History of the Washington National Monument and of the Washington National Monument Society Part 5

It was the province of the Secretary of the Society to issue all notices of meetings, and the clerk (Eckloff), a mere recorder and messenger, had no color of authority to issue any such notice. The last regular weekly meeting of the Society was held on the 20th of February, and it had then adjourned to meet on the 27th of that month. Of the 755 votes cast all were given to each of the seventeen persons elected, except one, who received 754 votes, and not one of the persons elected was a member of the existing board. This election was carried on certificates of members.h.i.+p, which could be obtained from the Society or its agents on the payment of one dollar, but which were issued without any knowledge of the Society, and no money representing them was ever received by its Treasurer.

Abundant evidence shows that the plan of this election was "silently yet solemnly resolved," and framed in the secret lodges of the "Know-Nothing" or American party of that day, its object being to transfer the entire and exclusive management into its own hands, and to oust every other description of citizens from partic.i.p.ation in the trust.

On the 24th of February, the existing Society held a special meeting, protesting against the pretended election of February 22d, and appointed a committee "to investigate the existing state of things and report thereon at the next regular meeting."

The committee reported at a meeting of the Society on the 27th of February, and in accordance therewith adopted resolutions declaring "that the election held on the 22d instant of officers and managers of the Was.h.i.+ngton National Monument Society was in direct violation of the Const.i.tution of said Society, and therefore null and void; that this Board, being by virtue of the Const.i.tution of the Was.h.i.+ngton National Monument Society, the existing Board of Managers, and as such charged with a trust of the most solemn character, in behalf of the American people cannot voluntarily surrender the same; that the above resolutions be communicated to the gentlemen claiming under the election of the 22d instant, and that we propose that an amicable suit be inst.i.tuted for the purpose of testing the rights of the two parties."

Replying to a transmitted copy of these resolutions, the "Know-Nothing"

board adopted resolutions not admitting any right in "the late Board of Managers" to partic.i.p.ate in the "administration of this Society other than as _members_ thereof," and appointed a committee of three persons "to confer with those gentlemen in response to the resolutions received from them to-day, and that they report to the next meeting of this Board."

The two committees met on the 3d of March, but were unable to agree on terms of arrangement, the committee of the "Know-Nothing" board adhering to a refusal to submit the dispute to judicial decision.

The Superintendent in charge of the Monument, William Dougherty, declining to recognize the authority of the pretended board or to surrender possession of any of the buildings on the Monument grounds to the new superintendent appointed by it, on the evening of the 9th of March these buildings were forcibly taken possession of in its name, and the "new" superintendent was installed in place. Thereafter, for several years, the Society had no further communication with the "Know-Nothing"

board, and published in the daily press a full account of the controversy, which demonstrated the illegality of the organization of the board in usurped possession. Arrangements were also made to secure a decision by the courts in the premises. The Society's agents were also advised of the existing conditions. Being bonded, no moneys collected by them were paid to the treasurer of the "Know-Nothing" board, which board shortly issued the following address, thereby stamping its character:

"BRETHREN OF THE AMERICAN PARTY:

"For twenty years past a voluntary a.s.sociation has existed in this city, formed for the purpose of raising funds to erect a monument to WAs.h.i.+NGTON. It was founded on the scheme of voluntary contributions among the people of the United States, in such sums as would enable every citizen to contribute towards it. After years of patient waiting, a sufficient amount was acc.u.mulated to justify them in adopting a plan and beginning the work. A plan was adopted of a single shaft of white marble, of four equal sides, having a base 55 feet square, and rising to the height of 600 feet, diminis.h.i.+ng gradually from base to top, and to be 33 feet square at the top. The base is to be a pantheon, surrounded by columns and ornamented by statues. The interior of the Monument is a square chamber: the walls, 15 feet in thickness, are composed of the solid blue stone of the Potomac in large ma.s.ses, faced on the outside with white marble 18 inches thick, firmly bonded at every course into the blue stone.

The corner-stone was laid on the 4th of July, 1848. The structure has reached the height of 170 feet at a cost of upward of $230,000.

And it appears to be firm as the materials of which it is composed.

