Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-12-05
Bill Requesting Removal
of Generals Body Was
First Move.
APPEAL REJECTED. BY
BUSHR0D WASHINGTON
Monument Project Finally Crys-
tallizes and Is Carried
to Completion.
ny VERY I.AL.NIi:it.

Square today. pause a moment or two
ANA look once more On thos" Rcvo-
lutionary heroes who founded tho ,irst
republic and whose images IN bronze
form on. Of the WORLDS greatest
group statues. 1, is not on account
q the distinguished men portra yea.
nor owing to III. size or general cf-
fcctivcn"ss OF the assembling that ,hc
work stands pr"-cin!n.nt on the
American continent, but because nf
IN" rcmarkabl" Interpretation 0: tho
c6aractcrist!cs. both physical and
mental. Of each individual repre-
scented. The artists have made tho
figures viri!e--they are composed.
dynamic. forccfui ana allied VITA
enterprise and -ncrgy--accurGinS to
the t.mpcrarncntal "ndcw rn.nts or
those whom Virginia mas chosen 10
.nnor;a!i2c.
There IS Washington on his horse.
ana rightly towering above his fell
lows. while close beside him as in
ne. ar" John Marshall tn. great
chief Justice and cApoundcr of the
law. and Patrick Henry, whose IN
itIatv" stirred tn" pcopl. of his state
t'' lead the fight for liberty. Then
comes Mason. author Of the Bi!l OF
Rights, while BY his side stands tho
Immortal Jefferson. who set tie feet
IF the yonng nation hrm!y ON the
path laid down by tn" principles -.
democratic self government.
Next Is Thomas Nelson. military
loader II his state through the war.
and guide % her finances in those
early dayE: and last comes Andrew
d
run ia hand ready 10 80 Into Tho
forest ana plains 70 claim them for
MS country against tho savage enemy.
origin OF Monument.
Although IL is no: duo TO any ono
man that Richmond has heci enriched
ny this wonderful art treasure. yct
i vas possibly. OWING 20 tan bill,
introduced into the Genera Assembly
of 1916 by q +. Morcc. ;hat tie idea
rrst entered the minds OF his col
Leagues 10 hUnor these distinguished
sons Of The Old Dominion That bill,
which was cavorab!y acted upou. was
!" request Judg. Bushrcd Washing
ION 70 grant permission 10 tn" State
10 remove the body or George WASH
,nfton from Mount Vernon To Ki,h-
:noud, where !, should lac buried I'M
der suitable monument. L. b" erect
I'd at public expense. every county
and ,own. ana a. nearly ~ pos.!bl-.
every Individual, contributing.
Blt the judge answered tina. a..
though ne appreciated the feeling nI
Inc people. the will OF his eminent
yuc,. expressly stated tina: his re
mains should DO buried II, home. ana
,ha' Ne must Keep !nylUhb!c the
, sacred obligation |, WAS thought
;hat The decision o! judge Wash
inRton would close tac incident. but
SO eager We're the people I" con
tribute TO go appealing It cause tina.
;hey refused 10 give VI hope. and
money continued 10 be sent TO thu
.~oitlcc OF Tho Governor.
100000 was Asked.
All that year il flowed INTO ;hc
Golfers of the State Tor the proposed
monument. and in April OF the mex.
year the matter was given serious
consideration, and Lieutenant Cover
nor I,inah Minis issued Il proclama :
ton calling for subscriptions
amounting 10 100000 That every
body should have a chance il was
stipulated that single donations
should not exceed $50. although this
was virtually brushed aside by men
Of means. who sent gifts in the
names OF each member of their
families. often including their ser
wants.
To make the movement uniform.
agents were appointed in the coun-
ties. but Notwithstanding the fact
that work wen: forward with grca;
enthusiasm. only $4,000 was col
lcctcd at that time. One historian
states that several OF the rural com
missioners did not act, while many
dollars collected failed to find their
way to the proper destination. and
that OF the amount raised four-ffths
came from Richmond
Ths money stayed in the treas
ury. where il remained idle. or. ac-
cording to the same authority, was
supposed to remain. but when other
monies were missing it was reported
that the monument fund was gone"
The State made the amount good
and il stayed idle until 1928, when
it was placed at interest, and all re
manned quiet for another score Of
years, by which time the total OF
the fund was sil.s33, augmented By
a second general subscription.
About ;his time the Virginia His
torical Society took a hand in the
matter, and il was decided THAI
enough energy had been wasted and
that II Virginia was going to have
Il monument In its capital city TO the
Father OF His Country. besides that
by fioudon in the rotunda of the
state building. il should be done At
once. II was due to the efforts OF
Che society that the Legislature Of
hSi? appropriated suiIicien; money to
round out the 100000 originally
nXcd.
Crawford Wins Prize.
IN order to interest the foremost
Scuiptors OF the day. Il prize of $500
was announced rs 4 reward to the
creator Of the chosen design, and out
OF forty-onc submitted that Of
rhos. Crawford, OF New York, father
of +. Marion Crawford. the novelist.
was accepted. That was when John
II. Floyd was Governor OF Virginia.
OF course. the decision was not
reached without controversy, and
many and strange were the objec-
tons raised. Certain people though;
Washington should not be placed SO
high above his colleagues, others did
npt like the allcgorical figures, while
yet 4 third group. lead by r. n. Dam
|. icl, felt that tho design did not con-
form TO the terms and spirit OF the
law under which IL was to be erected
MIR. Daniel and Ills followers want
ed a monument more In kcepino