Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-07-26
LOG AL ITE MS.


non. The sun sllnne brightly and the face
Of the country looked beautiful along our
road. that road, 50 often travelled by wash
ingt0n. We passed, near Cameron Run,
what is said to be the site Of ancient Belle
haven, which is rather more uncertain than
that Of Ninevch of old. On the road we met
curdiug to liurper-WeSt says he has lived
at Mount Vernon since lNbl, aud remembers
seeing Washington lying i'll his coffin, being
then IL hoy some twelve years old.
The scenery on the approach to Mount
Vernon is extremely beautiful, and the AS
pert of the venerable building and of the
whole place is calculated To fill with plea
sure ard qualification every American heart
a pleasure not uumiXed with melancholy,
to think that amy part OF the building or
improvements, the work of our American
Cincnnatus, should be suffered To % t" de
cav Some persons, perhaps. regret that
the place should pass out of posse,>Iou VI the
/ Washington family but to keep up the
nlu,e as il should hr, would entail Il ruinous
EXPENSE on any but Il colossal fortune. 1t
is perhaps, to he wished that the State or
the United States had obtained possessiun of
and kept the place in good preservat!on-h
il is certainly fortunate that the ladies'. the
daughters oil America, have, before it WAS
too late, stepped forward to preserve this
shrine of freedom, our American Mecca,
from total destruction. Mount Vernon is IL
spot sacred to all Americans aud to all lovers
oi liberty over the world. 1t is u custom
even with foreigners and especially EuS-
| iishmen, when III the tomb to uncover their
-. heads.
We are told that the Russians have kept
in good preservation, in the dock yard at
Cronstult, the little hut once inhabited by
Peter the Great, his room his bed, and
clothes and even the boots he Wore.
That the room of tie Empress Catharnc ID
! Is preserved, the bed, &c. even To the charrcd
logs in the fire place, just rs 1t was at the
time OF her death. The same also, is told
us OF Frederick the Great. The purpose,
then, of restoring Mount Vernon to the exact
state III which it was sixty years ago, when
Washington was alive, is Il good and holy
one which no doubt meets the approval OF
all Americans. The scenery around is
beautiful lis in l145, when Washington
was boy some Il years of age, Law
renee Washington chose the place for the
site of the old centre building, SOME part OF
which after the lapse of III years, is as
sound rs ever. The addition u! the dining
room on the north end, and the library, &c,
on the south. WAS made by Washington, We
believe, shortly after the war OF the reyolu-
| ton.
The old tomb, or rather, part Of it, where
the body of Washington repVscd till the year
lS::2 on :, beautiful knoll near the river, is
still standing. 1t OPENS 1.-THE northward and
is built of Il rather soft white sandstone.
This also, We learn, is to be preserved, il pos
,iblr from depreciation, by an iron railing.
The site OF the present tomb was fixed upon
| by Washington in his lifetime.
| The building appear, to be III the style
Of the reign Of George the I'd. The gar
den is surrounded by wall surnounted
| 10y II railing. which Is III PROCESS Of renewal.
There are AT the corners four very pretty
small oclasoual seed h"uses, with arrhcd
roofs, Rounded like dome-the Y are now
repairing and with every thing else are to
~ ~ '''''I", e % ~ 90 " w. n,of -.
himself for RI. uuruo,e If doing the work AT
Mount Vernon.
We hope the plan of the ladies will he
fully carried out. As time rolls on, these
relics ana ilen'ent"' "' our S'e"'es' pa'''"
''''' ''O".' l'',''', ,.";a, ,oo,'.
With what great interest would many
thousands travel from the ends oi the earth
to view such relies OF cyrus Alexander OF
, ~ r", " .i,'', '.', -
rmnir.s IJnv mu.h NOR. nr..i,us tu ms.
should be those OF our great comntryman the
most honest ruler perhaps, whom the world
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