Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-03-10

The Harper. en nd. vernon.


If we credit these pictorial representations
time and neglect have failed to aheet the
Washington estate, but the old manslon' the
ola tomb. the summer houses, servants quarters,
6c still remain the same. The inference is
that 100 or 2Oo acres of this property is worth
5000 600, OF say 1000 per acre.
Some years since we had the melancholy
qualification, mingled with disgust, OF passing
tbrougb the grounds. II the rest of mankind
had paid no more regard to the memory ano
fame of Washington than those collateral helrs
who inherit his property and traffic upon his
,lo,v his bones before this time might have
been scattered and lost
The old vault was going to decay when ne
died in 1899, and he left provisions in his VIII
for a new one. His remains, however ana
and those of the family, were left exposed more
or less to the weather by the decay OF the org
inal vault nearly forty years, till some OF the
cofins fell to pieces, and bones were carrieu
away. As his coffin stood further back 1t SUI
sere6 less. By about the year 1888 the present
vault was at length built, and the remains re-
moved. According to the artist of the Har-
pers' the old one still stands, its arch complete
and solid. When we saw it, the spot was Id
wheat and all persons were forbidden 10 en'tr
it. An apology for rail fence surrounded OF
had surrounded the field, and as this spot was
t.r more dear to the American heart than any
other, tbither large portion OF the company
directed their steps. As the proprietor had re-
.snsv nrosecuted visitors in the Virginia
Courts very few were inclined to transgress the
warnings of the placards, but without this su-
ficient view of the original vault could be had
nhld the appearance of an old root house
fallen in. Here Lafayette had stood viewing
the sad spectacle in 1924, and here thousands
of citizens have grieved over the neglect OF the
mortal part of the Father of his country
There were about l50 persons who came
down from Washington City on the boat, to the
nremises. each one of whom paid 25 cents TO
Mr.. John A. Washington for the privilege oil
landing He was said to have been on the boat
but engaged in imbibing his favOrite beverage
CaampsQne. This may in some degree e1-
nI,;n wby tits necessary to have S2OO,OOO Tor
sh0ut ope.fourth of farm the whole Of which
"a worth about $4,000 A German Professor
b,v;n, heeome reduced in his own country by
the process of emptying Champagne bottles
came to America for employment. He was
asked what salary be expected. "oh trnks
yer mooca Champagne. I mOOshs hab yer
mooch moLish-"
We landed on platform OF rotten Pianks
dangerous to every one but able bodied persons,
and wound along still more dangerous and
narrow wooden pathway to the shore OF the nv
sr rbenee We ascended an old carriage way
that had become impossible for anything but
footmeu and four footed animals, up a narrow
ravine washed into gullies by the raln' AS we
emersed from the woods at the summit OF
commsxding slope, some fat negro Wenches
were leaning againzt an old fence with baskets
Of lemons, purpcrting to grow on the premises
nr;ce a5 cents. The cane selling and the da-
guerrcotype business had not commenced.
Turnipe 70 the new vault the first objects that
.nne.,ed were two obelisks of marble, and aP-
preaching ne found the tomb of Washington
between and in the rear of them. One was
erected in memory Of Judge BushrOd Wash
iuptOn, nephew and heir of the General ana
tbe other to John A. Washington. nephew OF
the Judpe aud his heir. Tue public were IN
formed by elaborate inscriptions, that this was
erected by John A. Washington, has son. inc
present proprietor Of the relics. The mausoie-
uu of the immortal Chieftain was more retlr-
iag and in better keeping with his character
although less conspicuous than the monuments
of his illustrious descendants.
In choosing a spot for the tomb the trees had
beeu cut and grubbed, but the tops AMI roOts
still Law where they fell as it is on the track OF
arailway, and they had Lain long enough within
80 feet of it to become quite rotten
We went through the old garden and farm
which under the pencil Of the artist of the HAr
uers' looks so neat and perfect The brick
walls were nearly down. Briers and bushes
grew among the grass-the fallen trunks OF
stately .Lombzrdy POplars of Washington
planting Law and rotted across the carnage way
Broken panes, loose boards, shingles and doors
on the old manson, and all the outhouses pre-
sented sorrowful contrast with the thrift and
care of the original owner The ancient gate
way had gone to ruin, the lanes and helds were
without decent fence, and the soil wholly eK-
hausted by 100 years Ofimperfect cultivation
On the whole, the scene was one OF decay and
shiftlessness striking even in Virginia The
place would be no speculation at IS per acre,
for farming purposes.
If the Harpers' sketches in general are as far
from fidelity as in this case, they are CT little |
value. Instead Of pleasing and brilliant
sight as this once was, nothing is left but the
grandeur of position, and the great remem-
brances that iinger about ii, even in decay. 1t
is a noble thought on the part OF the American |
people, or more properly the people of the
North, to remove it from the keeping of dissl-
pated Virginia gentleman; but to make him
pabob as the price Of those remains that already |
belong to the nation, is different affair.
We should liKe to see the old mansion en-
closed in another building, ike the log cabin
residence of Peter the Great on the Eeva, and
thus preserved to pOsterity if the heirs of
washington had themselves treated his memo
~ with respect o-
dent of the Tribune has not overdraWn tne PIC,
ture of desolation which reigns there or dio
reign there ten yeazs since
New Postmaster General
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