30
GECRGE
"
WASHINGTON, D. a, Feb. 16. Spe- i
clal Correspondence of Tho Sunday
Oregonian.) If there beany person
in this country who, on the eve of another
anniversary of Washington's birthday, is
prone to put belief In tho old saying that
republics are ungrateful, he has but to
spend a few days at the National capital
to have tho theory most completely dis
proves The memory of General George
"Washington, first President of the United
States, has been honored at the seat of the
Government which ho founded with trlb-'
utes which far surpass In number and
magnificence the testimonials in bronze
and marble accorded to any other hero of
any age or nation.
Throughout the length and breadth of
Uncle Sam's domain the name of "Wash
ington has been given to hundreds of
states, -towns, counties, townships, moun
tains, rivers1 and lakes, to say nothing of
innumerable streets and buildings, but it
is especially appropriate that it should
find its most conspicuous perpetuation in
varied permanent memorials in the beau
tiful city which ho dreamed of and
planned and which likewise bears his
name. No matter which way tho -visitor
to "Washington may turn he will find on
every hand tributes to the greatest war
rior-statesman of all time. His fame is
fittingly commemorated at tho United
States Capitol, and at the "Whlto House,
while scattered midst parks and boule
vards are other reminders of that doml
naat personality to whom the First Re
public owes its greatest debt of gratitude.
Highest Monument In the World
First in importance among memorials,
not only on this continent, but through
out the world. Is the groat Washington
National Monument that imposing shaft
rising on the banks of the Potomac to be
speak the gratitude of the whole Ameri
can people to the illustrious Father of
His Country- The monument, which is
the highest masonry structure in the
world, is an obelisk, and has a height of
555 feet. The foundation is S6 feet deep.
and the walls of the colossal structure are
16 feet In thickness at the bottom, grad
ually tapering to a thickness of but IS
inches at the top. In the huge pile are
stones contributed by 40 different states of
the Union, 1C American cities, as well as
beautifully carved blocks of marble from
Italy, Greece, Switzerland. Japan. China,
Slain, Brazil and other nations which took
this opportunity to pay tribute to the
world's greatest liberator.
The plan for erecting this great test!
xnonlal to the military and political ser
vices of General Washington originated
during his lifetime. As early as 17S8 Con
gress resolved to erect a marble monu
raent to the Nation's idol, and it is said
that Washington himself selected as a site
the spot where the monument now stands.
Tlie project was revived from time to time
attar the death of Washington, but it was
not nntll 1SSS that practical steps were
taken to fulfill the dream. Funds were
raised by popular subscription, and in 1S4S
tho cornerstone of the towering structure
was laid with due ceremony. When in 1SS5
the shaft attained a height of IE- feet, the
funds were exhausted and the work was at
WASH I N
a standstill until 1S7S, when Congress ap
propriated money to complete the ma
sonry masterpiece. The completed monu
ment, which represents an expenditure jof
more than JL.300.TOO. was dedicated just is
years ago February 21, 1SSS.
Greenough's Heroic Statue.
One of the most famous of all the me
morials to Washington, and one which
has had a most remarkable history oc
cupies the place of honor on the plaza
at tho United States Capitol a site about
500 feet directly in front of the great,
white-domed building. This is Horatio
Greenough's heroic statue in marble of
George Washington. The figure, scantily
arrayed in the toga of a Roman Senator,
is represented in a sitting posture. The
left hand clasps a short sword, and the
right hand points toward heavon. On tho
low granite pedestal are inscribed the
famous tribute of General Henry Lee:
"First In War. First in Peace, and First
in tho Hearts of His Countrymen."
The history of this statue dates from
1S32, when Congress authorized the Presi
dent to employ Horatio Greenough, of
Massachusetts, to execute in marble a
full-length statue of Washington, to be
placed in the center of the rotunda of the
Capital. The statue, which weighs fully 21
tons, was chiseled in Florence, Italy, and
upon Its completion the problem of bring
ing it safely to America proved a perplex
ing one. Commodore Hull was sent with a
United States man-of-war to bring the
statue to this country, but when he found
that it would be necessary to rip up the
ship's decks in order to place the cum
bersome burden in the hold, he objected,
and an American merchant ship had to
be chartered and partially recon
structed to answer the purpose. Then
when the statue finally reached Wash
ington it was found that it was too
large to pass through any of the doorways
at tho Capitol, and masonry had to be
cut away in ordor to enable it to reach
Its resting place in the rotunda. This
statue, which cost the Government more
than $42,000. has been severely criticised,
principally because of its lack of drapery,
and as a result of these criticisms it was
removed from the Capitol building to its
present location.
