The daily republic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1853-1853, 1853-07-25
THE REPU B.LIC.
Mount VernOn--The Home and Grave
OF Washington.

Mount Vernon-The Home and Grave
Of Washington.
Correspondence Of the Ns,o York Daily Times.
.ae WASHINGTON, Wednesday, July 6, 1853.
The rooms described in my last are the only
rooms now open to strangers. On former visit
was admitted to a large room in the north end
OF the mansion, extending entirely across from
front to rear, and entered from the room last men
toned. This was the great dining room, used
only for large companies and dinner parties IT.
lofty ceiling is richly ornamented 1t has several
windows-the principal ones opening upon the
piazza and another large one in the end of the
house, looking towards Fort Washington, some
two or three miles up the river. The fireplace il
adorned by exquisitely cut mantelpiece, of the
Purest Italian marble, made in Italy, and sent
from there to Washington by Lafayette. The
piece represents an agricultural scene-a farm and
farmhouse; with it's Industrious occupants engaged
IN their busy pursuits. Agricultural implements
and products lie scattered about, and horses, cows
swine, and poultry, occupy appropriate places
in the group. A dairy-maid is engaged in gather
ing the creamy tribute from the sleek objects Of
her care; and chubby little attendant is pouring
the rich new milk from his flowing bucket into
larger receptacles AS work of art this piece
possesses much interest apart from its association.
This room also contains very fine organ, on
which Mrs. Washington was an accomplished per-
former G
Another room on the first floor, occupied as the
family dining-room, formerly contained, and
suppose still contains, busts of General Washing
ton, Monsieur Neckar, and Paul Jones; also q
library fitted in the wall, with glass cases, the
books chiefly collected by the General himself.
The greater part of his library, however, and all
his manuscripts, were bequeathed to another
branch of the family, and most of them are still in
possession of Colonel George G. Washington, OF
Georgetown. 5s,
We have now taken view Of all the rooms to
which visitors are ever admitted. Z" Passing entire
w through the hail. we find ourselves in the court
ward, partially enclosed by the buildings, to which
/ referred sometime since. Its arrangement is ex-
ctedngly convenient, tasteful, and neat. That
till row of poplars, bordering the ground beyond,
FIRMS sort Of fringe to the strip of forest which
extends the arc enclosing the plat, from where
the range of outhouses ends. The row OF posts,
extending all around the lawn in the centre, are
sufficient in number for the confinement of whole
troop of horse; and one almost fancies he can see
4 company of veteran dragons filing in at the
gate, dsInounting, and fastening their prancing
steeds, preparatory to paying their respects to a
beloved chief at this anniversary season. We
walk down the gravelled carriage-way to the
right, distance Of say fifty yards; here is high
iron gate, the only opening IN solid Drlck wal
enclosing the fower-garden, projected by Wash
ington himself, although not finished when he
died. We cannot enter here now. The crowds
who visit Mount Vernon would overrun and de-
stroy it, if professionally admitted; for, unfortu-
nately, there are too many whose vandal hands
are not restrained even by this presence, as nu-
merous outrages in time past, such as the Pur-
Joining of roots, breaking of shrubs, &c., have
proven. The gates are closed, but just inside
stands German gardener, who offers for sale
bouquets fresh plucked from the beds marked out
by Washington 3 hand Those large, deep green
5ab sdgs and polished
bououet. or sells for trihe, we are informed are
"from the great magnolia tree planted by Wash
ington s hand 1t was while performing this piece
Of labor that he took the cold which resulted in
his DEATH lWeems, in his ssLife of Washing
ton it will be remembered, attributes his last IL
ness to cold, resulting from ride out to his
mill, some three miles distant from ms mouse; IL
is noble tree some thirty feet high, its trunk the
size of man 8 body. AS we gaze upon 1t, and
the years required for its maturity, we
arc surprised that he whose memory is still so
green has SO long rested from his labors.
AS we cannot enter the garden, and it was my
privilege to wander an hour therein some years
ago. let me point out some of the objects of inter-
est, for the whole of the enclosure is within view
from the gate where we stand. Directly oppo-
site and at the further and end OF the garden
is a range of lighthouses, their walls OF brick
That one YOU see in ruins, with the moss cllnglne
to it's shattered wall, was designed by Washing
ton, and built under his direction. Some years
ago it's roof was destroyed by flre, and no effor'
has been made to repair it. A few years more OF
neglect, and it will have tumbled into the garden.
The remainder of the spacious Conservatives, |
believe, were all designed by the distinguished pro-
prietor They are thrown wide open to-day, that
their exotic tenants may inhale this tropical air.
This is fortunate, for we are enabled to look in up
on the groves of lemon and orange trees, whose
presence we had already detected by means Of the
delicious fragrance borne to on the gentle breeze
from off the river, which tarried u moment in
these tropical bowers, gathering their perfume ere
it kissed our checks. Nothing in nature could be
more beautiful than those trees, laden with their
perfect fruit The lemon-trees, and am not
sure but the orange also, were pianted by ASH
ington himself; yet they look as likely TO thrive
for generations to come, as though the present
crop was their first grateful return for the care
thew have received. cannot distinguish, clearly,
what arc the other occupants of the conservato-
RIGS; but years ago the coffee-plant, the pine
apple the sweet cassia, the fig-trcc, the plaptaln
the guava, the night-bloomng cereus, the aloe,
and other plants rarely seen in this latitude, were
growing here in luxlrant profuson. The fruits
were ali perfect and of the finest kinds, as can be
attcsted by the neighbors for many miles, among
whom they have been freely distributed, espe-
cially when an invalid appetite was to be tempted
by some rare dehcacy.
The garden is laid out with much taste and
skill. Its arrangement exhibits an accuracy in
the knowledge Of gardening, and scrupulous re-
gard for minute details of ornamental erect, that
one would not look for at the hands OF him whose
mind seemed ever dwelling on matters of gravest
import and greatest magnitude. 1t is not impro-
hohle however that his own taste IN these mat
ters received moro or less tone from the .ssugges
tons of his charming consort. The walks through
the gardens are all gravelled, and bordered witt,
box, which mark out beds in great diversity OF
figures filled with flowers and shruobery OF Amos,
exercised in the keeping of this part of tho place
With the exception of tho ruined hot-house
every thing about impresscs the visitor most plea
sanity: and we feel the greater satisfaction be-
cause the original design Of the protector has beer
rigidly carried out and adhered to- On my iirs