Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-19
FATHER OF HIS LAND.
Interesting Facts About the Splendid
Monument 10 Washington.
THE ASHES OF THE PATRIOT.
Efforts TO Secure the Remains by Both
Congress- ard Virginia.
Failure A.. ENCOURAGEMENT
When md Under What Ctrcum-
sfnpcrs the "Fund" for tho Hand
.o,,c Memorial In Capitol square
rtcd-Corucr-stonc Laying and
lLyciliuR.
lL.ycitiuR

Tho monument In the Capitol square
70 Washington and his worthy 'ofnp"-
,r,o,s is a grand work as whoi'' anu
In It's several parts. though some Oh '"e'n
49,. no amcnahic 20 iust criticism. II
Will he an object Of admiration an" III
,-.,to. ~, The ages TO come. It's
-. ,.s,,,v has never been given.
although several attempts al IL nave peoh
,,,.Ac The best sketch If the memorial
-, .,-,,inei in the small pamphlet pub
49,, in 1859 hy Mr. W. \. r. Nye, OF
,,,s c,,v bat IL is defective IN some i'm
,.,r,,nt respects. The present aim Is to
,.,,,fv those defects and 20 give the
,oal facts. derived from public records,
foreotfcn or overlooked. ana from
memory.
II was Inevitable. from the nature OF
human affairs. that the highest monu-
mental honors should be paid to such
n man as Washington. AZ early as I'M
his proud and grateful Virginia made pro-
vision FOR that admirable statue Of him
by Houdon. which, with its fehctous
inscription from the pen Of Madison. still
ornaments her Capitol.
His own countrymen. through their
Congress. promised him n suitable memo
rial In December 1899. under the lead
OF John Marshall who was afterwards
his biographcr. they obtained the rcluc-
tant consent Of his bercayed consort 10
have his sacred remains removed 10 the
Federal capital. In order that "a nonu-
ment so dcsirnei as TO commemorate
the great events Of his military anu po-
ntical life might there Doe placed over
them" But they failed to execute their
laudahlc intention.
VIRGINIA'S TRIBUTE.
I'm 1916 Virginia. in pursuance Of the
eloquent resolutions OF Mr. G. +. Mercer.
through her Legislature and Governor
W. G. Nicholas. sought To have those
precious relics brought to her capital
that they Nigh, here he appropriately
houored hy Affection and IN" art OF
sculptor ana architect. But Judge Bush
rod Washington felt constrained by the
hero's will To deny their petition. 1t was
not until the year 1877 that Virginia inst
gave any practical form to paying her
promised tribute to her greatest son.
Then her General Assembly had passed
Mr. Charles Tent0n Mercers joint reSo-
lutions. which authorized the Governor,
W G. Nicholas. in case Judge Washing
ton consented to the removal of the
remains. To appoint commissioners IN
every county. city. and town in the state,
for the purpose OF obtaining and recev-
ing subscriptions 20 be applied 10 the
erection oS e. suitable monument No
Subscription in any. one name was to
exceed ten dollars mot $50, as Is often
stated. hut different members of the
same family could each give that amount,
and in very many instances this was
done. ON the 22d Of February. 1871 the
LEGISLATURE directed this To be carried
out. Notwithstanding Judge Washington
refusal. As might have been expected.
there was much Carelessness and loss in
the handling Of these contributions.
MODEL OF THE MONUMENT.
In December. 1871 Governor James p.
Preston expressed 10 the Legislature his
fears that this plan Of voluntary subscrip-
tons would not be crowned with
persons hal been appointed TO execute
IT, and though IT was intended ITO pay
a tribute Justly due to a man who Is the
acknow lodged saviour Of his country-the
purest patriot and the highest ornament
that ever adorned human nature
still the Legislature, in ISIS renewed
the instructions for commissioners TO he
continued and appointed throughout the
State and 10 60 on making collections
until the close Of that year. But II should
be especially noted that they also
resolved that the Executive be requested
n provide a suitable model Of a monu-
nent. Who's. cost should not exceed
sico.co0. and that the expense Of procuring
said model be- borne by the civil con
tingent fund
The amount realized from all the above
efforts made in 1877 and lslS, was $4,000.
for which the state became responsible
but held without any product until the
wear 1925. Then an act was passed, when
directed IT TO be proiitably invested, and
the officers Of the Commonwealth Kept IT
separate as the monument fund.
I,1.e when the centennial anniversary
Of Wa-hington's birth was near at hand
the Congress Of the United States. as II
ashamed Of their lons neglect and
disgracefu failure. made an APP
peal 10 Mr.. John \. Washing
ton. the proprietor Of Mount Yer
non. to let the National Government
SIN have those sacred remains, mat
they might be duly houored. as had before
been promised. Henry Clay. son or
Virginia was the leader in this patriotic
movement. ana was supported by Daniel
Webster and others from his region. But
N
TYLER opposed IT, Stili it was carried by
n decided majority. To granting this re-
quest Mr.. John \. Washington also In
tcrposed the hero's will. which he had
already executed by the construction OF a
new vault. To- which had been removed
all that was mortal of the immortal and
his spouse.
Thus they siill repOse at Mount Vernon
in their white marble sarcophagi. seen
through the open grating of this new
rosting-placc. Had he ever been removed
10 the State capital. she was to have ac-
companied him.
AFTER THE REMAINS.
when Congress thus renewed its efforts
- obtain the ashes OF Washington. II
greatly stirred Virginia; 80 that her L.
gislature and Governor. the elder
Floyd made strenuous protest tsee
MIR Bryce's resOlutiOns) against their
action. and Judges John Marshall and
Francis r. Brook; and Major Gibbon (all
q whom were personal friends of Wash
inPtOn) were deputed 10 hasten TO
Mount Vernon and Washington city TO
prevent their success. Judge Marshall
was put in this delegation In order TO
strengthen H. but BE declined because OF
ihc leading part he had borne in what
Congress had done in l799 Judge Brooke
undertook the mission with zeal and
alacrity He was also particular friend
Of Mir. Clay
The Legislature specially approved the
decision OF Mr.. John a Washington and
went further by resolving that a strong
fabric OF granite for the purpose OF pro
..,,fov Of ornament he erected over