The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1928-06-02
NATIONAL MEMORIAL FOR GEN.
GEORGE ROGERS CLARK.

A few weeks ago Congress gave belated
recognition to Of the greatest of our country
founders by providing for statue OF Albert Cal
latin to stand the steps of the treasury
Building at Washington alongside of the statue
of Alexander Hamilton. This praiseworthy action
was appropriately followed a few days ago by
the appropriation of 100000 for the establish
ment of a museum at Vincennes Indiana, in
honor of Gen. George Rogers Clark, 1.-THE George
Washington of the West
Gen George Rogers Clark one of the
great outstanding American heroes who rendered
service that made his country great. 1t was
he with small army of frontiersmen, made
up mostly of Kentuckians and Vrginians, but
including a few hardy sons of Western Penn
sylvania, mostly Scotch-Irish adventurers that
saved for the United States the Northwest Ter
ritory of that period, a section of the country
now included in the areas of Ohio, Indiana, Hi
nois Michigan and Wisconsin. His little army
had the backing of Gov. Jefferson of Virginia,
whose vision of a great and powerful North
American Republic never failed and whose cour-
age of convictions led to effective action.
At the behest of Gov Jefferson Virginia furnish
ed arms, powder, lead, clothing and victuallng
for the patriotic frontiersmen who followed Gen.
Clark to Kaskaskia and the other British posts
on the east bank of the Mississippi near st.
Louis and thence across Illinois to Vincennes,
and the Northwest Territory made available
for American settlement and to be carved into
American States. 1t is true the equipment OF
the army left much to be desired, but it must
not be forgotten that the Old Dominion was pour
ing out deeply of her best blood and resources
to the armies under Gen. Washington that were
fighting for freedom along the whole coast from
Massachusetts to Georgia. The Kentucky and
Western Virginia settlements, and tmay their
names and acts never be forgotten!) French mer-
chants and citizens of st. bouis peced out so
that the foundation for the expansion of the
United States came automatically with the ter
mination of the Revolutionary War.
There should be a monument to Gen. Clark
and beside ii to Jefferson, in every important
town in every American State and Territory
west of Pennsylvania and north of the Ohio II
was Jefferson who visoned the United States as
Pacific power, and it the matchess genius
and bravery of Gen Clark that commanded the
first step in the achievement. Jefersons second
step came when he had Virginia cede the North
west Territory to the National Government vir
ginias parting with her soil to make the State
of Kentucky, Jeffersons purchase of Louisiana
and his sending expedition to the Pacific
Coast further steps in the march of Amer
lea toward selected destiny, directed by thu
great author of the Declaration of Independence
1t is a rather remarkable coincidence that
younger brother of Gen. George Rogers Clark
Capt. William Clark, joint commander, will
Capt. Merriwether Lewis, of the exploration
party that crossed the continent from ST. Louis
to the Pacific at the mouth of the Coumbis
River.
America has recognized in full measur,
in her monumental and statuary art her obliga
tons to the great Virgnans who marked thu
path and in large measure led the United States
on her glorious way from the Allegheny Noun
tains to the Pacific Coast who the North
west Territory, purchased Louisiana and Florida
and laid the foundation for the acquisition Of
Texas California, Alaska and Pacific islands
There are magnificent memorials at the National
Capital for Washington, Lincoln, Grant, Sherman
and others of the Nations great. There are many
testimonials to lesser lights as, for instance, the
great statue of Garfield at the Pennsylvania Ave
entrance of the Capitol grounds But no
where is there monument other memorial
for the author of the Declaration of Independ
ence, the Father of the Constitution and tn,
great men who carried the country from indie
pendence to continental grandeur, making
country that worth saving by Lincoln ant
Grant.