The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-14
Our Virginia Correspondence.
MOUNT NEKNoN,
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. May 6, Il

MOUNT VERNON
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va, May 6, ls54.l
Trip TO Mount Vernon by Steanboat-Ihe Tomb
of TVashington-Hs DaapMated and Shameful
Conddion-The Mansion and the Grounds
Walking Sticks, Plants and FYo,res for Sale
Same 44pology for the Present Proprtetor-Dnty
If Congress to ProseveMe Remains Of Washing
tan and HIS Conso,t IA Decent pauh, &C., &c.
A little steamboat plying daily between Washing
ton city and Mount Vernon sixteen miles below,
round trip one dollar, makes the excursion to the
home and the tomb Of Washington cheap and con-
venient; and, with pleasant company, a fine day,
and few leisure hours, especially on Saturday the
trip to a stranger is almost notwithstanding
Washington at or 10 A. NJ. and returning by p.
NJ, with hour and half for explorations at Mount
Vernon. An immense acquisition to the daily pill
crims there has been the result of the introduction
of this steamboat communication. Before its intro
duction, several years ago, the round trip was
hard days journey over the hills and hollows, and
by desperate country road, at an expense for a
carriage of from five to eight dollars; and the vis
tiers were comparatively few and far between.
But here we are. We have landed from the boat
upon a substantial pier, which has been run out a
hundred yards into the river. Those shad and her
ring upon the dock are from the fishing landing a
few hundred yards below. 1t is the fishing season.
and almost at every point where the beach is favora
ble there is Fishing Shore" so called, where the
shad and herring are hauled out by seines,
some of them a mile long. The Potomac
thus yields many thousands Of barrels Of
shad and herring every season. We strike
at once, on reaching the shore, upon hal
lowed ground Here is plank footway ascending a
little hollow between the wooded hills which rise
abruptly from the rivers bank These woods, you
will perceive, still comprehend fear of the primitive
oaks of Washingtons day but heavy growth Of
small, stunted timber and scrubby underbrush, with
here and there PROSTATE tree, disfiguring the
jungle, shows, upon entering the threshold of this
formerly beautiful estate, that it has been steadily
running to waste and decay.
Following the plank foot-way to lower plateau
on tie summit level, some three hundred yards from
the river, stand in front of the tomb OF Washing
ton and gazing through the iron gate at the two
: rcophagi which nclose, the one the ashes of the
Father of his Country" and the other the dust of
Martha consort of George Washington. Immediately
behind us are two marble obelisks the one in me-
mory Of Judge Bushrod Washington, q nephew to
whom the General bequeathed Mount Vernon, and
the other to John Augustine Washington, ne
phew OF the Judge, and his successor in occupation
of this estate and the father of John Augustine the
present proprietor. To the right of the tomb is
ther obesk TO the memory of Mrs. Conrad, wife OF the
exSecretary of War of that name She was formerly
q Miss Lewis, of the valley of Virginia, the Lewises
being branch of the Washington family.
But look at the interior of this simple br lex vault
put up at an expense of "a few hundred dollars The
plastering has been falling from the walls, and lies
n mass of rubbish. on the floor The brick work
yb WnahnutOn'e sarcOphauus
cIumblng away. That familiar bird Of the South,
known as the bee-wee has introduced life into this
house Of the dead. In that recess in the back wall
there are two nests Of this inoensive bird, and an
other directly against the face of the WALL above the
other Two, which is perhaps the home of pair of
swallows. In few weeks if not disturbed there
will be three families OF these birds, heewees and
swallows in occupation of the tomb OF Washington.
Now mark you, that young black man, who vends
his walking sticks, cut from the hickory, sweet gum,
cedar. assairas ash, oak and other trees in these
groves sells them at twenty-five cents piece. gu
pay the price readily. You know they are genuine.
The material is too abundant around you to
suppose that darkey would go off this place to get
his timber, when the honest article is easier to OBJ
tain than the spurious. Moreover, the canes of this
chap at the toni enhanced in value because you
ret them ct the spot itself. He has them displayed
against the very wall of the tomb, all sorts and
sizes. What commentary upon human glory is
this The grave OF Washington reduced to a mar
ket for the vending Of walking sticks lin the rough)
a twenty-five cents apiece! Now, it this darkey
had any OF the shIowdness of Yankee, when those
beewees aud swallows have hgtehed ont their young
and just before they are ready to fly he would watch
his opportunity, and when proper customer came
along, he might sell single bird for hundred, five
hundred, OF even thousand dollars. Yes, there are
men who would even give thousand dollars for .
bind hatchod III the tomb of Washington.
Passing on from this saddening scene OF dilapdl'
tic, VIC ascend TO thehigher plateau OF tie mansion
hy rough plsnkod footway around the brow OF the
| lin and against the edge of the woods next the
fNer. But we shall not describe this mansion. j 2
situation j. most commanding, and eXceedingiy
beautiful lie house, the out-budings tdc garden,
tie tees and the shrubhcry are ta-tefnlly aad har
Ironiously combined into a general grouping which
is very pleasing b. the eve. 10 the rear of The man
sion broad green field, level az q floor, cx-
tends backward for perhaps quarter Of a mile,
fankod each side by shade trees most Of them OF
spontaneous growth. There ale some tall Lom-
hardy loplars among them, which first designate
from the distance (from their superior hoght) in
any direction the precise locality Of Mount Vernon.
VCry many Of the mansions Of the ancient II first
families of the Old Dominion are marked by these
Lomlardy poplars. For example, in descending
tllo Potomac for upwards OF o hundred miles to its
month You will frequently observe upon the Nr-
ginil hills cluster Of Lombardies, and though You
may not detect anything else from the boat, rely
upon those trees indicate the presence of a once
stately old colonial establishment, gone. or going
incst lhcy TO a melancholy state of decay.
In front Of the Mount Vernon mansion there is an
open green lawn Of several acres, softly sopiug
down TO The verge Of the wooded declivity which
abruptly deseends to the river, and this lawn IS
sprinned over profusey with yellow buttercups and
dandeons. TO the right there is small wheat
field, and back of i an apple orchard. The woods
close round upo1 the left a stones throw from the
porteo From TINS portico, which covers the entire
front Of the central building the view Of the broad
Potomac, and the lnls Of Maryland and Virginia,
above and below, il very fine, Notwithstanding the
prevailing appearance OF all the surrounding country
is that q poor soil irreclaimable except by long
continued, careful and expo. siye cultivation.
But tie ladies have gone hacE TO the garden. Let
ne join them there. We can't 70 n. But colorcd
woman is inside tie gate, ready 10 trade, and our
isr friends arr purchasing bouquets and little flower
pots at reasonable prices. There il lemon tree in
this garden, planted by Washington and the lemons
from this tree nay te had at dollar a piece: aid
they are wen worth to such % baye The money 10