Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1857-07-12
v1srr 10 MOUNT VERNON.

Irecently visited the sacred spot that heads
this communication, where now rest the NOR
tai remains Of George Washington. Much has
been said, much is now saying, and much will
continue to be said, Of Mount Vernon. Hence,
I hope that what 7 may now say will not prove
entirely without interest to some Of your read
ers. / have read descriptions OF Mount YER
non by able pens, but on visiting it | found
many objects CT interest there not mentioned
in those descriptions, and as they were quite
interesting to myself and other visitors, / pro
pose giving a description Of them in my swn
poor way, which, if understood, ny object viii
be attained. Mount Vernon, as all Americans
must know, is situated fifteen miles from
Washington City, on the bank Of the romantic
and picturesque Potomac, and it's natural beau
ty and grandeur are unsurpassed BY any coun-
try seat I ever saw, and as its name would in
dieate, it is a very high mount. / found the
graves about Mount Vernon in q very neglected
condition. A narrow and rather rugged path
is cut out, leading from the river to the resi-
deHce. On ascending this path about one hun
bred yards, ! found myself suddenly before The
Tomb Of Washington, with a feeling Of pro-
found scasstion and ave. His remains repose
in q white marble coffin OF ~sarcophagus, on the
lid Of which is en- the arms Of America, and
the only inser ption Is " George Washington"
in rather small and plain letters. Beside it is
a similar tomb With this inscription +" Mar
tina, eonsort of Washington" A few steps in
front Of the tomb OF Washington stand two
marble monuments over the graves Of his rela-
tiFes, a man and bis wife, through whom
Washington came into the possession Of Mount
Vernon. About one hundred yards further
upon the mount, we reached the house in which
Washington lived. It is a plain twO-story
wood building, bearing the marks Of decay.
# is ninety-six feet in length, and has a por-
tieo extending its whole front. The entrance
is from a hall or passage. The two right hand
rooms only stand open to visitors. The inter-
nal structure and arrangement Of the house
are its most interesting features, everything
being preserved precisely as they were in the
DAYS Of Washington. We were told that
when La Fayette visited Mount Vernon 10
1884, be remarked that I" every object in the
house was Just the same as when be saw it
twenty-eignt years before" Ny attention
was attracted BY a group Of visitors standing
around a glass case in the hall. On approach
ing il | found that il surrounded a large kew
hanging on a nail in the wall. We were in
formed that this was the principal key Of the
Basti.e, or old Paris prison, and La Fayette,
who presented il 10 Washington, said that il
was hung there with Washington's own hand.
There are many other Directs Of interest
about the mansion. The beautiful marble
NANTES sent to Washington from Italy, and
the pictures on the walls, are all full OF inter-
est, and remind visitors Of the great departed.
After recording my name 10 the registry kept
for all visitors to enter their names, we left the
house to partly prospect the premises. We first
stopped at the garden gate, which was locked,
and a negro man was standing within vending to
visitors common hickory and other kinds Of
canes, cut on TIE place, his prices varied from
ten to twenty cents each. | was fortunate
its sacred associations and not for its natural
beauty.
There is much beautiful shrubbery in the en-
closure about the house, but altogether it is not
90 interesting to visitors as a magnolia tree,
some thirty feet high. with a trunk about one
foot in diameter, that stands in its midst. This
tree, we are told, by toe superintendent, was
BY Washington's own hands, and was
the last labor be ever performed; contracting a
~ EAH1HAAEH ~ EHAAAr az Az us ]
ease that terminated his illustrious life, and
hence, continued the superintendent, it lie view
ed as the most sacred object about the place.
Visitors here are closely watched and prohibit
ed from p~lueking a pod, leaf or twig, from this
OF any Of the shrubbery.
] have already drawn out this communics-
ton much longer than ! al first intended, bot
before closing permit ne 10 say something Of
he present occupant and owner Of Mount Yer
John A. Washington. The management
II Mount Vernon and the course this man has
AIKEN ia reference to its sale, must Justly de-
1uive him OF the respect Of every bigh-minded
citizen. lie has for years suffered
he marks Of decay TO Accumulate upon the
mansion. the grounds, and the tomb, 50 much
% that the most painful sensations must be ex-
tied in the breast u every visitor. His whole
i'm and object seems 10 be gain De owner OF
oats have TO pay him one sailing (l63 eents)
OF every passenger they land there, be has ped
led out thousands Of dollars worth Of &mber 4
or the Manufacture Of canes and snud-boxes, }
nd now he has placed a price, $4,000, on !
fount Vernon, which is az exOrbitsnt ss the :
riucipIe for demanding l. Is low and mean {
There are thirteen hundred acres inths tract, .
I'd it is not iutrinsically worth one fourth Of /,
be price put upon t. and it is difieult TO CON- >
how . man claiming alliance to George }
Washington, should thus undertake to speeu- '
tie oct Of the love, and reverence, and graft 4
lde, and pride felt for bis memory. hope,
owsyer, that The noble efforts now being made
, purchase Mount Vernon BY the Hon. Ed
ard Everett. united with the Ladies Mount
'ernon Association viii succeed and get the
cine and burisl-plsce Of George Warrington
10 the possession snd control Of The United
sates.
The home lnd tomb Of Washington must be
ade public property, and the day is doubtless
rswing rear when this viii be doEe. then it
an be put IN a condition honorable to our
and bsnorabl 70 its once illustTious oc-
Ipaut. Gesrss Washington. W. D. NJ.
FLoKEScE, Desha CO., Ark, July 2, 1857.
THE UsE OF EoEEY-The New York MIR
n saws il is estimated that one OF cur rich
a, FWTfar r AeforA h-= noU an fu~ona ~