about the presentation
of q small stone from foreign government, even
should it be monarchy and still less to be die
tated to and influenced by some shallow bigot,
who has the folly to write pamphlets and deliver
silly sectarian lectures, with view to prevent
the execution of object intended to honor the
illustrious benefactor of mankind / would adj |
wise them and him to engage in some more use
full employment and to mind their own business.
The Board of Managers consist Of gentlemen of
high character and standing, who have never
permitted sectarian or party feeling to influence,
in the slightest degree, the patriotic and disin
terested motives which led to the formation of q
society intended to rescue the character of the
country from the charge of ingratitude, and to
build monument which should show to all fu-
ture ages the estimation in which they held the
name and services of Washington. JUSTICE.