The daily press. (Cincinnati [Ohio) 1859-1859, 1859-03-23
Monuments and Monumental AssOeia-


a monument-building people. Their de-
molostrative veneration for dead greatness
usually oxpends itselfin words-ofwhich,
Il must be confessed, theyarc exceedingly
liberal That class of our fellow-citizcns
who are most enthusiastic upon the sub
iect of monuments are usually those who
have least to give in aid of their erection.
Perhaps the most difficult thing in the
whole catalogue of subjects of American
enterprise, is to finish q monument after
it is begun. The shrewd Yankees of
Connecticut, when they wanted to erect
a testimonial of their gratitude to certain
heroes, at New London, foreseeing this,
created revenue for the purpose by
means of lottery. Who does not re-
member the vast exertions, importunate
appeals, and obtrusive beggary, that were
required to place the capstone upon the
column whose first block was laid amid
so much oratory and enthusiasm at Bun
ker Hill? How sublime was the elo-
quence, and how fervid the patriotism
that warmed the hearts of assembled
thousands at its beginning: how paltry
the genteel mendicancy that collected the
reluctant dollars which drew it tardily to
an end. But the most perfect type Of the
accommodating spirit of the Amer
lean people, and the best symbol of the
pretended zeal, but real Indifference of the
public mind upon such subjects, is to be
found in the great national monument to
the 'Father Of his Country" begun and
standing in the Capital City of the Union.
Upon this point, words are inadequate to
describe the loftiness of the conception,
the breadth of the preparations and the
splendor of the promises, as they are to
depict, as they deserve, the poverty of the
devices resorted to procure the neces-
sary funds, the dishonesty exhibited in
the expenditure of the same, the mean
ness, the charlatanry and falsehood of all
concerned, and the failure in whole and
in every part, which is the glaring and
ridiculous result-with just masonry
enough to keep alive its disgraceful mem
ory.
We are net monumentbuilding peo-
pie; and we had better set it down so and
leave monuments alone. We are not to
blame for it. No truly great man needs
pyramid, or obelisk, or column, to pre-
serve all that is valuable of his fame.
The fashion of tombs and monuments to
7 stand forever, was fashion devised by
tyrnnts Modern ages have followed the
example without understanding the signi-
fcance of the lesson taught by the prac-
tice 1t was an attempt to save from
oblivion that which was its own What
was the result? Men wonder at the pyr-
amids, and wonder again who caused
them to be built We know that they
were tyrants-the proof of that will stand
to eternity-but we do not know who
they were Even if we knew their names,
it would be nothing-a word, but no idea.
We ought not to forget that we have a
PIONEER MoNUMENT-a thing standing ir
large promises, innumerable paragraphs
in newspapers, not little grave consulta
ton, some oratory, permanent organiza
tion, and several drafts, plans, elevations
and computations but no stone, and not
we suspect as yet, a superabundance
of dollars. For the pioneers-the dead
ones-we have feelings of respect. They
used to sleep under snug little hillocks
between Main and Walnut streets, above
Fourth, and in quite large plot of ground
over the canal; and it was pleasant and
profitable to linger near their narrow
homes and reflect upon the great and the
little things, by the aid of which we fill
the world with SO much busy idleness
God knows in how many quarters of the
city and suburbs their poor bones are now
scattered They are gone from their old
spots-hustled out to make way for the
mighty march of modern Improvement
The calm dignity that reigns over the
place where the good are laid, was Of NJ
avail to stay the hard craving for cash
to spend Messrs. Pioneers, your Ions
homes have become valuable as towr
lots, aud you will please to leave. Ifyoul
tenement is not vacated by given day
you will be turned out, neck and heels
with all your trumper.G therefore pacl
up and march They were laid dow
carefully, by aAectionate hands, and tear
dropped into their graves; they wer'
elected by "a voter, employed by petit,
politician, and propelled with whisky
J Let us, by all means, have the Pionee
Monument. Let us collect the few relic
of the fathers that remain, and pill
, upon them pyramid massive enough t.
!: save them from the effects Of all futur
r political and ecclesiastical want of money
5 The people of the Lake shore are be
coming infected with the monumental
mania, and last year made the discover!