Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1856-04-16
TAe, Ten. 81 w.sAi.e,e..

The TsnA q Washingson.
HoRAcr GHEKLEi thus describes the Tomb o,
WAsHiNGTos IS it appeared on recent visit:
II cannot be many years-say six or eight since
my former visit; yet the march Of ruin In the in.
term has been fearfnlly rapid / doubt
whether FIVE hundred dollars, worth of build
ing fencing, repairing, renovating, have been
bestowed on the estate since Gen. Wash
ington died more than fifty-six years ago
All the fences in sight from the mansion are
IN the last stage Of decay; the plants and
shrubbery have sadly fallen away; the negro huts
and barn are very far gone; and the whole place
has an aspect Of forlorn neediness which no des-
cription can adequately paint. Even the new
and spacious brick tomb-the contribution Of pa
triotic and opulent Philadelphian some twentyodd
years ago Is beginning to crumble away, wheth-
or from faulty constructions or sympathy for all
around, will not say. The tasteful marble sar-
cophagi in which repose the mortal remains of
George and Martha Washington alone maintain
their freshness but let the protecting structure
crumble away and they too must yield to the tooth
Of Time. The woods which closely approach the
tomb are full of fallen, decayng trees, as vel, as
tangled With briers; the soil Of the garden and
level untimbered grounds was evidently once
fertile and productive but now is in the last sta
ges Of exhaustion and sterility The mansion
(Which in good part was kindly thrown open to
us) is in little better preservation the carpets
and floor cloths are evidently those on which
the Father of his country trod; some paintings
and engravings which were familiar to him still
line the walls Of q room which was only opened
to few of US the key Of the Bastile still hangs
In the hall, with an engraving Of the storming Of
that dungeon by its side; and some other me-
mentoes OF the heroic days Of our Republic, pre-
cious mainly from our consciousness that the no
blest American once regarded them as his own
but the house itself is old and faded it sadly
needs paint and vigorous renovation, in default
of which it must soon pass away. If left to take
its chance, doubt its continuing habitable TWEEN
ty-fve years longer.
There are some alleviations to the general
wreck in this epitome of "Old Virginia" OF the
noble trees that once shaded our National hero,
some remain; fine English Holly (evergreen)
particularly arrested my attention and never
saw more luxuriant specimens Of Box (the bor-
der shrubs) than line several garden walks,
though the gardens have well night disappeared
This plant appears to thrive by neglect, so that
It seems q pity that the grounds had not been
covered with it. There is the smallest possible
amount of live stock on the place, but very fair
allowance of the great Virginia staple-slaye
probable destination is the cane
Ac6AVA Va AOuioisauo 6uu 4cXuS. speak OF course
from no knowledge with regard to these partic-
ular children, but only of the general tendency
in this quarter. Some fine trees recently cut
down for timber evince an awkwardness in the
use of the axe which must be seen to be realized
If the estate is soon to become public property
the telling of these trees is National misfortune
Nothing that still has life here should be cut
down until the expected transfer shall have been
made or the negotiation abandoned.
And trust it will be made. / was unreason-
able and wrong to expect the present owner or
owners-who are understood not to be wealthy
Ito keep their estate as this should be kept
without recompense for the outlay. America
has no right to impose such tax on the
heirs of George Washington. And, on the 9TH
er hand, they ought not to think of driving
hard bargain with those who seek to render It a
fit and perpetual memorial of him who was ssFirst
in War;" and in Peace as well. l believe the
Mount Vernon estate consists of about 1900 acres
which, if it were not Mount Vernot, could hardly
find purchaser in its present condition at thirty
dollars per acre. If public gratitude should
double this rate profering $75 900 for the prop
erty, they ought not to exact or ask for more