Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-28

for himself and his retainers. He was an am
bilious, courageous soldier, and his people
were proud to honor him.
Just six miles west of here, in rude log
hut, reveling in filth, poverty, hunger and
want, General Arthur st. Clair died
a beggar. His ambitions had been
broken, his possessions had been
dissipated, his followers had abandoned him,
and when death, like a charity, found him,
be was alone. His life went out from his
obscure hermitage and left upon litter the
tenantless clay of decrepit nobleman.
His remains were buried at Greensburg.
An ordinary sandstone monument marks
his grave. The cemetery in which he is
buried bears his name, which is probably
the only mark of regard paid him since his
death. Around him are grouped the dead
of nearly century, and the spot is sacred
to everybody in Westmoreland county.
The Remains to Be Removed.
Avarice, however with its gaunt, bony
hand, has demanded from the dead their
resting place, and while everybody but the
land spectators sicken at the thought the
dust of the departed must be carted over
makers who regard the living and dead as
popular prey. st. Clair's crumbling mon
ument with the majestic piles of imperisha-
bic marble that look down upon it from
neighboring lots and the humble little grave
stones that recall some memories which 1--we
like PRAYER in the hearts of the people.
must yield their vigil to the demand for
town lots. To remove the dead will out
rage public sentiment, and the simplest
touch from the despoilers' hands will wreck
and ruin the monuments
Under such circumstances the remains of
General Arthur St. Clair were safer in more
hallowed ground. His monument should
be of lasting brass or iron. While financial
and military disasters overlook him. he was
for year after the war of the Revolution
practically President of the Confederated
States. He was President of Congress for
one year during the confederation and he
was appointed bv Washington as the Gov
ernor Of the \ orthwest Territory, which COM
prised the future States of Ohio and Ipdi-
ana. While Governor of the Northwest
Territory he led an unsuccessful expedition
against the Indians and with that defeat
came his financial distress At that time
the Government was poor and it was neces-
sary for ST. Clair to give his personal secur-
lty to the contractor for necessary supplies
for his troops.
His Property for His Country.
To satisfy those securities his possessions
were sacrificed, aud the Government, now
abundantly generous to her humblest SOL |
diers, is careless and delinquent in protect |
ing the dust of one of George Washipgton's |
bravest, though notably one of his most un- |
lucky generals. Gettysburg has been made |
city Of magnificent monuments, and |
honors in granite and iron tell in eloquent
figures the deeds of less gallant soldiers,
vet common stone hewn into what nearly |
100 years ago were artistic designs marks
General ST. Clair's grave.
The monument is probably II feet high i
The inscription, which, after reciting its
purpose, apologized for its insignifcance
has been blotted out forever The present |
generation has no definite information of
what the inscription once told. In the soft
stone the letters have run together, and the