The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-01-05

"
the caretakers of the capitol that. hay-
ing once put an electric light, glowing,
in the hand of Liberty" they can SEQ
no reason why they should take it away.
Notwithstanding the fact that the figure
is buried iii II dark and remote corridor,
where perhaps no more than Il dozen
people i'll week, aside from the capitol
employees, ever see it. There is a good
deal of continuity in things about the
capitol. Once start something going
here, and it is likely to run on forever.
FOR washington's Remains.
An illustration of this is found i'm tho
vault under the rotunda, where it was
once proposed to place the remains of
George Washington. When the capitol
was first built and this vault was set
apart for that purpose, some one had the
good sense to suggest that guards would
DO needed ut such sacred spot. So
guards were employed, and there they,
their successors and assigns remained
tor three-quarters of century, though
there never was anything for them to
guard. The wonder is not that they
were permitted to remain so long. but
that they were ever taken away at all.
This old vault is one of the most in
teresting places in the capitol. Not
many visitors know of its existence, nor.
for that matter, but few Of the senators
and representatives. BY application to
the office of the architect of the capitol.
near by, the key to the vault may be
procured. This room has heavy walls of
brick and ceiling of iron and masonry.
1t is 20 feet long and about lG feet wide.
nd is. l.r1, l,,, -,
gloomy, somber, almost grewsome place
1T ls suggestive of prison or tomb. Here
it was once supposed the remains of
Washington would be placed, and it has
never been satisfactorily explained why
they were not. 1t is the common belief
that Mrs. Washington declined to give
her consent to the removal of the remains
OF her husband from Mount Vernon, but
this is not the case.
| have looked up the records and
learned that Il few days after the death
of General Washington congress adopted
a joint res luton in which it was pro-
vided that "a marble monument be
erected by he United States in the cap
itol, and that the family of General
Washingto be requested to permit his
body to be deposited under it, and the
monument be so designed as to COM
memoratc the great events of his mill
tary and political life"
Martha Washington's Letter.
The president was directed to trans
nit this resolution to Mrs Washington
with appropriate expressions of condo
lence, and cntreating her to accede to
the request. This was done by President
as follows:
MOUNT VERNON, Dec. 81, 1899
SIR-Whilc feel with kccncst anguish the
late dispensaiOn of divine Providence | cam
not he inscnsiblc To the mournful tributes of
respect and vcnrraton which nrc paid to the
memory of my dear deceased husband, and as
his best services and most anxious wishes were
always devoted TO the welfare md happiness
OF his country to know that they were truly
appreciated and gratefully remembered af-
lords no incons:dcrablc consolation. Taught
by the great example which have so long had
before me never To oppose my private wishes
to tho public will, must consent TO the re-
quest made by congress, which you have had
the goodness to transmit to me, and in doing
this need not, cannot, say what n sacrifice
Oi ihulViunaI iccIlnE make TO n sense of pub
lie duty. MARTIIA NVAsUINGroN
No National Tomb.
IL docs not appear in the records that
Mrs. Washington ever formally with
drew this permission or changed her de-
clsion as to the burial of the remains of
the first president. But in sending her
letter to congress President Adams deli
cately called attention to her expressions,
and said, There can be no doubt that
the nation mt large, as we'll as all
branches Of the government, will be
highly gratified by any arrangement
which may diminish the sacrifices she
makes of her Individual feeling" 1t APP
pears that the congress us well as the
country accepted this as the best solu-