"Last year the contributions were wholly insufficient to keep up the ordinary progress of the work, and the managers were constrained to apply to Congress for aid. In the course of its construction they had thought it expedient and proper to receive not only contributions in money from every quarter of the globe, but they invited contributions in ornamented stones, to be placed, under the direction of the architect, in the face of the wall of the chamber.

Among others, a stone sent from the Pope of Rome, and was received by the managers, to be placed, as the others, in some conspicuous place.

"It was an American Monument, and its construction and management was said to be mainly in the hands of Catholics and foreigners.

Complaints were also made of the administration of the a.s.sociation, and of the expenditures and losses in the collections of funds. For these and divers other causes, the Americans of this District resolved in their respective Councils that this work ought to be typical of their Government, completed by the free act of the People, under the direction and by the hands of the natives.

Accordingly, at the election held on the 22d of February last, they nominated and elected a ticket of their own Order, who now have the control of the work.

"It will require at least one million of dollars to complete it as it was originally designed, and that sum must be raised by the Councils of our Order, or we must suffer indelible disgrace and become a bye-word. There are enrolled in the Order at this time not less than two millions of freemen. A contribution of fifty cents from each, a sum within the reach of every member, will effect it.

There may be some too poor--there cannot be any too mean or too insensible to the obligation upon them--to give this sum. If this shall be so, we have adopted a plan by which that difficulty may be met. For every contribution of one dollar, a certificate of members.h.i.+p is to be issued to the person in whose name the subscription is made. It is therefore proposed that collections shall be made in each Council throughout the Nation in such manner as each may deem most expedient, and the money remitted to JOHN M.

McCALLA, Esq., Treasurer of the National Monument, accompanied by a letter addressed to CHARLES C. TUCKER, Secretary of the National Monument, stating the amount thus forwarded, and transmitting a list of the names to whom a certificate for each dollar thus paid in is to be sent. For each single subscription of five dollars a handsome engraved plate of the Monument, of large size, will be sent.

"But, Brethren, while the sum of fifty cents from each member of the Order may be barely sufficient to complete the structure, it will take as much more to finish the work and the grounds, and leave a surplus to be invested and yield an interest to keep it in repair end defray the incidental annual expenses.

"We have pledged the American party to this work. We have taken the great step of overthrowing, on this pledge, the administration which has preceded us, and which not only failed but went as beggars to Congress to ask legislative aid for that which loses all merit, unless it be the free-will offering of grateful hearts.

"Have we done right?

"Brothers, we come to you to demand your aid in this great work to which we have been appointed, and to which, through us, you are pledged. We do not come alone. Our brethren in the District of Columbia, beneath the walls of the Presidential Mansion, from which a frowning brow is ever turned upon us--these brethren, moved by the sacred fire that ever burns in their hearts, the altars of patriotism, defying the scorn and contumely and l.u.s.t of those temporarily in power, have come up freely to our aid. They have set to you, the free citizens of free States, with power to remove and bring to account those who dare to turn a wrathful eye on the movements of those native to the soil--to you in every sense Freemen--they have set a bright and glorious example. May you walk by its light. The Councils in this the heart of the Nation--yet not one of its members--our Councils have, with wondrous unanimity, resolved to contribute _one dollar_ for each member enrolled in each separate Council. Let it go forth--publish it wherever in this broad land, those born beneath the stars and stripes, the glorious banner of our Union, have met, or shall meet, to resolve that Americans must and shall govern America. Ring it in the ear of the slothful--breathe it into the heart of the earnest--the native Americans in Council, in the District of Columbia, have resolved to contribute a dollar for each member toward the completion of the work; and they have already begun their contributions.

"Brethren, it is a national work--it is the heaped-up offering of mighty people--it is the work of the age. To it, from every kindred and nation, offerings have been brought--the tribute of far-off lands to that name which stands single, alone, mighty, majestic, in the history of the world, as though it were written in letters of starry light in the high heavens, to be read by all men. These are but the homage paid to virtue end renown, while the heart is cold or hostile.

