The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-11-04
Washington Letter.
tKcRuInf cOflcsOOnucnct.J
WASHINGTON. D. G., Oct 81, 1852.

w ASHlNGIoN, -. ", wv Oli l'c--
The city is just beginning to receive 1t
winter complement, and to look once NOR
like the Capital OF the United States
Many Of the fashionable people, who have
been away during the summer have re
turned and the famla faces Of certain
statesmen alone are wanting to remind u
that this Is the seat of government Of the
most gigantic young nation in the annals
of the planet called the Earth; the only
planet and annals, by the way, about which
either Mr.. Beecher or Mr.. IngersOll knows
much.
The first thing hat strikes the five
months absentee onhIS return TO The Cap
ital is the Washington monument Fortu.
nately it only srikc HIM figuratyely; if
1t should strike him square, the hypothesis
OF physical lndestrucihiiity might he prov
en- absurd by a melancholy example. This
monument, that Is intended TO oyertop
every monument in the world, already
overtops everything in Washington and Il
still climbing skyward, 1t promises "a
realize all that its projectors designed
and Will doubtless he the most impressive
beautiful, and must say astounding piece
of architecture in the world. 1, Of course,
do not mean to say that ltwlll reflect rs
much genius in design, or science AM
labor IN execution as many other arChltec.
tural ,riumphs Of the world, as for in
stance st. Peters, or st paul's, or the ca.
thedral of Cologne; but for awc-Inapiriug
grandeur and chsste subImify, this plan
ocean aud It's head IN clouds, eXcels them
all. Another third has yet TO be added ia
its stature, and then will come the question
of its surrounding Ggurc. What shall II
he? Various designs have been suggested
by native and by foreign artists No de
sign has been definitely adopted. \ statue
of Washington, IN order to present recog
nzable likeness from such M altitude, viii
have to he Of more than c0lo.sii size, and
horse Of proportional size would We out
of the question. Besides Washington has
already one colossal equestrian statue ~
the city; and a sentiment is growing in
favor of honoring Washington more, AM
the horse, and all that the hors. typnfes.
less. We have already a glHt If colossal
bronze equestrian monuments 70 war; So
many. indeed as 80 be out Of G.cod witt
our peaceful annals and the genus Of it
situations which are not mIlitarr, bu 2lvI.
The monuments to peace in the Unite,
States are sufficiently visible TO The SUDDEN
and the philosopher, and 10 any one 4
fact who reads and reflects. But 1t wcr
better that the trlumphs Of peace and in
dustry, craftsmanship and science skouh
be so symbolized and hon ored as to max
them palpable to fools.
| would like 10 see on the top Of Thu.
monument a statue Of Washington as h.
stood at the close If his presidential term
willing to leave his exalted station for tn,
farm; and by HIN, with an electric light
IN his hand, to make them visible in tn,
darkest night, his distinguished cotempo
rary, known ID both hemispheres as tn
first to apply electricity, Benjamin Frank
In. Such a group would be suggestive
and an impressive history. Itwould be thor
oughly modern ard American. It wou'c
speak more eloquently of that which is
greatest IN our past, and most auspicioua
for the future of mankind, than oil the
monuments to war IN Christcndom ano
Heatheudom grouped together