The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-12-11
LETTER
Especial Correspondence,

ing ground for the first American.
1t seldom falls to mans lot to see
such heroic trees. There is a giant oak
which stands sentinel over the first
burial place Of Washington. The body
was removed from the base of the oak
about seventy-ive years ago. 1t new
er should have been removed.
Tomb Of Washington.
1t is said that Washington selected
the place where his body now lies and
left instructions that one day the
change of sepulcher should be made.
The oak which guarded the first grave
must have been standing for three
centuries. The view from the place is
inspiring enough to kindle the eyes of
a dead man. The view from the new
tomb is fine in it's way, but it is as
nothing to the grand sweep of river.
hilltops and forest which moves away
before the eye from the place where
Washington slept for thirty years.
Noble Forest Trees.
Hundreds Of visitors 60 to Mount
| Vernon daily. They peer into the tomb
and then straightway go to the house.
| There Is an interest, Of course, which
| must attach to n of the belongings
of Washington, but 1t seems to be a
legitimate matter Of regret that of the
| thousands who go to Mount Vernon
| the interest in the mirror which Wash
| ington used when he shaved and in
Al-u .-.,, ..:tI, ,r1Sn0, l~ ,A- LIE, ,n,,.
ridge. if he ate porridge, is far greater
than III NE forest trees under which
he walked and in the garden whose
hedges of formal cut were planted
with his own hand.
Indoors ut Mount Vernon everything
is dead: outdoors everything is alive.
The forest and garden are instinct
with Washington. The contents of the
house are as dust.
Library at Mount Vernon.
There Is a real interest, however. in
the library of the old home. In the
main the books are simply copies Of
those which were on the shelves In
Washington's time. The originals, it
is said, are in several libraries Of the
country. There are two originals,
however, which are open at the title
page, so that if the light be good one
may read Washington's name written
in his own hand and the title Of the
book which he thought worthy enough
to buy.
Statue Of General jackson.
In the very heart of Lafayette
square stands the equestrian statue Of
General jackson. Everybody knows
it, even though everybody has not been
to Washington. for it Is a much pic
tured bit of art, If it be art, as there are
some grave doubts on the matter. The
horse is rearing almost impossibly,
and the riding general is lifting his hat
gracefully when he ought to be doing
his hardest to keep his seat in the sad
die, for his mount apparently Is dom:
his best to get rid of his rider burden.
Old Hickory In Bronze In New Orleans,
The only reason foS bringing this
old time figure of Old Hickory into
print at this day is to call attention tc
the fact that. while the work is sup
posedly the counterpart of the Jack
son statue in Jackson square,, New
Orleans, there is one item of difference
which perhaps most people do not no
tice.
When Ben Butler took command OF
the city Of New Orleans after Farra
! gut had forced the forts near the
mouth of the Mississippi river he Wen,
into Jackson square and looked at the
statue Of Old Hickory. Butler Their
/ issued an order for an inscription tt
be cut into the base Of the statue. S.
t In a day or two these words Of Ole
: Hickory were cut into the stone: "Tht
Union-it must and shall be preserv
cd" There is no such inscription OF
, the base Of the counterpart statue IL
Washington.
The Supreme Court.
, A peep into the supreme cour
chamber discloses nine men of digni
! fed bearing sitting on a circular ele
waited platform behind a solid rail
: Lower down in small space are sew
eral tables reserved for lawyers per
, mitted to practice before this court
On the same level is Il row of circula
seats for spectators. and in inches be
I hind these are marble busts Of forme
Z chief justices.
| Precisely ut noon each week day eX
. cept Saturday when the court IS II
: session the members of the court. til,
chief justice ut their head, with thei
. black silk robes about them, march sin
gle file in solemn procession from til
consultation room across the corridor
: through the lobby of the court. to thei
. places on the bench. The crier call
! out the usual summons to attentio,
and concludes with God save tn
r United States and this HONORABLE
body" From that moment the utmos
formality prevails. but never Il sign Q
J. pomp or splendor about the angus
a body so culosized by Gladstone nm
j.. other European publicists.
: Eminent Jurists.
+. Though ~iurists who reach the alt
- tude of the United States suprem