The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-01
PLEDGED TO D. !.
HONOR HIM.
President yler's Memory Has
Not, However. Been Regarded
HE WAS "a FAVORED son
Virginia Gave Hin Every Position Of
Trust II Her Power, but When Dead
she Allowed Him 70 LIE Half
Century In Unmarked Grave.

Few people, probably. know that Pres.
,dent Tyler, tenth president OF the United
& States, has never lind a monument erect
& cd over his grave In Hollywood. because
Virginia has not carried but q -etatuto on
llcr records to do go.
Few. persons. probably. know that
While 50 much nterest has been stlrrcd
3iup III favor Of bringing tho remains OF
Mrs. Monroe and her daughter to Rich
ginond to rest finally beside the grave OF
President Monroe, the state Of Virginia.
AZ early ns 1862. soon after the death OF
President Tyler. enacted q law, aprroprat-
sinE SO, 900 or $4,000 for the erection OF
monument to the son OF whom she WIS
proud and honored in every way In her
4 power. NJ Yet that law has mover beer
executed because soon after It's passage
a The State was devastated By war ana for
many years was too poor. When the
Commonwealth got on herr feet again
stne question of paying tie public debt
was agitatcd and none felt that 1t was
an opportllne time for the use VI the
money already set apart on the State
4 Treasury In recent years no one has
brought It up. The senatorial district
AT which Charles City county is a part
ed by Hon. ID Gardiner Tyler, o. son OF
3stlie President. and naturally he could
never bring himself to feel that 1t vas
proper thing for him to take hold OF. AS
for the Other Legislators. v not OF Few
%of them are not aware that such law Is
iii existence, and II they were, nave &1or- |.
gotten It. ~ HE8
PASS BY. uNKNoWINGLY.
s4fETor many y yea re- 1t has been a reproach
Stofthe State and the nation that Presl-
dent Tylers grave was unmarried ana q
stranger. nay hundreds and thousands Of
Richmond people would pass It.. igno.
rant OF the fact that a man honorcd and
loved by the entire State and who once
occupied with ability the highest Office
OF tho nation. slept beneath he low
mound. The newspapers printed the
story that he was the only President IN
the United States whose grave was not
gtIttingly marked The public, the people
generally felt that 1t was n reproach
sand persons In New York started
fund and the money was deposited I. IN
bank there to he used in the erection
#of ii monument. But lIessfs.; Lyon&G.
Tyler president OF William and Mary
) College and Hon. D. Gardiner Tyler. Of
the Virginia Senate. the two surviving
sons OF the President, write saying
4 that they could not accept the money
ard asked that it be returned to tho
donors because Virginia had pledged her
Eelf to- erect@t the monument and they
preferred that she whom their father
l,ad served SC long and In so manv
ways should do so.t This was the end
OF this movement. These two dutiful
sons would themselves have honored
their fathers grave with q fiting shaft
\ but they remembered the States pledge
and wanted her to make It good.
x SPLENDID CAREER.
When President Tyler died In the
early morning OF January IS, 1862 at the
Exchange Hotel. this city. splendid
career OF usefulness ended and he had
the unique record OF having held the
choicest public positions OF trust in
gshe gift II his State and nation and
though his term OF president had ended