Perth Amboy evening news., 1904-05-20
-
PROPOSED HALL OF FAME.
Memorial Building for the Reception
of the Distinguished Dead
of America.

The arrival of the remains of James
Smithson in this country recently has di-
fected attention again to the fact that in
this country there is no national me-
mortal hall where the remains of the
| great soldiers, statesmen or scholars san
be laid away and their tombs visited
by their friends and followers. There
are many national cemeteries for the
burial Of the soldier cead, but there is
no place where the bodies of the great
men of the country whose claim to fame
Goes not come through force Of arms can
repose where all ages and all people can
see them, says the Washington Star. AS
a rule, the famous men of the country
are buried in some place designated by
them or their relatives. Thus, Washing
ton rests peacefully on the banks of the
Potomac, below this city; Lincoln sleeps
in Springfield, H.; the body of Garfield
is in Cleveland; James Monroe's re-
mains are at Richmond, Va, and the
other dead presidents. are inferred in
other sections Of the country. Many men
and women Who have given much to the
United States are inferred in graves I'M
known. The body of Mary Washington.
mother of George Washington, for a
time rested beneath a tangled mass Of
weeds in a lonely spot in Westmoreland
county, Va; the last resting place of
the remains Of Francis Scott Key, au-
thor OF 1.-THE Star Spanglod Banner"
are not known to this day, although sew
eral persons have claimed to know the
spot. And so on through a long list of
places in the L,-sOry of the United
States will be found the names of those
who're tombs are unknown.
The question of the disposal Of the re-
mains of James Smithson seem to offer
some solution Of the problem. and will
probably lead to a better adjustment of
things. The United States government
has the body on its hands, ard is not in
terfered with By relatives. It will be
compelled to provide a place for its re-
ception, and a place that will be com
m%ensurate with the greatness of the
man and his deeds. James Smithson
was not an American citizen. He was an
Englishman, and the British people will
lUok to the United States to give the
remains Of her distinguished sen as con-
s%picuous a place in it's mortuary records
as she would give one who had done as
much for her.
A proposition has been advanced to
use the Smithsonian Institution as a
memorial building, and to place therein
the remains of the distinguished dead
of the country. 1t has gained many
friends throughout the country. 1t is
proposed TO make the institution build
ing something akin to Westminster alb
hey, and to place therein the bodies of
the great. The matter was advanced in
connection with Smithson's body, and
naturally it has b%roadened to e much
wider scope.
The consideration of providing a fit
ting receptacle for Smithson's remains
| has directed attention to the Smithson-
ian building itself as a fitting mauso-
leum to inclose the body Of such a man.
1t has been suggested that no other tomb
is necessary, and that the body could be
placed in the chapel or under the floor
of n of the public rooms of the build
ing, To build a tomb, erect a mausole-
UNI or shaft in honor of his memory
would be an unnecessary expenditure,
! it is claimed, when the plan of placing
the remains permanently in the build
ing could be carried out economically,
without disturbing the order Of things.
These suggestions have been made to
the proper authorities, it is understood,
and will be given proper consideration.