Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-06-07
ADDRESS OF THE BOARD OF MANAGERS
WASHINGTON NATIONAL MONU-
N MENT SOCIETY,
TO ths People Of ths United States.

~ 40 inc feopte OF the U7sIed STATES
FxLLow- CIrnEss: We address you behalf Of
submit for your consideration the following report Of
what has been done:
The cornerstone was laid on the 4th Of July, ls4s
At that time there in the treasury Of the Associa
The work has gone on with varied progress until
the Of $3.50 900 the product Of voluntary eontr
buttons alone, has been expended in its erection.
The original estimate of the cost Of the whole work
the shaft the base, and the ornamental part exceeded
81, 1929, 900.
The base, built Of the blue stone Of the Potomac,
solid and indestructble, is sunk eight feet below the
surface and rises seventeen and half feet above the
surface Of the surrounding earth 1t is fftyfve feet
square at its top. From this springs the shaft with
walls OF blue stone fifteen feet thick faced with white
marble fourteen inches thick, in courses two feet in
height tied and bounded into the blue stone at every
course. In It's ascent il dimnishes gradually and
regularly in the exterior line.
The interior Is carried up straight, undertaking
chamber. Within and set into the solid wall Of this
interior, according TO the taste Of the architect have
been placed and yet to be placed the stones
tributed by States communities, and associations.
This naked shaft thus rgidly cut thus firmly
based, thus indissoluby bonded, now rises in its
simple and grand proportions one hundred and fifty
two and half feet above the blue stone base. II is
already Of the first objects which meets the eye
Of the traveller as he passes, through the hills by
which the city is hemmed in, and he starts to find the
immense machinery on its top designed for lifting
stone still idle and anxiously inquiries the cause
Fellow citizens: We are panied TO say ii is your
neglect. When the scattered and subugated Polish
nation, and the friends Of liberty in Europe began TO
erect monument to Kosciusko, they made il labor
OF leve and from every valley and mountain, and
plain and running stream, far and they brought
stones and piled and heaped them into vast pyra-
midal mound, to testify that love. And now, after
the lapse Of forty years, amid the commissions which
have shaken that unhappy country, pilgrim hands
still swell that pile with constant contributions.
We are erecting Monument TO a greater than
lr,,nx
among every kindred and nation Of the earth; who
laid the foundations gave the proportions and super
intended the structure of that government which,
with miraculous speed, has risen to the front rank
among the nations, and we call upon you for aid.
Hitherto, men well known to You, have given to it
long years of careulness and labor They have been
urgent and pressing in their calls for help, and you
have, to certain extent responded to their call 1t
was not their work, 1t was yours; they were your
stewards, giving their time and care, and ib0r and
money, in the same cause with you
But they have failed, not for lack of energy zeal
on their part, but from want Of that action and SYM
patty on yours which was essential to success. You
the people of this broad and happy land; you, the
children Of Washingtoni you, to whom he has left
the priceless bequest of his services and his love,
have held back the contribution needed from each to
erect to his memory suitable Monument in the ma
tional metropolis.
While thousands have answered promptly thel APP
peal to their patriotism and contributed the amount
already received and expended the far greater num-
Der, either from apathy want of opportunity, have
failed to join in this work of grateful duty This
failure compelled predecessors to arrest the prose-
cntion of the work. and to appeal to Congress for
sisance. . i
Fellow-citizens: This is not suitable object of
Legislative provision. Free prosperous, thriv-
ing people, will not allow debt Of love and graft
tude, due by every individual heart to be discharged
by an act OF Congress-!
new Board of Managers have now been appoint
ed. We come into Office under favorable auspices,
and with well-founded hopes of means to prosecute
fha ali Tho aot
have not been idle Our arrangements have been be-
gun, and are now in progress All causes OF differ
ence between and the Old Board have, as we hope
been removed, and we will Immediately go to work.
We appeal to the people. We wish no Legislative
aid We look TO free hearts we call upon all /; not
the liberal and the generous alone. We call upon
each man who this day walks erect in all the piano.
ply of freedom in this broad land who is not dead to
the common impulses of humanity; who is worthy !
in the least degree of the countless and diversified
blessings by which he is surrounded we call upon |
men everywhere to contribute each his mite. great
and mighty people, of twenty-five millions cannot be |
80 dead to the sensations which innate in every
breast at the bare naming of such u benefactor as
to refuse or neglect to give their aid in such a
cause.
Let every man, then who feels his heart beat with
American pulsations, and every man who reveres
the name Of Washington, sngfy or in companies,
directly with our Secretary, and send
in his Icontrbution to our Treasurer, or suggest
By order Of the Board |:
CHARLES G. TUCKER,
Secretary.
The following are the present Officers and Mana
gers of the Society, all Of whom except the President
and Second Vice President were elected on the 22d
day Of February last, 70 wit:
FRANKLIN PIERCE,
President Of the U. States and ex-ofcio President
vESPASIAN ELLIS,
First Vice President /
JOHN T. TOWERS,
Mayor Of Washington and ex-ofhcio I'd v. Pres't |
GEORGE H. PLANT,
Third Vice President. |
JOHN NJ. McCALLA,
Treasurer |
CHARLES @. TUCKER,
Secretary. |
Managers:
HESRr ADDISON, Jos Ii. BRADLEY,
CHAs. X. Belt, SAMUEL G. Busy,
FRENCH s. EVANS, JAMES GoRDoS,
CHAs, w. DAVIS, RoBERr T. KNIGBr,
JoHS N. CRlo, JosEPH LIBBY, ST.,
SAMUEL Z. DouGLAs THOMAS A. BRooKK.
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