The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1894-01-12

the CareCaKerS OF Une CAPITOL UnaC, nav
ing once put an electric light, glowing,
in the hand of elderly" they can see
no reason why they should take it away
notwithstanding the fact that the figure
is buried in dark and remote corridor,
where perhaps no more than dozen
people in 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 in the
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
be needed at such sacred spot. So
guards were employed, and there they,
their successors and assigns remained
for three-quarters of a 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 it's 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 16 feet wide,
and is lighted by single gasjet. A
gloomy, somber, almost grewsome place
it is, 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 a few days after the death
of General Washington congress adopted
joint resolution in which it was pro-
vided that ga marble monument be
erected by the United States in the cap
itol, and that the family of General
Washington be requested to permit his
body to be deposited under it, and the
monument be so designed as to COM
memorate 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 entreating her to accede to
the request. This was done by President
Adams, and Mrs. Washington replied
as follows:
MOUNT VERNON, Dec. 81, 1899.
SIR-While feel with keenest anguish the
late dispensation of divine Providence, l can
not be insensible to the mournful tributes of
respect and veneration which are paid to the
memory Of my dear deceased husband, and as
his best services and most anxious wishes were
always devoted to the welfare and happiness
of his country to know that they were truly
appreciated and gratefully remembered af-
fords no inconaiderabe consolation. Taught
by the great example which have SO long had
before me never to oppose my private wishes
to the public will, must consent to the re-
the goodness to transmit to me, and in doing
this need not, cannot, say what a sacrifice
of individual feeling make to sense of pub
lie duty MARTHA WASHINGTON.
NoNational Tomb.
1t does not appear in the records that
Mrs. Washington ever formally with
drew this permission or changed her de-
cision 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 at large, as well 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 ap-
pears that the congress as well as the
country accepted this as the best solu-
ton of the matter, and the movement to
remove the remains of Washington from
Mount Vernon was never more heard of.
Recently proposition has been made
to remove the remains of both Washing
ton ana Lincoln from the tombs IN
which they now repose to this vault I'M
der the great dome and to make this ma
tional tomb some such mecca for the pill
grimage of the patriotic as the tomb of
Napoleon now is in the Church of the
Invalides, Paris. But it is safe to say
this will never be done. 1t should not
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