The Washington union., 1857-05-09
From the New Albany (Indiana) Ledger.
THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT


Our readers viii remember that about two years ago
when Sam was flushed with triumph, and when he
generously and kindly consented to ''rue America all
alone by himself the know nothngs, by of that Sc
cret machinery by means of which they did 80 many
wonderful things in such mysterious manner managed
10 get possession of the Washington Monument Associa
ton The first thing they did was TO throw out all the
old and hard working officers of the society and install in
their places thoroughbred disciples of Sam. Among
those discarded the venerable Elisha Whittlesey who
for years had abored assduously to subsee the best in
terests of the patriotic enterprise.
As the board had got all the old democrat
c and whg officers out of the way, they issued mani
esto to the lodges Of the order which they pompous
y announced that the monument to the Father Of his
Country undertaken many years previously, having pro
gressed very slowly they the knownothng had taken
the matter in hand, and determined to push it
through to completion that it the manifest des
tiny of the ssAmerican order TO perform this grateful
task which others had commenced but had failed to
plee 1t set forth in this address to the knownoh
ing councils that it would require about million of dol
lars to complete the monument but there 'two
millions Of feemen enrolled the books of the
cis contribution of fifty cents from each would
cure the desired end 1t taken for granted that
American know -nothing) would be TO
fuse to contribute this ptful sum to assist in erecting
monument to Washington, The officers Of the society
did not ask members of any other party to contribute to
this object 1t plainly ntimated that donations from
them wonld not be acceptable The appeal for aid was
directed exclusively to the american party.
Well time rolled on--month after month land no in
tmaons were given to when the work to be fin
shed Instead Of progressing rapidly than before
labor upon it ceased almost altogether The me-
chancs employed discharged after another The
machinery and tools used permitted to rust and
Some of the most beautiful and costly stones the
ground were defced and ruined simply because they
were the gifts of Foreigners Catholics and at the
end of twelvemonth the Washington Monument
bled toppng obclisk in ancient Egyptian city
than rising column in honor of the greatest of patriots
The Monument Society is still in the hands Of the fol-
lowers of Sam, but the people of Washington having
proper to elect democratic mayor and the
ary having left the order, there two individuals
on the board who not know-nothings few days
ago meeting called for the purpose of looking into
the affairs Of the association but the presence of the two
nti-know- nothing members of the board and Of mum
Der Of reporters for the press very disaste to the
Samites hence they directed the exclusion OF the report
ers preferred charges against the secretary and attempted
to dispacc the mayor who Is er-oro chairman of the
board They did not succeed, however in the latter at
Tempt and the charges against the secretary post
poned till future time 1t is quite evident that these
wnothing managers dread any investigation into the
affairs Of the society 1t is known that large amount
of funds have been paid into their treasury and there is
good deal of anxiety to know what became OF them.