The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-01-06
THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT IN
DANGER.

DANGEh.
There is one blunoer this country has
committed upon which no criticism can be
too severe. In the City of Washington has
been erected q monument, the highest
structure of human hands on the earth. It's
summit reaches into cloudland, and may be
seen from afar. For nearly forty years the
people OF the United States have been taxed
for its erection. Hundreds Of thousands
of money nave been expended upon
it-money which might have been
used, had 1t not been thus foolishly
applied, as soap for the Republican can
didate during the recent hippodrome can
vsss for votes. And for what was this costly
monument upreared2 In whose honor has
its crest been lifted heavenward? Whence
came be? What was his property holdings?
We would fame twist an answer which
would bring no shame with it, but truth
compels the admission that George Wash
iDgton was from the South that solid mon
~strosity which good Mr.. Blaine and his vir-
tuous organs decry. He was born In the
South, lived in the South. and died ia the
South. This circumstance alone is sad
CAOO6A " 1C1obCt Oub buCAC - OAC "a
worse to follow: 1.-THE Father of his Coun-
try" was a slave owner.
That these are serious charges to bring
against the memory Of him who was first
in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts
of his countrymen" is admitted, nor would
the Sentinel risk a libel suit from the mill
ions of children of the country's father un
less fortified with indubitabIe proof of its
statements. The latter comes from the lips
OF josiah Quincy, an old man of eighty
seven, now residing at Marshall Hall, on the
Maryland side of the Potomac. While a
youth Quincy lived many years with the
Gusts family and personally knew q number
of the slaves that had belonged TO Washing
ton.
"'Washington did not own slaves for
pleasure says Mr.. Quincy. He made them
work, / tell you, ana If they were not out in
the morning, they must have a good reason
for it. Mr.. GUSTS often said that General
Washington could get more work out of a
negro than any other man in Virginia. But
he was q very Just man. he would not over
work them, and he would not let them be
punished if they did not really deserve 1T.
He would not whip a slave himself, but
sometimes he would knock one down with
LIS A6t OhC III AA0 jag NCOs aA4C o61ag AA0
a scar on his cheek which he told me his
master put there. The General caught Sam
riding one of his fine horses one day, and he
gave him a blow that Sam never forgot"
What will the patriots Of the Republic
say upon reading the ~sbove?-these patriots
who twenty years after the abolition of
slavery in the South, have been holding the
people Of that section up to hatred for
having ouuod olavoo What will he tbo;r
appreciation of the Washington monument?
Will they not move to raze it to its founda-
tionsf May we not expect to see the editors
of the Tribunes of New York and Chicago,
the Commercial Gazette of Cincinnati, and
the Journal of indianapolis, armed with
battering rams, marching to Washington to
beat down the Washington monument?
Nay, may we not look to see their respective
papers moving to have the name of the
National capital changed from Washington
TO Blainetown or Plumedknightsville?
Seriously, If the monumental asses who
can never separate Southern Democracy
from slavery would be consistent, they
should hold George Washington as un xor-
thy, for the same reason, of national respect
and include him prominently in their de-
nunciation. But it is true, in all fairness,
that such ridiculous twaddle should cease.
Slavery was approved by the Constitution
of the United States as fully twenty-five
years ago as in Washington's day. The
South has no more desire to reinstate slavery
to-day than has the dust of Washington in
his tomb at Mount Vernon.
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