National Republican., 1877-07-04
TIE W1sHINGTOy MONrMENr

The Fourth Of July very properly sug
r"StS some thoughts in regard to the unin-
| ished monument TO WASHINGTON which
| the Government, stimulated by the memo
| rics of the Centennial year, has undertakes
10 complete. The Monument Association.
| in their review of the report of the United
States army engineers, publish n diagram of
! the foundation Of the monument. showing
the method Of supporting the same, and
extending the area of the base, upon the
idea of its completion according TO
the original design, and there is
now supplementary report from the
engineers, which represents that the iounda-
tion can he strengthened and made per-
lertly secure at an expenditure of S50,UOO
This idea Of patching up The foundation Is
not very acceptable Ia the public, already
tired Of the extraordinary delay which has
attended everything in connection with the
completion Of this greatly desired monu-
ment. The original design Of hollow
structure, having the form Of an obclisk and
carried TO the height of five hundred feet, Is
the subject Of much adverse criticism. and
the general opinion of the press which treats
Of ant is that such structure at this time
would not do justice to the tastes of the
american people, and would not I've an appro-
pris,e tribute 10 the memory of Washington.
In Paris, Florence Rome, and other cities there
are Obelisks Ofa virglc stone. The Queen
Of England is Mt present having brought
from Egypt an Obelisk which has been pre-
sentcd TO her by the Egyptian Government.
Its only value and sole art merit consist in
its being single solid stone. Since the lay
| ing of the foundation OF the Washington
Monument, now a period OF nearly thirty
years, the conntry aud the world have made
.I, ..,
| science. The works Of the old mas
tiers, IL IL true, stand nnrivaled,
but taste has come to govern in the appr0-
priateness and fitness of things. And in
| that period of thirty years many States
have been added to the Union, and the Re
public of the United States has risen to n
place among the first Of the great Powers Of
the earth. II is this great Republic now
that seeks through all her people to do
proper honor to the first and greatest OF her
citizens And in the completion of this
monument it is hoped that these things will
be properly considered. But the people do
not want delay Of another twenty
years. In o question of so much diversity
| of opinion rs TO how the monument shall
be completed, il is important that the best
plan should he adopted under all the cir
cumstanres The association have had sub
mittcd to them design of Mr.. LARKEN
MEAD, an artist Of distinction, the same
who designed and carried through to com
pl,ti ion the monument of OfLINCOLN at SPRING
field the largest and most elaborate work
OF this kind in America. The New York
Tribune, in carefully written article on
the Washington monument, says:
Now comes forward Mr.. LARHIS MEAD the well,
known sculptor, who is al present in this city, with
IN artistic compromise, designed not only To recon
ellie both parties. but TO substitute something mOp
| satisfactory In The way Of national monument "a
| WAsItINGTOS than m exaggerated fnctory'chimney
in marble. He takes the incomplete shan Il
stands and accrIts Il as the pedestal for colossal
| bronze statue Of the nations chief. The prOpOr
tons Oi the shaft are very nearly those Of the con
ycntiunal pedestal for M elevated statue. His only
change is 10 nd,l broad termcod base with flight,
of steps on the ionr sides, and tO chnmlCr the SIM
nit OF the shaft up TO the space required for III,
basis of the statue. The figure, to correspond Will
It's pedestal, must have u height Of scvcntylv,
feet. and Mr.. MfADs plan u TO have II constructs,
of thin, hammered bronze like BARrHoLni's statu,
Of Liberty: His drawing represents WAahIH"
TUN wearing an ample military cloak Owe
; his Continental uni niform--a feature which mus
be omitted, sinrp from any side but the iron
il would present the figure as an almost shalc
less mas, while even IN front, at such height. III
outline would he lost IN many conditions Of tn
atmosphere. II the design should find invor-an'
IL certainly Offers Us cSnpe from general drca'
| and n possible hUrrnr-the figure must bc simpl,
unilrIImbered by dInpeTy end recognizable fror
every point Of view. Whether cnrnicc and SUI
base should he added, to complete tho pc'lestalli
charartcr Of the shaft, Is II question To be decide
later: hut the conception Is certainly worthy {
| earnest consideration. The taking down And n
buil,liny Of the monument would involve Il sreu
expense, for which we should gain moth ing. nnle'
tho ,Gs pn were wholly changed; the weight Of III
/, | statue would bc much lcss Than that OF my add
iiunHl feet Of masonry while the shan, while
means nothing In its,li, wonhl acquire both fcasO
and grandeur IN serving as the supporlofe cUlossi
statue Of The man.