Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-02-27
THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT

THE STORY OF ITS INCEPTION, OF ITS VARYING
vIoIss1TUDKs AND OF THE WAY 1T HAS FINAL
LY BEEN BROUGHT TO COMPLETION.
[Told in the Sunday Tribune by Rev. Il. Z. Hale1
The Washington monument was proposed
in the year 1883. The Continental Congress,
which never bad money enough TO buy its
own quilts, il it paid its honest debts, was al
ways lavish in voting monuments. On the
7th Of August 1888, Congress resolved unan-
imously that an equestrian statue of Gen.
Washington be erected at the place where
the residence Of Congress shall be estab-
lished !" and directed that the statue should
be supper ted by marble pedestal, on which
should be represented four principal events
OF the Revolutionary war, in which he com
manded in person. On the pedestal were to
be engraved the following words The
United States, in Congress assembled order
ed this statue TO be erected in the year of our
Lord 1888, Ia honor OF George Washington,
the illusttious commander in-chief Of the
armies Of the United States Of America, dur
ing the war which vindicated and secured
their liberty, sovereignty, and independ.
enoe."
But nothing was done under this resolu-
ton. In the first place, no seat OF govern
ment was fixed until the year $780, so that
till then there was no place for the statue to
and in the next year committee reported
that "a mausoleum be erected for George
Washington in the city of Washington" aud
on the LIST Of January next an appropriation
Of 5000, 600 was made for that purpose.
When the new capitol was begun in 1915,
the same which men now call the ''old Capt.
tol," place was reserved for a sarcophagus
for the body Of Washington under the whole.
II is even said that till lately there has been
n. 4 ar.
whose business II was TO take care of this
sarcophAgus. But neither sarcophagus nor
body was ever there. Madam Washington
consented to the removal of the body, say
ing, Il need not, cannot say, what q sAcri-
hce Of individual feeling make TO q sense
Of public. duty" But the sacrifice was new
er eIacted, aud the body remains, where it
should remain, at Mount Vernon.
Meanwhile the city of Washington had
been laid out. or this city George Washing
ton is really the founder, and in the beauty
and grandeur which il is now assuming it is
monument not unworthy Of him. III you
ask for a monument, look round" may well
be said Of the city and Of him. On one OF
the earliest plans Of the city, the spot where
the monument now stands is designated as
the site for the equestrian statue, ordered In
the Congressional resolution Of 1888 Tue
precise place is at the Intersection OF the par.
hlol anu nneh Wulcu pass
through the centre OF the Capitol aud
the centre OF the White House. In all the
city of Washington there is 3 good deal Of
rich nIathe mAticsl and astronomical sugges.
tion, due TO the fancy Of LEnfant the
French engineer, who made the plans, aud
now generally forgotten. In this case, II the
symbolism means anything, it means that in
George Washington the executive aud ltgs-
| lAtive of the land were as one.
II was by the handful OF people who lived
| in Washington that the steps were taken
which have resulted in the magnificent and
appropriate monument this day oonsecrated.
Washington was thirty three years old.
| few people lived there at last who did not
| move away At the end Of four years. Among
| these people the Monument Association"
was founded in 1888 George Watterson
may be called The founder Of the plan. For
many years he was secretary Of the society
and conducted its correspondence. The
great Judge Marshall, the biogrspher of'
Washington, was the first president. He
was succeeded by Madison, who took the
honorary office ia his s5th year, and held it
in 1885 and 1886. Judge William Cranch, q
| pure and noble statesman, whose life was
| identified with the best interests OF the coun-
| try, was vice president and acting president.
Under the first plans, no person was per-
miIted to contribute 10 the fund more than
81 year. But this restriction was removed
in ls45. 10 1886 S2s, 900 had been collected
and was safely invested. 10 ls47, this sum,
with interest and new subscriptions, amount.
ed to $87, 900; and the society resolved to
| begin the monument On the 3ist OF JaDu-
| ary, 1S48, Congress granted site for it to be
selected by the President and manager. 1t
was said that Washington himself marked
the spot, as early as 1895, as a site for q mon
ument TO the American revolution.
A plan was agreed upon by the manage
ment, and the cornerstone was laid, under
most Auspicous circumstances, on the 4th Of
July ls4S. The Hon. Robert O. Winthrop
delivered an oration. truly admirable memo
| rial OF Washington. Other addresses were
made by other gentlemen. The work was
| pushed steadily upward for six years when
| the funds of the society were exhausted. In
this time the monument had risen 40 feet
| and $3.50, 900 had been collected and eXpend-
| ed on it. Various efforts we're made to col
lect u new subscription. In 1859, boxes
we're placed at the polls on the day OF the
1 presidential election, in many states, and
the aims thus collected we're used for The in
/ crease of the fund. At the annual election
| Of 1860, the people OF California contributed
| at the polls $40, 962 oil, which was remilted
to the secretary of the society. II was Cali
fornia's way of showing loyalty just before
the great struggle began. 1t was Invested as
a nest.egg for further use. But work was
not in fact renewed till after the war-with
the new wealth and more than fabulous pros
perity of the newborn nation-Congress
sumed as its right the completion Of the
monument, placed the work under the diTeo-
| tion of its own officers, and pressed II to its
| happy conclusion.
Some (, ars having been expressed that the
foundation was not secure, an elaborate sDd
interesting report was secured from the en-
gineer board, which proved its absolute sufi
cheney.
During the long period when the Associa-
ton had charge OF the work they invited and
received blocks of stones to be wrought into
the interior from various states and societies
through the world. There are nearly 100 of
these blocks, many of them curious for their
emblems or other inscriptions. Brigham
Young sent out one one is from Braddock's
field, one processes TO be from the ruins OF
the AleXandrian library, one is from the
Merchants in China, one is from q temple
in Carthage, and one from the government
OF Greece
In the original plan-to harmonzs the
wishes of the people who wanted a Greek
temple with those of people who knew that
an obelisk was the most ht monuments
drawing was made OF a circular temple-not
unlike the Odeon at Athens, had ybody
ever been absurd enough to place q porch
before the O1eon 10 the middle of this
temple, aud rising high above it, was the OBJ
slisk. Precisely when this prepOsterous tenn
pie was abandoned formally no man need
ask. 1t will never be built. But it's fate was
spoken the day when a Pennsylvania farmer
told an agent of the Monument society that
he would not subscribe. This honest man
had a simpler taste than the metropolitan
committee. II give no tollar," he sal l. ITO
any house nit such pig ohimbly."
Aud thus through the perils Of a hundred
years, with the actual &C ctoperation of hun
dreds Of thousands of people, and With the
glad sympathy of all. the nation has built its
ht monument to him who il still
First in war, first in peace, and FIRST in
the hearts Of his countrymen."
some IAterestinE DetaiIs about Ghs
MOnumenT.
Laathered by the Editor Of the ohriaLlan Registerl