Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-03-03
LADIES MT. VERNON ASSOCIATION.

cent In Its conception aud 60 beautiful iu its Orgap
zaon, as that to which VIZ take occasion TO allude
by reference to lie many meri,orious Efforts in behalf
Of an object sacred that it must Undue again every
American mind With familiar feelings of reverence
for the memory OF the peerless Washington, is we'll
worthy the Ladies who engaged In it, and will
transmit to posterity their names In connection With
the purchase Of Mount Vernon like laurel leaves ex
haling incense to Heaven from The tomb Of The "Fs.
ther Of hs Country" We clip from the Charleston
Courier Of the 23rd February the following pspiritiug
appeal to the people Of that gallant State:
LADIES MoUxT VERSION ASSOCIATION. We
are happy to announce, on Washington's birth.
day, that arrangements have been msde, by which
the proprietor of Mount Vernon viii! soon transfer
the RESIDENCE and burial place of the Father uf our
Country, directly TO the State of Virginia. be held
and ccnsecraIed, IL perretuy, for general homage,
as the Mecca of our republic, and the worlds dryo
ton, as The shriue Of Washington. The women Of
Ame' Ice conceived aud ore about TO consummate the
nobe aud patriotic project, which "A Southern Ma
trob, OF the Palmetto State frat suggested. Virgil
liia has undertakrh to make the purchase, and the
Ladies' Mount Vernon Association have pledged
themselves 10 Vrgpia to provide the 9uste funds,
when sle shalt need them Let the 'sons aud daugh-
ters OF Washington" throughout the republic come
up cheertully and 10 good numbers to the good aud
glorious work, and THIS DAY place their names on
''rhe Mount Vernon Registry" which will be indeed
roll OF fame, to be hung up, At the sacred spot,
perpetuant rel mernoriam. AL that is asked, all
that Is Needed, is subscription Of dollar each,
lalthough larger contributions Will be thankfully
ceived aud houorauy noted,l and We trust that no
ono will be found 10 hold back, in niggard spirit,
from such call. Two hundred Thousand dollars
must be raised within year, 70 accomplish the glo-
rlUus enterprise; and the accomplishment s rasy,
IN The mode proposed. that failure would be oppro-
brium of Amerca. Woman calls 10 the patriotic and
grateful deed, and man must yield to her queeniy
sway. Sons OF America, generally Sons Of the
Palmetto State, especially promptly answer the ap.
peal, and, ION his birth DAY, the 22d February,
1885, the home and the grave Ut the Father Of
Country will be publicly and solemnly placed, q
DatOua shrine, under the sacred guardianship OF bis
mother State"
We would also invite attention to the eloquent eI-
tracts which append, from discourse delivered
in the Unitarian Church, Of Charleston, s. c., on
Sunday, I'D Feb, 1857 before the Washington Light
Infaury, in commemorstion of the l25th anniversary
of the birth of George Washington, and of the sem.
centenary OF the Washington Light Infantry, by
Rev. Samuel Gilman, ID. d., Pastor OF the Church
aud Chaplain of the " sshiDgtun Light Infantry OF
Charleston, s. C:
In common, imagine with the whole generation
Of my contemporaries the character Of Washington
continues TO be with me study, which al ordinary
Lifetime would hardly avail to exhaust. believe
that every enlightened American has within his MUD
certain besu.ideal conception Of Washington which
NO biogrspher perfectly represent. AS there wac
in the living heros manners, 80 there 10 an
undeveoped depth in his historical and traditional
character We feel that, like the corps de reserce Of
an army, there was that within him which was not
brought oat into life aud action. Accordingly, one
is apt 10 soy, after every euogy and every biography
Of him, however detailed however analytical, how.
is all very WE'LL but the real Washington went some.
thing beyond Ii. You cannot make objective the
subjective image in my soul Still am impressed
with the conviction that best thinker and writers
csn propose to themselves no worther aim than to
make upprnxin ations at least towards perfsc lite.
rary embodiment of Washington; ALSO that HE coun.
irymen, although they cannot hope 10 do justice 10
:her own Internal consciousness Of bis trauscendng
eXreeuce, should weary OF no material sacrifice IN
their power, for multiplying and perpetuatiny solid
and tangible memorials 10 his fame. Therefore would
patriot and citizen, offer my Slrneon-prayer Of
readiness 70 depart IN pence after could be pern;:
ted to reruse the completed Life OF Washington, nov
passing under the plastic hand OF our couUtrys mos
accomplished autbor-and could tehcld the topmcsi
stone laid 10 that magnificent monument which.
though only half finished, already towers over III,
metropolis of the confederacy-and could learn that
the or1b and homestead, where the hero seeps lave
been rescued ircp prcfane or vuge: destiny BY
the continued joint endeu"os, hitherto 30 we'll Put
FORTH Of daughter Of South Carolina and Of the most
persuasive orator In the land.
