The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-07-29
TESTIMONIALS TO GREATNESS.

a'easea ~ hss Eriends-ksamiisen squire
Redivivus.
Despite the bsavtifu, slegy Of Gray, who deemed ali
stored urns and animated pusts vain and prohtIess
immortality Is ',fen conferred by statue The shafts
oi granite AMI marble, graeed by glorious name, sur
vSo 'no'isand generations and point in triumph 70
'ner cong Tests over the past Every ancient highway
OF the world where the heroes sages and poets still live
IN mop ioral shrines attest this fact which reveals the
only successful mode Of securing eternity Of fame
Happily, however, our own Washington needs no mon
vnenta tributes to proclaim his triumphs to mankind
II the perpeuation Of peerless memory dependent
on these tributes. he would long been forgot
ten Type and ink and the marvellous progress Of tbs
republic founded by his genius and vaor, have combined
TO keep the laurel Of victory fresh and green on his
brow without the aid Of towering testimonials We are
not OF those who would shower anahemas on the ma
ton for this sin OF shameful omission but decidedly
complain OF the mean treatment which poor Washing
ton or rather his memory, received abou. . score Of
years since in this city.
THE OLD WASHINGTON MONUMENT ASSOCIATION.
is still within the recollection many Of this gene
ration that on May g. 1s47 tho Board Of Aldermen Of
this city adopted q report OF the Committee on Lands
and Places granting a site in Hamilton square for the
erection Of an immense testimonial to the Father Of his
Country, under tho auspices Of the Washington MoIu
mont Association From the date Of the grant until the
hour when the work iraugnrated il was topic Of
city conversation and the completion OF the taak was
looked forward with intense interest by all Of
the community.
THE CORNER STONE OF THE MONUMENT LAID
AT length the day came when the stone Of the
structure was to DO laid. The 10th Of October in the
same year, was selected for the purpose, and the pre-
parations for the occasion made scale OF regal
maeniacence One Of the grandcst professions, equal
to that which marched sadly after the remains Of Lin
coin Broadway moved to the OF the ste which
covered the ground between sxtysixth and Sixty ninth
streets and Third and Fourth The real soldiers
Of l77e-for there then small detachment OF tho
braves LEFT in New York-erected tents the plot the
day previous and slept there during the night In order
to be enabled to fire salute at dawn To give ecai 10
the proceeding, the salute fired from guns which
Washington had captured at the battles or Princeton and
Monmouth The PROCESSION which moved al later por-
ton of the day to tho martial strains of hundred
bands reached several miles in length. II included the
First Division under Generals Sanford and Storms, al
the remen and members OF civic societies with depaia-
tions from the Federal, State and City governments
gorgeous trumpha car containing bust OF the nations
idol, drawn by seeds, magni1centy csparisoned
graced the ranks and added dignity TO the depsy But
the pageant ended in smoke, and in lis proportions
judged by the result, 1t only be rkened 10 tie
mountain which Travelled and brought forth q
mouse ~
TIE DEMONSTRATION
There WINS an immense platform erected near tie sic,
which covered with the national colcrs and patriotic
legends. Above an ensign which appeared conspicuous
was the inscription which reminds one OF Barnums
certificate OF the genuineness Of his last mermaid
.'ihe identical dag first hoisted in New York bys
$S,xv vears have elanssd ana s,, I, nrnudlv Saxse
%~~~~
w.sHNGroN-A POETIC FARCE
Alter the meeting was organized an ODE by George p.
Morris, read. When the history OF the movement
and its mysterious failure considered the hnes which
arc as follows, will be deemed farcical:-
monument to Washington
rss tablet lie s,ays anw ws s s,sn nSms ,o
Now lei The rccE.hswn tower arise
high in the pathway OF the sun,
A9 Our sp sra e ss 70 ssf'
Alas that these beautiful stanzas should become
mere poetic buncombe We have the verses but not the
monument Who hndered the rock hewn tower
sun ~ The corner stone was laid with more hcnor
Than were paid 10 the Caesars on beautiful day in the
mdal stories Of granite. with Gothic windows, which
were TO be laid on that foundation? Were they ever
bult9 Who has seen themf The ''oldest inhabitant'
believes they are mythical; and although Hamilton
square has been kept under the surveillance Of the resi-
passed that for score Of years. one has ever
beneld the shrine which WINS commenced with all the
sung ode the memorable occasion might justly
be presented with the caps OF fools II they live they
occupy silly position position or ~. orrcr,s
While the meeting was IN progress the following gen.
ton, and the aids in the great work We mean no re-
Election on the parties, VINO are honorable men, but VIC
give the facts "a. as matters matte. Of history r.
Secretary; CALVIN Pollard Architect, Edwin Smith, Sur.
John Payne William Hall Calvin Pollard. Elias G. Drake
Hamilton Fish, W. u II. waddel, Joseph c. Hart, the
Mayor Of the city, shcpperd Knapp, John Leyeridge
VIM +. Pratt and Thompson Price.
The programme, which was strictly adhered 10 on the
OCCASION stated Tins section of the formation was
labor by the following persons-Ihe masonry by John
BY Frazer he tablet BY joseph f. BARNES 9hs
cement by J. 7. & s. Cummings, Jr the lead box by
Joseph Aken the land conveyed to the association by
Tho stonc which huge block of granite, weigh.
ing several hundred pounds, was laid amid vocerous
the files Of the press and documents showing the history
OF the enterprise
NEARLY ALL Iuk MONEY suRscnIprp
According the statement OF the orator Of the dav
Colonel Joseph H. Hart nearly all The money necessary
to carry the work had been subscribed He said;-it
tanned in 1883 by an association Ct ssns H
men, under tho title OF tho New York
Washington Monument Association al the head
OF which was the lato Governor Morgan Lewis,
who, together with some eighty other highly respectable
proposed that should be erected in this cv
under the auspices Of that association commcmora.
ton OF the services and in honor of the memory of
George Washington. Nothing, however, done by
thai association beyond organizing second assoca-
ton formed for the purpose and under the
Moses II. Grinnen. william W. Fox aud ohers-men |
OF influence aud great wealth, the managers
named in the act OF Incorporation Under this ac am
to say, very little was done, and IL suffered
TO expire by lie limitation In the month Of March
OF the present year act obtained from the Lecs
aturo revvins the act Of ls43 modifying and ndng
IN come particulars, aud the gentlemen composing the
present Board or trustees FAMED therein.
Under this act the Trustees Immediately organized and
adopted measures for future operation. In justice
them Is bun right 70 say that they have ever
been active IN the good work. They have 90 far sue
ceeded that failure TO carry through the design of
building monument OF vast and hcence and
OF unexcertionabe architectural beauty, IL
sdcred cot VI the question. The Trustees |
find " necessary under tho restrictions OF the char
Ter, TO raise certain OF money before proceeding
with the building Tha sum lacks but lew thousand |
dollars 81 BENG made up and they confidently appeal
20 the citizens Of New York for aid the great UNDER
tAkn u 70 20 the people at large they appeal |
aud subscriptions VIII he received here the /
ground for the purrore No matter how large or how
small me Sum viii he acceptable and viii be At once