Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1853-08-10
Mount vernon.

When Washington died, Mount
Vernon was a beautiful spot. The
house, the lawn sloping down to the
river, the garden, the roads, the gate
WAYS, the old trees, everything indica-
ted care and taste. For years after
wards, when visitors came there. they
we're shown the chair in which he
used to sit and write, the marble
mantel- piece, and the key ofthe Bas-
tile, sent to him from France by La
fayette, and a hundred other relics
preserved with jealous care by the
family. And, until recently. they
found there gray-haired negro, a
faithful and attached servant of ash
ington, who kept the key ofthe enclo-
sure where his old masters tomb was
situated. 1t was the gre attest pride
and pleasure to talk by the hour OF
"Massa Washington" and to relate
the incidents of his life and death.
Then he would take you down to the
vault itself, on whose steps he had so
long sat sentinel, and as he approach
ed, his voice would sink into rever-
ent whisper.
There was an air ofquiet neatness
everywhere. The tolling of some
steamboat bell was the only sound
that broke the solemn stiffness.
There was something everywhere to
remind you of the respect due to the
grave where Washington lay buried.
Go to Monnt Vernon nov. After
toiling up the long sandy road from
Alexandra, you come to the shady
entrance. There was gate once,
but il has fallen down and you drive
over it. The lodge that stands near
it is dilapidated and empty. The
Avenue to the house is overgrown
with grass and weeds. A crumbling
brick wall on one side shuts off the
neglected flower garden. The house
looks old and decaying. One ofthe
posts of the verandah has fallen out,
and the roof is cracked and bent o.
yer it. Moss grows on the door step
There is no guide to show you on the
way, but there is a low range of how
els on one side, from which two or
three ragged negro boys run out to
offer you hickory stick as relic OF
Mt. Vernon, for sixpence. You
follow winding footpath down to-
ward the river side. An unsightlv
red brick structure stands before you.
1t is long since it was painted, and
the masonry is decaying and broken.
You trample down the long grass to
getup to it, and look through the rusty
grating. Inside there is plain mar
bic slab, covered with dust and dis.
colored with mildew. On it you
may read the carved inscription tina,
time and exposure may make legible
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
And this is the grave of the first in
the he arts of his countrymen!
We do not wish to be misunder.
stood as de string to blame the pres.
ent owner ofthe estate-Mr John A
Washington. Not rich, surrounded
by needy dependents, and subjected
to constant stream of visitors
who certainly have no claim to his
hospitality, whatever title they may
fancy they have to look at his
ground-it would be impossible for
any person to keep the extensive
estate in suitable order, or even in
repair. The fault is not his, but
ours, who ought to have made
Mount Vernon a National Mcnu.
ment, owned and kept by the Gov
eminent and open to every American
citizen.
The State Of New York has set an
examplefor Congress, in its purchase
and preservation Of the Old Head
Quarters at Newburgh. Who is