Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-03-08


stead Of w ashington, yesterday afternoon for the
first time paid an official visit to the spot in the
steamer Thomas Collyer. An invitation was the
day previous extended to both houses of Congress
TO accompany them in this trip, which was &C
Cepted; and the Senate, for the purpose Of COM
plying with the invitation, met an hour earlier
than usual; while ii was understood that the
House would likewise have an early adjournment.
An earnest debate however, unfortunately spring
ing mp in both houses neither body thought 1t
polite to adjourn; and for this reason, we regret
to say, there were but thirty Of the House in at
tendance, aud only one Senator. The members
of the Press, during the passage down the river,
Individually and collectively, expressed to Mr..
John Cochrane of n. Y, their appreciation of his
kindness in efficiently interposing in their be-
half at the wharf rs the captain Of the boat took
upon himself to exclude the members of the Press
invited to go down, and his manner was SO extra
ordinarily on .nsive as to excite the greatest in
di2natiOn, and respect alone for the ladies on the
boat prevented his being roughly handled The
Marine Band was In attendance, and interested
the company with numerous national airs Reach
Ing the tomb the company separated spending an
hour in viewing the grounds and various inter-
esting relics About twilight the party again
gathered about the tomb. when the band executed
In fine style 4" Washington's Graven AS is Gus
toHary, every one brought away some token of
remembrance Of their visit to the venerated spot
Returning. when the boat had got fully under
way, loud calls were made for a speech from Mr.
Larrabee, of Wis and others
Mr. Larrabee hoped the company would excuse
him from the delivery Of speech, there wels
others present to whom they could listen with
much greater pleasure than himself. After a few
eloquent remarks, he introduced MIR. John Coch-
continued plaudits.
MIR Cochrane, after paying a warm tribute to
the association of ladies' whose invitation the
piny Were this day bonoring, said We have
trod near the monument of him who is called the
Father of his Country. We have assembled there
this day with bated breath, with sombre thought,
with patriotic emotions, to do honor for the prin-
Ciplss for which he contended, and for the free
dom for which he struck, and which we enjoy.
lApplause.
Who is there here that needs illustration of the
character Of w ashingtOn That character reposes
in the heart Of every one; and there be nothing
IN illustration added to the vast proportions OF
that great mind and great heart, which, under a
Supreme Providence, struck for and achieved the
independence Of the Union. We have visited the
place of his familiar habitation; we have seen
the Illustrations of his dlily thoughts; we have
witnessed tue scene of his domestic virtues and
we have looked upon the sacred spot which bore
the last OF his mortal remains. As we trave sed
that sacred spot; as we looked with a solemn awe
upon the sacred sarcophagus which retains his re-
mains, We, each of us, felt more than Americans
We felt disci plies of that common humanity which,
transmitted from above, never so elevated when
engaged in works of goodness never so illustrious
as when devoted to the benefit and the good of the
human race.
beat down with their hottest rays upon the East
ern soil, there repOses a sacred tomb to which all
In Christendom, and every Christian heart looks
for repose, for relief, and for redemption. Here
under Western sun, In the genial cline of Vir-
ginia, under the salubrious winds Of America, is
to be found another tomb 1t is the tomb Of
greit and benevolent mantle tomb of a man
whose heart reflected all Of Christian virtue; who
trod the military paths, not Of fame, but of en-
pire; who trod at the same time the humble and
narrow path OF Him who taught and toiled, and
suffered, and died, and whose tomb is in other
lands. While the Christian looks to jerusalem
as the point from whence proceeds his redemp
ton, not only the American, but all throug bout
this down stricken world, look to Mount Vernon
for the tomb of him, who with Christian resigna-
ton, wrought out the independence of a great
nation, and achieved the work which God had
set for bis hands tApplause.
IND II Is mete now that, every vessel passes
and repasses that sacred precinct, that the human
heart should bow down and be STILL and music as
Of sweet bells should be changled upon the air to
teach that even the winds themselves will speak
"f the virtues and of the memory of him who was
tue greatest man ever created, or who ever died
tApplause. But there is another consideration
which requires our attention here. of hardly in
ferior import nce. That tomb in its dilapidated
state was matter Of great grief to every philan-
throPst, to every patriot That tomb has been re-
marked upon, and severe commentaries made upon
the character Of the American people by reason of
Its condition. That as Americans without energy;
vet with every dispositions without associate ac-
ton, without effort, have, until this time per-
mtted those sacred relics to fall to decay The
memory Of Washington, notwithstanding, was
above all these human attributes. and rose to
greater distinction as Mount Vernon fell to decay
As the American wended his annual pilgrimage
that way, returning with commentaries upon the
negligence. the carelessness of his fellow citizens
even during all this time had the fame and name
Of washington eliminated through Europe, pen
etsated Africa, visited Asia, so that even the Afr-
can in Tlmbuctoo was not ignorant of the name
of Washington and the Tartar Arab in his east
ern plain bowed with the sunset of the God that
he worshlpped at the shrine Of the great name of
the West. Applause Amid this sombre gloom
this twilight of decaying patriotism, star ap-
pared in the East. 1t was Der by an American
femals-from hand to hand she passed with the
torch to other hands of her female associates until
this whole land was encircled with cord Of
hlming, enlightened energy and female patriot
FROM the vast deeps came up their voices CRYING
for aid aud their fathers aud their brothers feif
the electric spark. 1t was then, and only then
that America came forward to do the work of
Amer cans. Then it was with their noble ensigns
spread to the wind, knowing no failure deter
mined on snccess-then it was that the female
hand accomplished what ali of the male kindred
had been unable to produce. TApplause I And
now, fellow-citzens, here at this moment we
arrive ut the contamination Of that glorious work
she, the woman of America, has accom- plished
her aim, and Mount Vernon, with its sacred
ashes repOses under the custody of the females of
America, the property Of the American Union.
lApplause Every one must proclaim 1t as one
Of the most marvellous and illustrious works that
has ever been accomplished in this nineteenth
century. Applause. Here we stand then, boast
ing ourselves lords Of the creation, vet bowling t
tue shrine of that great monument which the
females Of America have raised [Applause
After further remarks from Mr. Cochrane Mr.
Cox, OF Ohio, was loudly called for, when he
came forward and addressed the company I'm a
very happy and eloquent manner his remarks
eliciting great applause. 1t was with great hest
.tatioa that he came forward this occasion as
there were others present who would interest
them much more than he could possibly do; but
as il had been said that II his DUTY to respond
to the call, he would therefore submit a few cur
sorry remarks, for which he must esk their indul-
gence. He was ashamed to confess it; but he
must say, with all the simplicity of his heart
that he to-day, for the first time in his life visited
thit Venerated spot, Mount Vernon. But this
seemed to be a peculiar characteristic Of the
An lcan-that he went everywhere else In the
world, when on his travels, excepting to those
soos which Were most near and dear, and most
BEAUTIFUL and sublime in his own land
He then adverted to the fact as he had himself
been an eve witness of, that in all heather coun-
tries the burial places of their heroes and distir-
guisheu men Were held in the most sacred venera-
ton; while In America the tomb and Homestead
OF the greatest man that existed here or else
where-the Father Of dis Country-was permitted
TO go 10 decay, until the ladies fesovnI i'm tbeir