The Houdon Statue.
In Statuary Hall at the United States
Capitol Is a statue of Washington which
came into the possession of the Govern
ment through the good offices of Thomas
Jefferson and is in the estimation of
many persons the most interesting of all
the sculptured tributes to the leader of
the Continental Army. This statue is
supposed to have been one of the models
which the sculptor, Jean Antoine Houdon,
mado for the marble statue of Washing
ton now in the rotunda of the State House
at Richmond, Ya., and which it has more
THE SUNDAY OREGOyiAff, PORTLAND, FEBRUARY 21, 130
GTON 1N
' HOW THE FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY
than once been suggested should be given
a conspicuous place In the Presidential
mansion at Washlngtpn. On the pedestal
is an inscription in tribute to Washington
which is said to have been penned offhand
by James Madison, who rested a sheet of
paper on his kneo while he wrote this
graceful eulogy.
Tho fact that the statues chiseled by
Houdon were tho only ones ever made
from Washington's person makes this one
particularly interesting and valuable.
MARBLE, GKANITE ANT) BKONZE
-r-r . W. .t TTr.T-irrr a r TUL1 HABITAT iT? TT-TTT TJATTOTM - i '
HAS BEEN HONORED AT THE CAPITAL OF THE NATION
Washington was 54 years of age when
Houdon visited Mount Vernon. Every op
portunity was afforded the sculptor to
study his subject, and he was permitted
not only to take accurate measurements
of Washington but to make a mold of the
face, head and chest. Washington himself
suggested the costume, which is tho Con
tinental uniform which he was accustomed
to wear as Commander-in-Chief, and in
which he was attired when he resigned his
commission at Annapoll3. How well this
statue satisfied the men who knew Wash
ington personally may be judged from tho
comment of John Marshall, who said: "It
represents the original ,as perfectly as
a living man could . be represented in
marble."
Equestrian Statue.
The American capital has a greater
number of equestrian statues than any
other city of the New World, and prom
inently among: these horseback monu-
rripntn tc nnn tn f!vorire Washington. Gen
eral Washington was not, however, the
first hero to be honored witn sucn a me
tv nWr i nrfnritv havinc been given to An
drew Jackson, whose statue stands be
fore the White House. The statue of
Wnshlneton was oroduced by Clark Mills,
tho sculptor, who executed the Jackson
statue, and like the latter was cast irom
cannon captured from the British in tho
War of lm. General Washington, dressed
in Colonial uniform, is represented aa
witnessing tho Battle of Princeton. His
horse Is shrinking before the shot, but tho
General Is unmoved by the danger. The
hnrse represented in this statue was mod
eled from one capturecrlrom a wua nera
on the prairie near Fort Leavenworth,
Kan.
The memorials of Washington at tho
White House are in the form of paintings.
The best known of these is the fuJl-length
likeness which was long supposed to be
from the brush of the famous artist, Gil
bert Stuart, but Is now known to be a
copy by an English painter. This Is some
times known as the "Lansuowne aiuari,
from the fact that the painting of which
it is facsimile wa3 made for the Marquis
of Lansdowne. This portrait wnica long
occupied the place of honor in the East
room at the White House, but now hangs
on the wall of the Red parlor, is the one
which was rescued by Dolly Madison and
carried across the Potomac when tho
British burned the White House In 1814.
In the White House.
Near at hand is a full-length portrait of
Martha Washington, which wis rilnted
by Andrews In 1878. The gown represent
ed Is one which was mado in Paris afe a
faithful reproduction of tho costume of
Revolutionarydays and was worn at tho
Martha Washington Centennial tea party
In Philadelphia, 1876. Upstairs in Presi
dent Roosevelt's study, or "den," i3 an
other full-length portrait In oil of General
Washington. This likeness' Is the work of
Seaor cadena, of Quito, Ecuador.
Of course, one of the most fitting me
morials to George Washington is found in
Mount Vernon, the homo and tomb of tho
Father of His Country, located on tho
Virginia shore, of the Potomac, 16 miles
south of tho City of Washington, and.
which ranks next to tho National Capital
and Niagara Fate as tho greatest tour
ist Mecca In America. Tho mansion-house
at Mount Vernon Is now In charge of tha
Mount Vernon Ladles' Association, it hav
jng. Deen purchased by the Nation in 1860,
when the sum of J200.G00 was raised, by
popular subscription for the purpose. To
this shrine of patriotism have been
brought an invaluable collection of me
mentoes sacred from association with
Washington's private life and public
career, the whole constituting probably
the most Impressive of all tributes to the
First Gentleman of America.
WALDON FAWCETi'.
ZCopjrlgM. 1H.)