No merely human character, believe could consti.
late better study and model for earnest imitation
than that of Washington. To form Il right and true
conception Of him, must only think Of his bril-
liant success-of his imposing official eplendors-o!
b. administrative tasut-of his sngacors choic.
OF Instruments and assstants-and OF those other
prominent features which stood out TO the eye OF the
world, and which public history loves TO einblazon OF
her page. Il is to Washington in the shade that
would point to of the dearest treasures ct bu
manity. He was greater hero in the shade than IN
the sunshine. In fret.th word hero, applied 10
him. is contemptibly inadequate, uness we employ
in that most comprehensive and sacred sense which
involves the dreadful battles and struggles OF the In
ner SOUL as well as the dazzling, mighty achievements
of the outer man. WhatIAe1ander, Casar Frederick
Napoleon INDUCED in with all the fond procvity OF
passion Washington either had TO work himself VI
to, rlgidly controlled himself in, from high senst
Of duty. II is Washington con.rnding with dlthcu
lies rather than Washington waving his glittering
sword Of conquest, or gracefully pronuuuciDg III.
oath of office before assembled and admrlDg mu.
tltudes, that ought 10 be habtually contemplated
and prized by every youthful American. For al
most every young man 10 desued to encounter oincu
ties discourageinents eInbarrassments, and opposi
ton Of various kinds; but how few can ever expect
TO the glitteriug sword OF conquest or to take
the grave oath Of dgnihed magstracy. There never
was man whose path lay through so many discour
aging difficulties from the first, Warhington liis
early travels through the wilderness-lorente cross
| ed-nountsins passed-1pdians encountered-nght-
beneath the inclement sky, might well'ni seem
speaking prophetic type Ut his sub,equent career
|
tertnned, private enmiiies which persecuted even
his mild and equitable life from his earliest colonial
| youth down TO his very dtcease as au aged civilian
and citizen. Nor will trespass over tho limit
which have assigned myself for this occasion, by
more than passing auson to that world OF fornida
BILE obstacles, perpexities aud imposed tolls, which
necessarily embarrassed aud oppressed both bis bod
| lily and intellectual powers. II you can count a
dozen great successes OF hs you can count an equal
or greater number Of his defeats. Poor Washington
was as familiar with retreat rs happy washington
| with victory. Study, then, young men, this more
sombre phase OF his fortunes, since It presented The
| brighter and gr8nder eide OF his CHARACTER
| Mark his furIiudo-his perseverance, his serenity
his hopefuness-hs uualterable confidence in
the right; since every man, In his own litiis sphere
mas abundant opportunities, without absurd preten
sion OF ostsntstion, but by bis abiding efforts. and
even by bis:patient tears, to be an humber WASH
| ingtou.
In response to sentiment on the same day, Rich.
ard Yeadon, Esq, delivered q most happy address,
in which he concluded appeal to the patriotism OF
the citizen soldery OF South Carolina in behalf o!
the glorious enterprise of the Mount Vernon Asso.
citation in the following emphatic language:
Let me warn you, however, that consider every
soul of you bouud 10 register his name, as donor
! on the roll of the Ladies Mount Vernon Assocn
! ton of the Uuion," fitting homage, alike due 10
them and 10 The patriot chief, who lie, entonbed at
that Mecca vt our country,) on his own hailowed
birth day, and your own glorious jubilee. In com.
plance with the wisIi of The Southern Matron" q
daughter OF the Palmetto State, who suggested the
nobls project Of purchasing that sacred spot, to be
held in prrpeiuity, tor Dston's homage, as the
Tomb OF Washington, hand you subscription list
which WILL trust, be 80 filed as to prove to your
corps roll of immortality"
This paragraph, too, from an oratiou pronounced
in tn. South Caroline Institute Hall on Monday, 23d
1 February, 1857, in commemoratou Of the l25th An.
nversary Of the Birth Of WAsRisoroE, aud the
Semi Centenary Of the Washington Light Infantry
Of Charleston, s. G.. by Hon. w. D. Porter, Ex-
Captain of the Washington Light Infantry, will be
read with encouraging interest:
DAUGHTERS OF THE soUrH.-An enterprise OF pa