Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-07-05
No. 36.
w ashingt ton.

CnaOt cnC 'oiloWluS Interesting letS
written by DR.. H. b. Willard of tha
place, and dated Washington, Jun'
10Th: M 576
have been here since Wednesda,
night. There has been no moon since
my arrival, and hence [ have not been
able to ascertain the truth of the
facetlous statement that the man ia
that luminary holds his nose while
passing over this fountain head of all
politics. If he does not, | shall give
it as my opinion that ne is troubled,
perhaps fortunately for him, with ca
tarrh, for there is no doubt its poIlti-
cal putridity ':smells to heaven
Physically, Washington is clean, we'll
regulated beautiful city. Its public
buildings, its parks, its fountains, its
statues, aud its boulevards combine to
thrill the American heart with
pleasure and pride The capitol is a
noble building, full Of beautiful his
toric paintings. and elegant statuary.
1t stands on an eminence that over
looks the city. In front, aud few
rods from it, In his easy chair, ON =
broad pedestal, sits Geo. ash,ogtou.
Beyond him, down at the foot Of tho
street, just about the distance of q
hundred yards, on a high pedestal,
stands Abraham Lincoln. How. ia
the presence of these embodiments of
purity and patriotism, men can cher
ish corruption, and concoct treason, il
beyond my comprehension
Standing on the dome of the capi-
tol, l5O feet above its base, you have
CHEEKY view of tue city, and the
surrounding country. Just across the
Potomac, in easy view, is the late
beautiful home of the rebel Genera.
Robert Lee. | have visited it, and +
can assure you that no person however
faclle, can describe to you the thoughts
and emotions that thrilled my heart,
as | tread alone" those "banques
halls deserted" or looked out upon
the twenty thousand graves that
sprung up in that beautiful home, az
the fruit of his treason. terrible re-
tribution! Terrible punishment! A sad
lesson, all powerful to check the first
impulse toward disloyalty. It is nov
the soldiers cemetery. Eighteen
thousand and FIVE hundred white head
stones, besides the twenty -one han-
dred and htty IN one srave, over which
Is placed the monument. But wniie
the dead en-heroes of the rebellion
are sleeping here protected by CRATE
tul government, the sick and wounded
living. are cared for, with all
mothers tenderness Cast your eye
to the north for we are stlll
on the dome, ,-on that rise of ground,
just beyond the Howard University
where floats the flag, is the Soldiers
Home A perfect paradise, beauti-
full as the eye ever beheld. or the
heart of man ever conceived. Thirteen
hundred acres OF forest, flowers, fruit
aud fountains and palaces, arbors, and
arcades. In this elysean field, are the
sick and disabled soldiers of the regu-
lar army. At present there are 224O.
Is Columbia ungrateful,?
Two hours ride down the Potomac
to-day, took me to Mount Vernon, the
home and tomb Of Geo. and Martha
Washington, the Mecca of America.
Space will not allow me to describe
this beautiful place. Suffice it to say
that, with reverent heat I stood in the
identical rooms where they lived and
where they died. | dined in the
identical dining room where they al
ways took their meals. Ate cherries
from the Identical cherry tree which
George did not cut down with his
.'littIe hatchet." / took a magnolia
leaf from tree his own hands planted
the year he died. I reached my cane
through the grated door of his tomb
and from the very foot of the Sarcop-.
hagus l drew out pebble and brought
it away as a souvenar. The ladies'
who compose the Mount Vernon As
sociation. are doing a noble work in
preserving This sacred shrine so dear
TO every American heart. Each state
has its room, which is the room to be
cared for by the member of the asso-
citation from that state, and occupied
by her when she is there Wisconsin's 5
room (Mrs. ALEXANDER Mitchel's) /
was informed, is the one in which
Martha Washington died, after remain
ing in it eighteen consecutive months,
admitting no one but her servants.
'Tis small apartment in the third
story, with only one small window,
from which she could look out upoE
the grave Of her husband. Twas on
this account she selected it. She went
into it Immediately after her husband s
burial, and never left it until she was
carried from it to sleep by his side.
I asked little ten year old Negro
boy if he remembered George Wash
ington. "He didn't hardly think he
could, but could remember the white
horse he used to ride" You had bet
ter believe I was pleased to see him.