The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-02
MOUNT VERNON


in duty bound, that this continent is decidedly
more ancient than that of the Old World, and
that long before Adam delved and Eve span,
gigantic sloths browsed in our forests and
mighty mastodons made the earth tremble
But, be this as it may, Europe, Asia, and
Africa, as the homes of historic mankind,
have nevertheless a decided advantage over
us in the way of shrines, relics, and antiqui-
ties. All the people we read and care about
who lived more than four centuries ago played
their parts on the stage of action on the
other side of the Atlantic, and our Aztecs,
Toltecs, and more barbarous aborigines sink
into utter insignifcance, as objects of present
interest, when compared with either the
Egyptians. the Romans the Greeks, the
Israelites, the Assyrians, the Hindoos, or the
Chinese. We can manage sometimes how
ever, to awaken moderate degree of inte-
rest in the early colonists, and Pilgrim Rock
may be fairly backed against any other stone
of its size, weight, and historic age, as CEN
tral point of fuss and fustian. Pennsylvania
has monument, too, to mark the site of Penns
famous treaty with the Indians, butt receives
comparatively little attention or veneration,
and we must come down to the Revolutionary
era before we can get up respectable de-
gree of enthusiasm of truly national char
acter. For the leading spirit of that great
epoch the American people cherish degree
of reverential regard that has rarely or never
been psraleled, and the feeling is quite as
strong as that which in earlier and ruder ages
led to the investment of favorite heroes with
divine honors. But even this powerful
feeling has not secured the universal success
of the varied schemesf for heaping posthumous
honors upon the Father of his Country. The
people, generous to fault in their contribu-
tons to all live projects of practical impor-
tance, have made but niggardly advances for
marble mementoes, and their action in this
respect is rather to be commended than con-
demned. They did invest, however under
the inspiring strains of Edward Everett's elo-
quence, rather heavily in Mount Vernon
stock, but the subsequent history and present
condition of that enterprise are scarcely of a
character to incite other similar operations. A
great deal more money was given for the pro-
perty than it was worth as a farm and the
present management appears topossess neither
means nor capacity to keep the estate in
order An annual council of the vice-regents
was recently held which a gushing CORES
pondent assures us was attended by goodly
array of matrons, embracing as much beauty
elegance, and intellect as was possessed by
the noble Lee, Custis, and Fairfax danes who
graced the halls of Mount Vernon in the days
of Washington, and the necessity of ''great
effort" to redeem the estate from desolation
was vigorously discussed. We are told that
the present revenues are derived exclusively
from "the receipts of the boat, and from SELL
ing fruit, vegetables, and milk, and as the
buildings are falling into decay, as the cellar
is always partly full of water, as there is no
safeguard against fire, as the tenders, hearths
and manteI-pieces have been mutilated by
relic hunters, and as nearly all the rooms are
unfinished, there are abundant opportuni-
ties to expend much larger sum than the
regent and vice-regents now obtain from
boat fares, peas, aud potatoes. A great
and liberal public would probably have no
objection to contribute all that may be ne
cessary to put Mount Vernon on proper
footing, but the ambition of those who have
already tolerated so much decay does not
appear to be bounded by repairs and furni-
tule lucy are duAiOuS 10 80 lutO UHe reic
business, and if they once fairly embark in it,
an endless catalogue of objects which patri-
otic citizens are anxious to sell will be un-
earthed. Already we are told that Mrs.
Washington s. keys and medicine chest are sin
the possession Of Virginia family, who will
consent to part with them for con-
sideratien," and in due season
some of her bonnets and frocks may
be thrown upon the market. If the demand
should become active, there is no telling how
many treasures will be manufactured for the
occasion. The relic business is intermingled
with so much humbug in all ages and all
countries, that no limits can be fixed to the
folly and credulity of its dupes In Spain
two veritable heads of the same saint are
exhibited in towns not more than forty miles
distant from each other; there are tons of
nails and wood exhibited as portions of the
true cross, and enough thorns to fill a hay
wagon. If the people begin to pay extrava-
CANT prices for old housekeepers' keys and
medicine chests, every Imaginable antique
article of household furniture and wear
ing apparel can speedily be made to pass
muster as part and parcel of the Washington
establishment, and new branch of COM
merce may be created in the Old Dominion
only second in importance to that already
established by the relic-sellers of Rome.