The Evening critic., 1885-02-21

James NJ. Carlisle, Dr.. John D. Blake, Or.
William Jonoe, William l.. Hodge, DR.. James
eral U. .. Grant, George W. Rlggs, Henry d.
Cooke, Peter q. Washington, VIM. J. MELON
Tald' n John M; Br2dhead, General willla,m wnlla,n
ID. A. watterston, Alex. II. shepherd,
Fitzhugh Ooyle, James @. Berret }. .. Ken
Bsbsoos, Beis d rdWara "a oIars. Rear SdmiraI Lcvia
NJ Powell, Oharos j. Stansbury, Fred ID.
Stuart Robert q. winthrop, Joseph Henry,
Horatlo King, Daniel b. Clarke, George W. Nc.
Orary, Joseph Al. Toner, James q. Welltng,
George Bancroft Rear-Admral q. II. 2.
General Agents-Elisha whittlssey, 1918;
Lieutenant J. O. Ives, 1859 10 1860; John $.
Benson, 1870; +. L. Harvey, 1874 to 1876.
This shaft stands for an advanced stage
Of civilized democracy. II is typical of the
might that lies In q fieeman's arm. In
this land of civic wonders it represents the
National patience fortitude and will that
withstood disaster and gloom until u
wresied liberty from defeat and honor from
transient errors, IL Is an epitomo of the
acts Of individual hoIoism of common mon
in tho towns. fields aud highways from the
earliest colonial days. Its base rests upon
the bosom Of every patriot. Its sides arc
written all over with the records of the
struggle for freedom.
Time in all its course has seen no purer
object Of National pride. No groans Of en-
forced labor, no blood of subject races and
no curses of injured men deface its story.
Not block in all its majestic altitude Is
laden with bitter memories. IL recalls TO
the mind no spoils Of conquest, no invasion
of others rights, no triumph of passion or
deed of vengeance. No unwilling hands
wrought thereon, no grudging disposition
carped at its building, and no tears attest
its completion, but universal prayers and
benedictions grace its sky-piercing pin
nacle.
Tho entire cost Of the Monument WAS
$1,118,000, 100000 of which was raised by
subscription and the balance Appropriated
by Congress.
An UnsiaineI Monument-Its An
prOpriRteness.
The monuments of other lands and times
are contemplated by n freeman with emo
tions of sadness, for they are not unspotted
by wrong, passion and falsehood, but the
Washington Monument will attract travel
ers from all lands, claim their respect un-
dimmed by detraction AMI challenge their
admiration and approval. As symbol of
progressive humanity this pillar Is in
memory of rights rescued from despots by
common men, who had no inherited hon
ors-men who were bood-brothers Of
those unnamed heroes who have always
won the material and glorious battles of
the world, and have remained unnoticed,
while Others assumed their honors.
The common man has an abiding interest
in all things that remind the general con-
science of his vested rights in laws and con-
stitutions; he delights in these monuments
Of liberty and rejoces in all their visible
emblems and symbols as the enduring
witnesses of mauhoods title to inalienable
rights.
The Washington Monument is new
Declaration of Independence declaring
rights established which shall be fortified
and handed down to coming myriads of
freemen-a declaration Of freedom from n
political superior, from all vestiges of titled
assumption, from unjust privileges and all
forms of irresponsible power. The common
man, tho progressive democrat, the edu-
Gated citizen, is and is to be the master OF
tho hour, proud of his surprising liberties,
of the extreme equality Of all and of a
vigilant political activity, and amid the
clamOr of the worlds discordant cries
knows that he is the architect of Americas
social fabric, however dulcet may be the
tones of other political theorists.
He is proud of this memorial of mans
capacity for self-government, FREQ from
dictatioD, and proud Of democratic princi-
pies and of common rights.
In so far as the Monument represents
these ideas. it has for all men an imperish-
able value, and in so far as it falls below W
this syllabus of rights, it has no genuine
value, and might as well be q shot-tower oil
u pagoda.
This Monument is a finger of mouition tt
| all Americans that tho political, civic and
| human problem is one that is ever now and
| never ends, and that republics can only
avoid anarchy and Cnsarism by preserving
| the constitutional rights of thorough ant
l lx-- a1u asod oh M nj
| to know what is right and maintain it
| 10 prefer their country to auy partisan
chieftain-to insist upon an exact equality
| of representation in the parliament o.
man" aud to uphold the laws and Constitu
| tion intact and unassailable as the talsmar
| of civic liberty.
This is the curriculum of our school o
| humanity, liberal enough for every PATROL
and taught by the Monument every hou
it stands-itself an epic of American his
tory.
"whilo stands the Colosseum,
| Rome snail stand"
The Memoria1 Blocks.
| Tho memorial stones contributed for in
seltion in the interior walls of the Wash
ington Monument form very interesting
historical collection gathered from almost
every portion OF the world, handsomel,
sculptured, appropriately inscribed am
| SonotsuIpb ohoo"ii"6 a.'pus0, w va
memory of Washington. The nations pre-
senting blocks are Turkey, Greece, Japan
China, Siam, Brazil, Paros and Naxos IL
the Grecian Archipelago, Bremen, Switzer
land and tho Cherokee Nation. Ever!
State aud Territory and the District o
| Columbia are represented by memoria
blocks, as are also sixteen cities and towns
sixteen Masonic organizations, thirteen or
CARNATIONS of Odd-Fellows and four tem
perance societies.
This interesting collection, which ha
been gradually increasing in numbers 70
half century, Is supplemented by abou
sixty memorial blocks from various sources
military organizations, corporation
churches, societies, schools, etc. Among thei
those from local sources are contributed b
the Washington Light Infantry, Nations
GTeys, General Assembly of Presbyteria
Church, Oldest Inhabitants Association
German Benevolent Society, Columbi
Typographical Society. Among the inter
esting blocks are those from Washington
birthplace, Braddock's field the battle.tie
of Long Island, Vlrginia's loftiest peal
William Tell Chapel in Switzerland, th
tomb of Napoleon aud the Alexandra
Library. Another interesting block is {
lava from Mount Vesuvius.
The inscriptions on some Of the stones dc
mated by foreign countries are very interest
ing. Tho white marble block from Turkey
inscribed as follows;
80 as to strengthen tho trlendshin betwee
the two countries, Abdul Maid Kahn has ais
had his name written on the Monument
Washington.
The stone from Bremen is inscribed:
Friendly Bremen TO the Great and Goo