The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-02-23
washington's Mothers Monument.

The visit of the subcommittee on the
Washington monument to Fredericksburg
70 see what can be done toward complet-
ing the small monument to Washingtsn's
mother, suggests some "reminiscences, par
ticularly as the delegate from the District Of
Columbia will be chairman of the SUBJ
committee.
This old lady, Mary BALD Washington,
was second wife; the General her first
son, and she passed nearly all her life after
his birth in and opposite fredericksburg.
She was comparatively illiterate, as a letter
extAnt shows. Washington's boyhood was
spent around Fredericksburg, and he went
to Mount Vernon in 174S, three years be-
fore Georgetown was laid out, to keep his
richer brothers. company. Inheriting that
estate, he was within forty miles Of his
mother when at home, and in those days
country gentlemen thought little OF such a
ride, however bad the roads.
At the age Of fifty-seven Washington,
followed by his mounted servant man, left
Mt. Vernon to pay the last visit to this
very old lady. He rode all night, leaving
the messengers from Congress at his warm
fireside, who had come to tell him of his
election to the Presidency. At morning
he embraced the fond old lady, then aged
85, who was living in two-story brick
house at the corner Of Charles and Lewis
streets, Fredericksburg. Her de-
ceased son-in-law, gun contractor
in the Revolution, had left much
property there. She was suffering from
a cancer at the time. He told of
his new responsibility and the call to quit
Mount Vernon for New York. She said |:
"My son, you will see me no more"
The same day Washington rode the forty
miles return trip and reached Mount Yer
non in the evening, to take his coach for the
North the day following.
is it probable that in this twenty-four
hours of horseback exercise the General
consulted his pocket flask? Is it likely
that he cared for the opinion of history
when he took pull? Beautiful episode
The war-worn veteran wetting his whistle.
In the light of this event let us look more
tenderly at those CALLED trousers of his
in the Patent office.
In four months Mrs. Washington was in
her grave, inferred upon swell of land
marked by rocky and romantic ledge,
where, it was said, she often went to think
and pray. Happy and neglected are the
plain mothers of great men! We can
think of her tenderly, musing there on the
courtship of her husband and the wonder
full child she brought forth, and the lonely
love OF God drawing near her old age, as
mysterious as another bridegroom ap-
preaching her girlhood.
Forty-three years afterward President
Andrew jackson left Washington on a
steamboat to lay the corner. stone of her
monument. AS the boat stopped at Alex
andria dismissed lieutenant, Randolph,
went on board to whale Old Hickory. He
chose chivalric moment, methinks, when
a man was going to funeral, but there
is no accounting for tastes when your name
is Randolph. The boat proceeded to Poto-
mac creek, only nine miles from Frede-
and the President was received
by the immemorial committee of unfinished
monuments. Next day they marched with
military, females, etc., to the grave, and
Mr.. Bassett made speech, xp.ainiDg the
virtues and matron fame laid down with
those poor bones. General jackson, who
was a Knight Templar for women, spoke
with the eloquence of those days, and de-
posted an inscribed plate in the hollow
cornerstone, saying:
"Fellow-citizens At your request,
and in your name, / now deposit this plate
in the spot destined for it; and when the
American pilgrim shall, in after ages, come
up to this high and holy place, and lay
his hand upon this sacred column, may be
recall the virtues of her who sleeps beneath,
and depart with his affections purified, and