The Placer herald., 1860-01-28
MONUMENT TO MRS. WASHINGTON.

long the pastor Of the Presbyterian church
there.
MONUMENT TO MRS. WASHINGTON.
1t was during Mr.. Wilson's residence in
Fredericksburg the idea was first suggested
of erecting a monument to the memory of
the mother of Washington, there not being
so much as a stone or board even to mark
the spot Where her dust was sleeping its long
sleep; and as the Presby,erians we're at
that time in need of a new church, the
scheme was adopted for combining the two
buildings, and by connecting the monument
with the church, to make the funds collected
snbserve to some extent, both purposes.-
The effort was accordingly inaugurated, and
for time, prosecuted with considerable
cess But very soon some Of the Episcopal
lians raised a strenuous opposition, on the
ground that the old lady having been
faithful daughter Of their church whilst alive,
it was not proper or fair that she should be
made a postmortem Presbyterian. heated
controversy arose, and, amid the din and
dust of the conflict, the projected monu-
ment disappeared, and with it, also, most
mysteriously, the funds which had leen con
tributed, and which have not come to light
even to this day.
Some years subsequent to this wealthy
merchant OF New York, inspired, it is said,
with special reverence for the Washington
family, from a tender regard for lady Of the
connection, undertook the erection of a
monument, at his own expense, over the
grave. AS has often before been told by
newspaper correspondents, the work went on
until about twothirds completed, when, uli-
fortunately 10y some commercial catastrophe,
he benevolent and patriotic gentleman who
had undertaken it lost bis large property.
This, so far as he was concerned, brought
the matter to a stand. The citizens of
Fredericksburg would, no doubt, promptly
have carried out the praiseworthy design,
but the unhappy controversy in connection
with the previous effort had engendered such
feeling that nobody was willing again to
NEEDLE with it. The old fires were still
smoulderng, and very little thing might
rekinde the flame. Hence, though score
or more of years have elapsed, the unfinished
work still stands in stotu quO-a very un
pleasant abortion. In company with few
friends | visited it the other afternoon. 1t
occupies knoll in field on the edge of the
town, adjoining the wall of a family burying
ground The structure is of white marble,
some six or eight feet square, and perhaps
twelve or fifteen feet high, ornamented with
small huted columns and intended to have
been surmounted by shaft. The massive
block of marble for the latter lays along side
still in the rough, as it came from the hands
in the uuarries, as do also several pieces of
stone, even to those designed as the base
for the iron railing which was to surround
it. The impressions on the mind of the
visitor are by no means agreeable, not only
from the unfinished and ruinous appearance
of things, but from the fact that the juvenile
sportsmen of the town, thinking, probably,
that nobody respected it or cared for it, have
made it mark to shot at, until the marble
sides are completely bespattered with bullets
and musket shot.
A skiful workman, however, could soon
remove these traces of Vandalism, and
verv moderate sum would carry the projec-
tors design to completion. | respectfully
submit to the ladies of our country, whether,
when they shall have consummated their
purposes in regard to Mount Vernon, it
might not be well for them to evince still
further veneration for Washington, by put
tino into some decent and creditable shape
the fabric which now dsgraces his mothers
grave.
TRADITIONS OF MRS. WASHINGTON
There are those still alive here who are