Washington sentinel., 1854-06-18

grounds will hide more than half their beauties
and prove aperpetual nuisance, the regret ani
condemnation of posterity.
What is The pride of Boston2 Every voice
responds, the Common Does any one regre
its extent? Is there one man in that whole
community would have it shorn of one foot o.
its dimensions? We're it practicable to make
1t three hundred acres instead of fifty, would
not its advantages and the qualification of all
Its citizens be proportionably increased?
Is not the city of New York dissatisfied with
the paucity and extent of her public grounds
numerous though they be; and she is now
robbing the waters of domain to enlarge her
splendid Battery. Has she not for years been
seeking such grounds, as in Washington are,
unhappily in too small repute? Is she not
now at the expense of several millions of dol
lars, seeking to obtain parks for the health and
pleasure of her citizens and visitors?
These parks are, of necessity, on the out
skirts of the city, accessible to, comparatively,
few; but experience has so demonstrated the
benefits of parks in cities, that these large
sums are readily expended for them in these
remote places; the best reparation, however,
to posterity they can make for the oversight
Of our ancestors. What would not New York
pay to enlarge the park to FIVE hundred acres
Philadelphia, which has SO long boasted her
public squares and beautiful grounds around
Fairmount, now, too late almost, finds she has
been niggard and unwise in not securing, in
her midst, parks of suitable dimensions; and,
like New York, is seeking to secure the best
she can. As for Baltimore-unhappy Balti-
more-she Of all her sister cities, who had
the most beautiful of parks embosomed within
her limits; park beautifully undulating with
hill and dale, and fringed with running
stream Baltimore, luckless Baltimore, shall
we say tasteless Baltimore, preferred the SOU
briquet Of "the Monumental City" to "the City
of Parks !" and Baltimore, unwise Baltimore,
like Washington, SO jealous Of any rival beauty
to her marble monuments, stoutly and with
fatal success, resisted all efforts to give even
breathing room to the towering monument on
which stands the image Of Pater Patria. Alas
poor Baltimore! she has not an oasis in all the
desert of her brick and mortar. Which of all
the surviving resistants to the securing park
around this monument, can recall his Uictory
OF that day, and not shed tear of regret that
defeat had not been his fate. Yet, Baltimore,
with even this great frailty, how many love
thee dearly still The Cassandra warnings of
those days, foretelling this regret, have reached
realization. Will we of the present day at
Washington, hoard up for old age and for pos
terity similar regrets and selfcondemnation.
Who has ever heard Of the two thousand
acres Of park in London, being cause Of COM
plaint by the poorest or the most avaricious
1t is the poorest classes in that great metropolis
that would make rebellion at any purpose of
robbing the city of these great treasures. Is
The extent of grounds in Paris subject of COM
plaint by any one2 Is the extent of public
grounds in any city in the world subject of
complaint by. any human being? Is not their
circumscribed extent in almost every city sub.
ect of universal regret? Shall zoe, therefore,
disregard this universal lesson of all times, and
Of all cities, and omit, while it is in our power,
to secure at least decent room for the mansion
Of the chief of this growing nation.
There are two squares, one on the east and
another on the west side of Lafayette square,
of dimensions sufficient for the contemplated
buildings. These squares can, in all probabi-
lity, be purchased on reasonable terms, GER
tainly for much less sum than has been. and
is being spent for mere ornament to the Capitol |
alone; and no one will question that for orna-
ment and. habitual use, the grounds secured by
the removal of all the buildings on the Pre-.
sidents square, except the mansion, would be |
preferred universally to all the ornaments Of
all the public buildings. If indeed, the ques-
ton were put to the vote in this District and
the Union whether they would not
prefer the Capitol ITSELF to be of plain brick, |
wholly destitute of ornament, and retain these
grounds cleared from the disgrace Of its build.
ngs there would come up from every quarter
one unanimous amen! A failure now to secure
he ground, is a failure forever. The subject
mas been debated in Congress and the razing |
he treasury building to the earth, when nearly
completed failed by a single vote, and but for
personal considerations, would have passed.
The two squares above mentioned are most eli.
5ibly situated, giving full scope of vision, from
! great distance, of the architectural beauty Of
he ediices which may be erected on them.
They will be light and airy, accessible from all
our sides, and by their proximity afford a faci-
ity to the transaction of business hitherto un.
known. None Of these advantages would be
had in an equal degree by buildings on the
Presidents square, which now is a mere tho
'oughfare, shamefully 50; perpetual throng
passing and repassing through the very portico
Of the mansion itself Besides which, the pre-
sent buildings could be occupied without annoy.
ance, while the new buildings are being erected
On the two squares mentioned; but to build on
the Presidents square, would cause confusion,
and destruction to trees of very
IL - !.