The daily republic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1853-1853, 1853-07-11

Mv 2
aaiHl NO .
not be told that it is 30, for on its marble top,
finely sculptured in alto retiepo, the arms Of
the States whose Independence he did SO much to
achieye. Beneath this device we read the name Of
| A8N F "WAsHINcroN 30 90
| IT'S enough. There can be no error here. One
Washington only has lived and it is his ashes that
are before us. The other sarcophagus, at left,
is perfectly plain bearing upon its lid the simple
inscription astia Uf 8lln ess d 0a
| ~ 1@ssMARrHA, corsort of WASHINGTON"
| Over the centre of the rear wall of the apart
ment in which these sarcopha9i are placed, il an
other tablet, which is inscribed text of Scrip
ture, SO obscured however, by time and dirt, as
to be quite illegible The reader will have already
discovered that the tomb is divided into two parts
The rear apartment is closed, as usual, with Sc
pulchral vaults, and is the burial place Of the
Washington family. Here already lie the re-
mains Of Judge Bushrod Washington and others.
Just in front Of the tomb, at the distance of few
feet, stand two plain marble obelisks, each twelve
feet high, and surrounded by an iron pulling. From
the first of these we learn that thin the tomb lie
the remains Of Judge Bushrod Washington and
his wife Anna Blackburn. He was son Of John
Augustine Washington, and nephew of General
| Washington, who appointed him one of his exc
cutors, and bequeathed him Mount Vernon. .
The other shaft is reared to the memory of ssJohn
Augustine Washington, son of Corbn and Han
nah Lee Washington, and nephew of Bushrod
Washington, who appointed him one of his exc
cutors, and bequeathed him Mount Vernon. -
The present proprietor of the Mount Vernon
estate is John A. Washington, son of him whose
memory is recorded on the aforementioned shaft.
At the side Of the tomb, and between it and the
river, stands smaller shaft, erected to the mem
DRY Of "Mrs. M. E. A. Conrad, wife of Charles
M. Conrad, of New Orleans, daughter of Law
renee and Eleanor P Lewis, and grand niece of
General George Washington" c.. M. Conrad
will DO remembered as the late Secretary of
War. f * ssa.r 81
The tomb cannot be seen from tho river, be-
cause Of the Intervening forest. Its sight is not so
pleasant as several others in it's vicinity But it
was chosen by Washington himself, whose mod
esty and love of retirement found expression even
in selecting his grave where it would not present
itself unsought to the eye of the passer A little
effort at Improvement, however, would develop
those touches of beauty and natural adornment
turally seeks to surround the graves of the loved
and lost. Already several small red cedars have
shot up their graceful pyramids off green from the
top Of the tomb; the arms of the old oaks and the
shelter Of the broadleaved sycamore, are stretch
cd out to protect it from the sun 3 burning rays;
and the dogwood, in the spring season, presents
its pure offering of white blossoms at little dis.
lance. The ground itself is beautifully diversi-
fed and slight effort of art will suffice to clothe
it in all the beauties of Mount Auburn or Green
wood. These attractions are not wanted to give
interest to the scene; but would certainly be most
gratifying to the heart of every pilgrim who drops
a tear at this honored shrine. .t.t
But we must move on to the mansion. A walk
Of hundred and fifty yards along the brow of the
mount brings us to its front. 1t is venerable
structure, quite simple in its architecture yet i'm
presses one deeply the moment the eye rests upon
lit. 1t is of wood, cut in imitation Of blocks of
stone, with the edges bevelled, the whole painted
a sort of grey, apparently, and sanded with COM
mon grey sand to resemble freestone. The centre
of the building was erected by Lawrence Wash
ington, (brother of the General, } who named the
place after Admiral Vernon, in whose expedition
against Carthagena lie served volunteer.
The General added wing on either side, of
the same height us the centre. The mansion as
it now stands, is two stories high and nnety-six
feet long, with a piazza extending along the
whole river front, its roof on a level with the
caves of the house, and supported by plain timber
columns; and its floor of small square stone
blocks, some twelve feet wide, raised single
step only above the grassy lawn. Here it was
Washingtonis custom to walk to and fro every
morning, with folded arms and precise military
step. Standing where he then Stood the visitor
has charming prospect spread out before him in
the noble Potomac, which just below expands to
the width Of a bay, and the varying shore and
=
ION beyond. AS we stand here and trace out each
object, so familiar once to him who is continually
present to our minds, it does not require much
effort of Imagination to bring his majestic form
before us, and see him pacing, with measured
tread, his morning beat, his eye upon the scene
before u.s. his thoughts upon the interests of the
country Of his devotion.
Over the centre of the building is modest ou-
pola, surmounted by vane with the device of
dove holding in his bill the olive branch of peace.
At either end of the mansion is covered passage
way leading to ranges of out-houses, occupied by
the servants, (of which there are some seventy or
eighty on the place,) and for domestic purposes.
The whole arrangement of the main building and
out-houses describes semi-circle, with its arc to-
wards the river, enclosing large door yard,
bounded beyond by grove of lofty shade-trees-
the entire enclosure comprising, probably m acre
of land, ovuar in shape, a oarriage-way encir-
cling the whole plot, which reminds one of the
area within q camp or fortress. -p-rsst-
But let us pass through the front door. It is
no freak of affectation which lifts the hat from
the head of each visitor he enters tho spacious
hall; he feels that he is treading hallowed ground.
A tidy negrcss meets us here and informs us, in
answer to our interrogatory, that care has been
taken to preserve every thing about the house
and grounds, as far possible, in tho same posi-
ton in which it was left by Washington himself
Just over the first door at our right hand, hang
ing upon brass hooks, we see Washington s spy
glass, useu ny MIN 10 oDserVeODects upon the river
1t is plain and substantial instrument; but we
must not touch it, for if visitors permitted to
take it down, some careless hand may break and
ruin ii. Another glance and we enter the door
beneath it, which brings us into small sitting
room, its window opening on the broad piazza.
Let us take seat at tho little oentre-tahle which
stands there in the farther corner, Washington
often sat here; and around II has frequently mot
General Lafayette and many another noble spirit |
of '76. Who shall tell us how many of the re-
cords of wisdom he has loft us were penncd here? |
Could tho walls speak, what lessons of pure pa
trotsm and virtues, learned from his lips, might |
they not mpart. Upon the little table in the cor
ner lies book in which each visitor records his
name, We enter ours, and pass out again into
the hall. 1'Ht ip}