WASHINGTON.
The one of Washington, at Mount Vernon, is commonplace. It does not reflect the senti ment of our people. The national treasury could very fittingly unlock one of the gold boxes and contribute toward the shrine of him who, when living, was °first in war, first in peace,' and, in life or in death, °first in the hearts of his countrymen.° Thousands are the men, women and children who annually make the pilgrimage to this patriot's grave. It is indeed a shrine worthy of national regard, and while the entire republic in all its material grandeur is as a monument to his wisdom and heroic patriotism, yet his immediate tomb de serves a more extravagant materialization to be an equivalent to the popular regard.
Miss Alice Longfellow, youngest daughter of New England's beloved poet, told the story to the Warren and Prescott chapters, Daughters of the American Revolution, of how Mount Vernon was saved to the nation by a woman. Miss Longfellow told of Miss Ann Cunning ham, a gentle woman of old Virginia, who, when passing up the Potomac River one day in 1853 and hearing the steamer bell toll when passing the grave of Washington, became pos sessed with the desire to restore it. The place was then occupiedby a great-grandnephew of the first President, John Augustine Washing ton. It was in a state of decay and the gen erous hospitality of the owner, who treated every passing stranger as a guest, made the expenditure of money for repairs utterly im possible. When Miss Cunningham ventured to tell him of her plans he was filled with horror that women should do that which should so emphasize the degeneracy of men. But the
determined woman sent out urgent appeals.
Her first call was to the women of the South and on 12 July 1854 the first meeting was held. Edward Everett was one of the first to offer his services and as the result of his lectures $68,000 was contributed to the fund.
In addition to 'the actual price of the plantation $300,000 had to be raised for re pairs and when matters were progressing finely the Civil War broke out and confusion was the result. Mount Vernon was neutral ground throughout the bitter struggle. When the strife was ended Miss Cunningham went there to live, received the aid of Sumner in getting an indemnity from the government and went on with the noble work she had undertaken.
It may not be generally known, but such is the case nevertheless, that when the capitol of the United States was planned and erected at Washington a crypt was constructed in the basement of the capitol, directly underneath the rotunda. This final resting place was de signed for the body of Gen. George Washing ton. Considerable mystery surrounds the delay or refusal of the entombing of the first Presi dent in the foundation 'of the national capitol. Some claim that neglect of action on the part of our national Congress is responsible for the empty crypt, while others, equally good author ity, states that Washington's wish dictated his present grave on the premises of old Mount Vernon, the spot of all others he so devotedly loved.