The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-03-29
Washington National Monument

Mr.. Stansbury, from the committee ap-
pointed at the meeting Of February 22d,
reported an address TO the people of the
United States, and ON motion of Dr. Blake,
1t was resolved, That the address be adopt
cd, and the public press of the country be
respectfully requested TO aid the society by
giving it wide circulation.
To tie People Of tie Unied Suites.
The Washington national monument So
clety has for some months past been en-
gagged in final effort to raise. by an appeal
TO the organized institutions of the country,
the sum required to finish the Washington
monument during the centennial year of
American Independence. The result of
their first appeal in this direction, has been
such as to strengthen their faith in the plan
of soliciting contingent subscriptions, pay.
able in installments after the entire sum
necessary to complete the monument has
been pledged. The organizations which
have been thus far reached have responded
with subscriptions which, if generally and
promptly cmulatcd in amount by kindred
institutions throughout the land, would Sc
cure the completion "f the structure dur
ing the jubilee year.
Had their recent appeal fallen dead upon
the country, and yielded no fruits, they
would have been inclined to despair of ever
achieving success in the great undertaking
which has been so long entrusted to theit
care. But the liberality and promptitude
with which so many societies, and othei
organizations, have recognized the obliga-
tons of patriotism and the prompting OF
national pride in the matter of the monu-
ment, have inspired the society with new
hope and encouraged them to renew and
urge with increased earncstness the solicit
atoms which they have heretofore adj
dressed TO their fellow citizens.
And inasmuch as the society has reason
to believe that gross and wide spread mis-
apprehensions in regard TO their own rela
| ton to this patriotic work. and to the man
ner in which they have discharged the trust
re posed in them, exist in the public mind
and have been used as reasons for declin.
| ing to assist the enterprise, they are not tC
be deferred by the suggestions of false
delicacy from the attempt to remove wrong
impressions on these points, which, wher-
ever believed. can not but have an unfor-
tunate influence upon the progress of the
work.
Chief among these errors is the belief
| that there has been contributed for the
erection of the monument n large sum OF
money which has, in some way, failed tC
| In ,Nrpnprlu apppirptnl Inr oph onnlioI
This suggestion has been frequently made
in the newspapers, and has afforded &c
those who were unwilling TO contribute tc
the fund, a plausible reason for withhold
ing their aid. This impression, wherever
originating, and however propagated, has
no foundation whatever in fact. A very
large sum of money-about $3.50, 000--has
| come into the possession of the society
since It's organization, but every dollar of il
has been shown to have been faithfully APP
piled and strictly accounted for. Nearly
! the whole amount received from the public
| has been devoted to the work on the mon.
ument itself. Outside of this, the eX.
| penses have been trivial. The officers OF
the society have never received any com.
| pensation, and the contingent expenses
have been such as were absolutely indis
pensable for the care of property, and the
proper transaction of the business of the
society," The affairs aud accounts of the
society have been repeatedly examined by
committees of congress, and full reports,
embracing every item of the receipts and
expenditures of the treasurer of the sOci
ETY. have been submitted to congress and
| printed for the information Of the public.
The last of these reports is dated May /,
1874, On. r., 43d cong, LIST sess, No. 49,
and was made by a select committee APP
pointed to consider the "practcability of
completing the monument by the approach
| ing centennial.
Referring TO a report on the same sub
iect made by similar committee in 1855
they quote and endorse the following de
| claration as cmbodylng the corresponding
result of their own inquiry: at may well
be questioned is any society, executing Il
plan Tor collecting money SO extensively,
| has met with equal success in iustfying
the integrity of its agents and it is pleas
ing to state that not one cent of the funds
received by the society has at any time
| been lost by Investment or otherwise
This declaration, reiterated as il has been
by disinterested and responsible gentlemen,
who have had ample opportunity to know
| the truth, ought to silence and set at rest
forever an aspersion founded on nothing
but the vague conjectures OF unlnformed
aud reckless persons, who sought to hold
the society responsible for delays and tail
ures for which way they are in no way ac
countable.
1t has also been alleged that the society
has not been as active and energetic ID
pushing forward the work as it ought tC
have been. 1t is difficult to make answer
to an accusation like this hut the society
may well point to its record in proof thai
Il has not neglected any means IN its power
to accomplish the object of its organza
| lion Thn orininnl nlan of limiting OH Ia