The National tribune., 1888-11-29
NATIONAL VALHALLA.
Some Practical Suggestions in Regard to PreserV-
ing the Memory of Our IllustriOus Dead.
BY B. PRINCESS, WASHINGTON, D. c.

Undoubtedly in the near future amonument
viii be erected in this city to the much
lamented Gen. Logan. Strange to say, on all
such occasions the question which gives the
most concern is not so much the collection of
funds, as the one " In what shall this tribute
to the memory of the great departed consist
The principal cause of such an anomaly is, that
we are getting tired of ornamenting our squares
and public parks with equestrian statues in
bronze. Time has sufficiently shown that
marble, particularly fine statuary MARBLE does
not resist any considerable length of time to
the influence of this climate. Iconic statues,
which naturally have to be highly finished to
show all the delicate lines of each individual
face, are easily ruined or destroyed In the open
air. To remedy all this there is only one thing
to be done, and that is to erect a building for
the purpose of receiving aud shelterBg those
statues which need protection from our severe
weather
The Capitol was certainly not intended as a
| glypotbek, and do not see why the Old Hall
of Representatives (now Statuary Hall) should
| also be used like our Congressional Library.
simply as a stow-away place for the intellect
ual productions of our country's genius. Our
| great men of the past, whose graves lie scat
! tered all over the world have by their achieve
ments contributed largely TO the fame and
| glory we can can boast TO have acquired in only
| a century of National life. If our lawmakers
ashes, they ought at least do something, that
! their memory may not be forgotten. 1t is well
! known what powerful impulse it is in other
| countries to create in the dormant genius OF
! youth those noble aspirations, to be one day, il
not worthy of a memorial in such temple OF
| fame, at least talented enough to contribute
with chisel, brush or pen, to the apotheosy OF
/ their land
The site where this temple dedicated to the
"Triumphs of Genius" should be erected here
| at the Capital, could not be better chosen than
| in that beautiful and elevated spot selected by
Gen. Logan for his home, where he expected to
pass the rest of his busy life and where, to the
| great sorrow of all his friends and admirers
| he was called so Unexpectedly to eternal rest.
This very spot hallowed by these memories
ought to be chosen as the site for his memorial
monument. TO be sheltered by the roof of thi;
| National Valhalla, where a cycle of statues
| mausOlei sarcophagi, busts, relieves, etc. would
soon be formed and become worthy rival o
| Westminster Abbey, of Santa Croce, of Flor
enee, of the Pantheon of Paris, aud of the Val
halas Of Ratisbon and Munich. and of all the
=" Halls of Victory " of Germany.
/ do not intend to enter into details as tC
what the plan or arrangement Of this building
should be. My purpose here is only to appea
to you, Mr. Editor, who has done so much al
ready to perpetuate the glorious deeds of ouI
soldiers, and to request you to publish my sug
| geStl0nS. Although we shall not have the
mortal remains of Gen. Logan here in ouI
midst, we will at least have monument wor
thy to perpetuate his memory, aud there is Ger
tainly no better location than the immediate
neighborhood of the Garfield Hospital Mrs
Logan will perhaps not be willing TO dispose o.
her homestead but still, as it would be trans
formed into temple in memory of her illus
tri0us husband, she may not consider it SO very
great sacrifice.
Your good will TO head this enterprise would
be powerful lever toward success. The Ma
TToNAL TRIBUNE reaches the freside of mos
every soldier of the land, and if you undertak,
it you will do far better than the New Yorl
W0rid, whose cherished pride and ambition
will ever be TO have erected the pedestal to tht
statue of Liberty. You will build, through
the voice of your valuable paper, the mausoleun
to Gen. Logan, and erect over it on Calume
Place this National Valhala, not only in hono
of our military leader, but for all those whC
viii be deemed worthy to have place in it
halls.
Many of the most sumptuous temples hav,
been built by the contributions, the mites o
the poor, and even the needy. The generou
and enthusiastic spirit of the soldier will an
swer your call, and the shouts on their nev
road TO more glorious victory may wake III
from their lethsrgy our over-economic legis
lators and the greedy rich.
/ submit therefore, my proposition through
the columns Of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE {.
the good will of the United States voluntee
soldier.