The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-14

spare. There would soon be no garden here If The
public were universally admitted, and allowed. 70
pick and choose for themselves. The expense. Of a
guard to prevent petty larcenies on the othe hand
il more than the proprietor could bear anf we must
therefore excuse him in the compromis e which he
has adopted, Of allowing plants, flo Sers and bou-
quets TO be sold by the sentinel at Z ne gate.
The hall of the house and two looms are open TO
the public We will not enter nto details concern
ing them, as they have bee a so often described
before We will simply register our names
in the general record OF visiters, and leave.
Sorry we have not beer. able to meet Mr.. John
A. Washington; but he is not often visible to stran
gers. He could do othing else If he to devote
his time to them, Coming as they do from hfty 10
two or three hundfed per day, during eight OF nine
months in the Year.
There is qur.e an Improvement in the general ap.
pearance OF This mansion, and the whole series OF
buildings attached to it, contrasted with their APP
pearance ten years ago. Then they appeared In the
last stage of decomposition; now they in pref
ty good state OF preservation, and look smart and
tidy in their new coat of whitewash. Otherwise,
however, the place is still in a shabby and lamenta-
BILE condition, especially the tomb Of Washington
and its immediate surroundings.
! You ask me, does Mr.. Washington share in the
proceeds of the sales of the garden articles and in
the profits Of the walking canes at the tomb and at
! the landing? / suppose he does. His object is,
doubtless to prevent the indiscriminate destruction
which vsiters would otherwise make among the
plants, shrubs, and young timber; and as two or
three idle negroes upon this place, Geduced as IT
| has been to 1.-THE Of what it was in Washingtons
time), could not be spared for the accommodation
of the public, the proprietor can DO no better than
make the public share with him in the costs Of their
visits to this holy ground. The very fact that Mr..
Washington has offered to sell the estate for $780,,
0G0to the government, is proof that he s not able
to support it. He has doubtless expended all his
receipts from the public in the pier and the plank
walks for their accommodation. He would doubt
lass have done much more had he been able to do it,
| But he is not wealthy. The lands of this Mount
Vernon farm, cut down to few hundred acres, like
all The lands of this region are poor. George Wash
ngton made them pay; but he had many thousand
| acres, and was prince among farmers, as he was
| without peer among men. 1t is very doubtful If q
| better practical farmer can now be found in the
United States than was Washington, notwithstand.
ing all the improved implements and valuable dis
| les of our day.
Finally while we absolve Mr.. John A. Washing
| ton from all blame, while we admit that under the
circumstances he is doing the best he cam it is pain
full it is shameful that Mount Vernon, and especially
the tomb Of Washington, should be in such shabby
dilapidated poveItystricken and neglected condi-
ton as we find it. II the government does not buy
the placcif the State of Virginia will not permit
the United States to purchase it Congress with the
consent of proprietor has yet the power to erect
a decent tomb over the remains of Washington and
his consort, where they lie, without disturbing them.
They should not be disturbed but appropriate
and durable tomb of marble should be erected over
the ashes of the greatest and best man of our coun
try of any country and Martha, the wife of
Washington who sleeps by his side. Congress should
do this, and provide appropriate walks about those
grounds for the public accommodation, and relieve
| Mr.. Washington Of the onerous duty, even though
| the property should remain in his hands, We call
the attention of the Committee on Revolutionary
Claims Of both houses Of Congress, to the present
shameful condition Of the tomb Of Washington.
| .1y-s