National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-10-15
THE MONUMENT
70 BE ERECTED AT YORKTOWN.
History Of the Movement for Celebrating the Cen.
tenniai Anniversary Of the sicse OF York.
town-Desisn Of the Shan and
the Inscriptions Thereon.

The festivities at Yorktown have al
ready commenced the first OF the exercises having
taken place on Thursday last when the formal
opening of the Moore House, the scene Of the ca
piluatlon Of Lord CORVALLIS, took place. Thl.
affair was under tho auspices ofthc Yorktown As
ISOLATION of Virginia, of which Colonel Peyton Is
the head, and was fitting inauguration Of the
series OF ceremonies that to celebrate the event
which was the eliminating point In our strug-
gle for independence one hundred yearsago.
ORION OF THE CELEBRATION.
Shortly afler the Bunker Hill Centennial In 1875
The editor Of the Norfolk piroinion, Mr.. NJ. Glen.
nan, proposed that there should be celebration
OF the event which finished the war of independ-
ence and established the United States Of
America" and urged the nress Of Virginia TO take
up and avor the cause. The m ,vement was GER
orally seconded and q mass meeting was held IN
Yorktown, as a result (which Governor Holiday
requested meeting ofthe Governors ofthe thirteen
original States In Independence Hall, In Phlladel-
phin The response was heartily made, and at
this meeting steps were first taken for o National
Centennial Celebration.
A PRELIMINARY CELEBRATION
took place on the field OF Yorktown, October 49,
1879 (Which was decidedly imposing affair, and at
which series OF resolutions were adopted call
ing upon Congress to give practical effect TO the
resolution offered by Edmund Randolph, OF Vir-
gnia, on October %, 1887, and passed by the Con-
tinental Congress, that marble column be erected
at Yorktown, Va, TO commemorate tho surrender
Of CORVALLIS and the alliance and assistance OF
the French people with the struggling Americans.
Congress at its next session
APPOINTED COMMITTEE.
consisting of Senator and Member from each
Of the Colonial States and upon organization Sem
ator Johnston, OF Virginia, was chosen chairman.
bill approved June Z, 1880. appropriated 100000
for the erection Of monument appointing q
commission to recommend suitable designs there
for, select site. and make all arrangements for
"such q celebration by the American people Of
the centennial anniversary Of the battle Of Yorl-
town on the 10Th of October 1884, shall bent The
historical significance Of that event and the pres
| ent greatness OF the Nation"
| THE MONUMENT.
The Secretary of War appointed as the commits
| sion TO decide upon the design and model for the
monument r. NJ. Hunt of New York; J. Q. A.
Ward, OF New York, and Henry Van Brunt, oil
Boston. The principal dimensions OF the monu-
ment will be: l, the base. 25 feet inches; O. the
poiium or drum supporting the thirteen dancing
figures, IA feet inches: Q, the SHAFT upright col
umn. IS feet inch; 4, the capital resting directly
on the final course Of the column, feet inches
s, the pedestal, which supports the figure sur
mounting the monument feet inches; and O.
the figure IL feet inches, making the total height
o5 feet inches. The bottom Of the base covers @
suriace area Of 9i556 feet. The area for inscrip.
tions on each side Of the base Is 1850 'squar,
inches. The greatest diameter of the podium 4
feet inches The height OF the thirteen figures
surrounding tho podium is s feet. The diameter
of the shaft at the bottom is feet6 inches, and
the top 5 feet.
THE INSCRIPTIONS ON THE BASE
are to be as follows:
| Erected I'm pursuance of resolution of Congress
approved October 81, 1881, and one approved Junt
7, $780, TO commemorate the victory by which tn
Independence of the United States of America wa
achieved"
AT Yorktown, October 49, 1851, after siege o
nineteen days by $500 Americans, 1000 Frcnc
infantry of the line, $500 militia under com
mand Of Governor Thomas Nelson, and thirty
six French. ships. OF. the. line. Earl CORVALLIS
commander OF the British forces at Yorktown an
Gloucester surrendered the army-7,257 officers an
men, $40 seamen, 2H cannon, and twenty fou
standards-to His Excellency George Washington
comm nder- In chief of tho combined forces Q
America and France, to His Excellency the Cont
de Rochambeau, commanding the auxllliar
troops of His Christian Majesty In America an
TO His Excecncy the Comte dc Grasse, com.
mandlng- in chief the naval army OF France In th
Chesapeake"
| WEST.
1.-THE treaty concluded February G. 1878, betwee
the United States of America and Louis XVI
King of France, declares the essential and dire,
end Of the present defensive alliance is to main
tain effectively the liberty, sovereignty, and indie
pendence absolute and unlimited OF the sal
United States, as well in matters of government
OF commerce"
EAST
"The provisional articles of peace concluded M
vember 30, 1882, and the definite treaty of peat
concluded September g. 1888, between the Unite
States of America and George ILL.,, King OF Gre
Britain and Ireland Declares His Britannia MI
jesty acknowledges the said United States-vi
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Bay, Rhode 1
, land and Providence Plantations, Connection
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delawar
, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Car
,, lima, and Georgla-to be free and sovereign or
|, independent States"
CDDieS Of To- dns DdDsr In iDrdDDgre ,ea1l far mn