The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-12-03

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 1879.
This has been a week Of unusual
memorial festivity even for Washing
ton. There are six colossal eques.
trian statues OF generals in btoDzc
about the streets aud parks of oul
young capital, but neither Washing
ten, Jackson, Scott, Greene, nor Me
Pherson received, at the time OF the
erection Of their durable efligies, such
an imposing ovation as has been Civ
en- this week to the bronze represen-
tation of General Thomas and bis
horse. The unveiling ceremonies,
both as street pageant and in every
other detail were eminently success.
ful. Seldom, even at presidential
Inauguration, has the city been 90
throDgcd with visitors. The many
volunteer organizations from other
cities have given the streets a martial
appearance, carrying the mind back,
not very pleasantly, to the poriud be-
fore the cruel war was over. IL is
now contemplated to erect q monu-
ment to General Hooker, and steps
have already been taken in that di
rection. AT meeting of the society
of the Army of the Cumberland,
General Bsrnum, of New York, an
nounced that movement to erect an
equestrian statue 20 General Hooker
was in contemplation, aud that be
was IN receipt of letter from Cali
fornia to the effect that that State
would turn out its golden ignots to
promote the movement. Just before
his death, General Hooker, who was
very wealthy man, made an offer
Of $4,000 for a duplicate OF the
Thomas statue for the Soldiers Home
at Dayton What aG immense mum
Der of statues will we have when all
the generals who fought in the late
war, with no less distinction than
these, have been honored We are
honoring the warrior out Of all pro-
portion. The annals of our brief his
tory have been the annals of peace,
bat the stranger who would attempt
to read our history ia the monuments
Of our capital, would come to the con-
clusiol that we were u more war-like
people than the Romans, or than the
French during the Nspoleouic era
Jefferson, the author Of the Consti.
tuition, has but one lii,le statue-it
might better be called q ststuette-
and that was presented by French
Admiral Washington and Lincoln
have both been caricatured 10 marble.
Jackson's civic service have been
ignored, be too is Iepse esented as a
warrior on al iutractable horse Few,
If any, OF the statesmen who have
made our history 10 these features
that will make us, in the rem ,e fu-
ture, historically CREST, have heen
honored. This is the way it has al
ways been. rhe glory of the field
has ever been greater than the glory
of the cabinet or Senate. We are
doing No worse than the nations who
have gone before us Alas we are
doing no better. Our praise is d It
we are good mimies. We are seizipg
every opportunity to perpetuate the
sentiments, and passions, and memo
ries that have made other continents
fields of blood. Art is instructive.
Monuments are educators. We have
been prating about eras of peace, and
the progress of the nineteenth centu-
ry. Can we do no better than trans
plant in this virgin continent the
ideas Of conquest that have battle
pocked Europe? Give the soldier
his due, bat let US not be hysterical
in our honors, nor ignore the heroes
of peace.
C.. As