Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-02-08

ana scrmps five dollars Ia help buy tombstone. Its
>h"nc /" tel the neglect. Why !lcv mt the Lcgi,la
ter long ago pot tombstone over the grave: Dut II
they wont, must, aII nnt let h. place whar he is
buried lc forgotten, bccnuSc. whn. | may never 20
a. suc II, nny hc my little Jack or Tuin niny son OF
these days want Ia know which Is the crave; any
how, We Owe il 10 our great ancestors not 10 let
Ii"iI be neglected. Suil: If you will, at tie mis-.
takes Gnl Llu.drrs Of this humble nau bui there is
sound scIlsc aul good philosophy i'll his crude srrct.
The rind i rough ana anp"nsaIl; t" the sight hut
the meat Is sound ANA pleasant to The taste. Ii Is
pH'r;osIn in poverty, p'radIns t"r the preservation
4" Virginia irwcis Ii Is The voice "i ritizen ut the
Commonwealth, of The SOIL praying pltcnu,ly
aud pcrsuasively that Mad-"n's grave br preserved
to the people wh" Shul! live after the men Of this
generation are gathered t" their fathers.
There ARE thousands in the State who think and
feel humble and correspondent thought
nnd felt and 10 all -uch II will he good n""st0 learn
that We are at lruSih about 10 accomplish work
which has been too long neglected. The Historical
SUc!cty haS undertaken Ia furnish the country with
valuable addition tn lis Biographical literature, and
dcvolred the duty at writing the life uf james Madl-
ron upon the Hon. Vim. 4. R!vcs, one of the most
distinguished OF Virginia now living. No man
could be better qualified, and as he hus accepted we
may confidently expect, nj 10 very distant day II
have suitable lie of the sage Of Montpelier written
10y one who properly estimates the character anu me-
rs Of the bcro of his story. When that history is
written IT must not b. SAID that there is over the
grave ut the departed statesman no stone 10 tell the
name oi the sleeper slunberng there. The Lcgis
lature may prevent thisi twill by voting the meaus
and designating the men who shall cause stone In
h- placed over Madi-.n's grave; but otherwise II
will br done by citizens ot the Sntr, who are unwii-
linz that all memory OF the precise spot "whcre they
laid him., shall be lost with the death OF those who
were present al the burial. Ii is all important 10
have faithful chronicle ""f the life. services, ta-
leus and virtues" Of one "whu>c srfcnc wisdom II
| embodied in the noblcst structure OF government
which the gonIus OF man ever devised; and such Il
chronicle we shall ht.vc whichever Mr.. Rivcs shall
complete his undertaking; and there arc not Il lew
who believe with the writer, that 1t l. scarcely less
desirable II have Tic lion. home Of the Ius,rinu-
dead designated, that, I" the end Of oil things Ii
may bc known and read Ot all Inen
Ii wIs not III the Cunriui aun OF the parties more
than once mrInued in ih- article 10 make any noise
about this matter, and these statements would never
have reached the ni tie pubic, had not tie Scna-
tor from Louisa submitted his resolution i'll the fIr-
gIiIG SeiiuTr |, was the purpose of all concerned
qu!ry 10 pursi- the plans agreed upon; the only OBJ
icci i'll v.ew being 10 supply an omission tor which
they ccEsurcd nobody and which they deemed them
selves privileged IL correct without consulting any
per estate. Bui since thr subject has been brought
before the public, it Thought advisable 10 advrr
tsc members. ui the Legislature uf what had been
done aud what was proposed 10 be done by Indlvi
dual ri;iz"s Hnd Ia eavu il with ;htn Ia determine
whether thrsc plans shall be pursued to completion by
the Stat: or by private enterprise aud private pecu
nlary Resources.
| RiCmMuSp Jan. I'D, lSJ6