The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-07-04

| developement as a great nation, and with her
satisfaction at seeing herself show the most
convincing and unmistakable proof of the impo-
tency of despotic powers against her success,
there should ever be interviewer and consecra-
ted the most vivid and grateful recollection Of
every circumstance antecedent to her grandeur
and of every being contributing to her renown.
The purity and simplicity of republican GUS
toms, and that equality which is the paramount
boast of our citizens, do not in this country
| permit of the lavishing recompense, other than
temporary in its nature, irrespective always of
that celebrity for great and good actions which
| is, and always will be imperishable; yet, be-
| cause America has natural and firmly founded
| dislike to those aristocratic rewards freely
| given in Europe, where honors are hereditary.
and where greatness of ancestors is shown in
titles accruing by birth to men who have no
other claim to be considered superior to their
| ow-beings-because America has these so
called prejudces there exists no good reason for
her forgetting the duty she owes to all who
have gone before and to all who may come af
ter, by obstinately refusing or wilfully neglect
ing to preserve the last earthly records of those
who, by their deeds and lives. gained immortal
! for their country's glory.
| In the history of nations and of national re-
| grets there is no event that speaks more thrill
| lingly to the soul than that recounted by La
MARITIME in his History of the Girondins,"
where populace in it's violence and uncon-
trollable fury, despoiled at st. Denis the tombs
of Frances kings, scattering their monuments
and ashes to the winds, which all the while
moaned and sighed mournfully over the desc
Grafton Of the memory Of the dead. Yet even
| here there existed the consolation that desire
| had once been evinced to preserve such relics.
and that although the efforts Of virtuous nation
| atty were defeated by mob's rapine and ruin.
| there still remained the conviction that the
| loyal wishers for a countrys good had once
carried out their intention Of doing honor to
| all whose names, whether celebrated by good
or evil repute). it was impossible to separate
from the history Of their country.
Free from the eonvulsions of popular distur-
barce, and in the enjoyment of unbounded tran
guilty and prosperity. which her natural
position, successful enterprise, sound and
just laws have ever given, this mighty re-
public may read valuable lesson from
the events narrated by the French historian;
and with the conviction, reasonable and newt
able, that national feeling suffers and weakens
by the endurance of national losses, she may
and undoubtedly will, endeavor to strengthen
and support the feelings of concord and pride
kohl I'D bc,, Ia 4
the promise of making them the most powerful
Of nations.
The day has again arrived when the name
Of Washington hangs upon every lip and when
the vastness Of his fame, the amount ofhis seltde-
NAL, and the soundness Of his patriotism fall with
redoubled force upon the recollections of every
one; and although in this country no flush of
shame is seen or felt that the mausoleum Of the
illustrious dead has been invaded or that any
chance exists Of the sarotity Of their remains
being disturbed the fact is. nevertheless, preva-
lent and true that more merited honor might
have been shown to their ashes. and more con-
sideration given, not only to the remnants Of
their vitality, but to the conservation. az ma
tional property Of what they most valued on
earth
In connection with these remarks. who Gun
read without emotion paragraph published by
cotemporary on the 30th ultimo, by which il
may be Inferred that the citizens Of the United
States are accustomed to the rumor of the sale
Of Mount Vernon to a joint stock company of
spectators and to this information there re-
NAMED but to be added the intelligence chat
the grave Of James Madison, the father of our
federal constitution, and twice President of
the republic, cannot now be recognised p
We're it necessary to add to our selfreproach
we might advert to the present dilapidated con-
ditlon OF Monticello and the grave Of Jefferson
-tothe marks Of violence and Vandalism which
disfgurea the tomb Of Gen. Harrison to the
melancholy fact that merchant ofNew York has
saved the resting place Of the mother Of George
Washington fron oblivion, aud that tie mod
est little monument which encloses the ashes
Of the Father of his Country was patrioti-
cally furnished by marble cutter of phiIadel-
Ibia, whose advertisement, Gf our recollection
is not at faulty is sculptured upon the sarco-
phagus itself But without recalling these
things let us hope that all such cases Of deplo.
rable neglect heretofore may be redeemed by
proper degree Of respect for the illustrious
dead OF the nation hereafter.
In the middle ages republican Rome knew
Of no more glorious certainty for exciting
patriotism. valor and intellectually, than in
the granting bright garlands and substantial
rewards to the living; whilst artistic, embe-
matte. and never.fading marble was voted 10
the meritorious, the celebrated dead and if
Rome in the ago Of barbarism could look be-
yond the present, and could desire to bequeath
for the admiration Of eternity names which her
nationality and pride would not allow her to
neglect or forget, how much more does it be-
hoove us to follow the example she set us, and
for the future, at any rate, save ourselves