"But to you, Brethren, his name is a household word. It was breathed over you on a mother's name and graven on your heart by a mother's love. It was taught you by a father's watchful care, and has been held ever before you as your beacon and your guide by a father's ceaseless anxiety. It was your watchword in the sports of youth; it is, it must be, your polar star in the mazes of a maturer life; it is the name for patriotism; it is little less than that of a G.o.d.

Oh, the heart--the true American heart--the heart that beats responsive to the call of country--the heart that thrills at those words of wisdom and warning which fell from his lips, teaching us the dangers of foreign influence--the heart that swells with grat.i.tude to the great human benefactor, who, having led us through the perils of the terrible conflicts of the Revolution, and guided us through the scarcely less perilous history of the Federation, and presided over that grand and august a.s.sembly which framed our matchless Const.i.tution, laid in practice the deep foundations of this mighty Nation--the heart of the native-born American leaps up with joy to testify its deep love and veneration for him and seeks some adequate means to express it. And, Brethren and Countrymen, we bring it to you; we give you, by the means spread before you, an opportunity to enroll your names in the book where is found the mighty company who have contributed to this the most remarkable Monument ever erected to man, which, as his name, shall stand unique, lofty--towering above all others known among men.

"Brethren, come to our aid.

"By order of the Board:

"CHAS. C. TUCKER, "_Secretary_.

"WAs.h.i.+NGTON, D. C., _May, 1855_."

OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY:

FRANKLIN PIERCE, _President of the United Slates and ex officio President_.

VESPASIAN ELLIS, _First Vice-President_.

JOHN T. TOWERS, _Mayor of Was.h.i.+ngton and ex officio Second Vice-President_.

GEORGE H. PLANT, _Third Vice-President_.

JOHN M. McCALLA, _Treasurer_.

CHAS. C. TUCKER, _Secretary_.

MANAGERS:

HENRY ADDISON, THOMAS D. SANDY, CHARLES R. BELT, JOSEPH H. BRADLEY, FRENCH S. EVANS, SAMUEL C. BUSEY, CHARLES W. DAVIS, JAMES GORDON, JOHN N. CRAIG, ROBERT T. KNIGHT, SAMUEL E. DOUGLAS, JOSEPH LIBBY, SR., THOMAS A. BROOKE.

The address was printed in certain of the daily papers, and transmitted to the "Councils" of the party by the following letter:

"OFFICE OF THE WAs.h.i.+NGTON NATIONAL MONUMENT SOCIETY, WAs.h.i.+NGTON, D. C., _May, 1855_.

"DEAR SIR AND BROTHER:

"Enclosed I send you an address from the Board of Managers of the Was.h.i.+ngton National Monument Society to members of our Order, asking their contributions in aid of the Was.h.i.+ngton National Monument, and request that you will place it before your Council and lend your influence towards the accomplishment of the object in view.

"By the action of your brethren in the District of Columbia our Order stands pledged to the country and the world to complete the Monument, and the glory of success or the disgrace of failure will be ours alone. The pledge was freely given; for we were confident that our brethren in the States would rejoice at the opportunity thus presented of testifying their grat.i.tude and veneration for him whose "memory, maxims, and deathless example" we endeavor to keep alive in the hearts of the American people.

"I would suggest that your Council appoint a Was.h.i.+ngton Monument Committee to receive subscriptions and forward the sums collected to the Treasurer of the Society. The committee should procure a book in which to insert the name and address of each contributor and the amount contributed. This book should be forwarded to me, to be placed in the archives of the Monument, and to each contributor of one dollar or upwards will be forwarded a certificate of members.h.i.+p and a print of the Monument or a portrait of Was.h.i.+ngton.

"The plan laid down by the Board of Managers is to forward to each contributor of one dollar or upwards and less than five dollars a small print of the Monument, and to each contributor of five dollars a print of the Monument, 22 by 30 inches in size, or a large portrait of Was.h.i.+ngton, and both the large print and portrait to each contributor of eight dollars or upwards. To each Council will be sent a copy of the large print or portrait or both, depending upon the amount contributed in such Council.

"It is not expected, nor is it necessary, that the subscriptions be paid at once; but they may be paid in weekly, semi-monthly or monthly payments, as the Council or committee may determine. One dime per week from each member of our Order for three months will be more than sufficient to erect the Monument to its destined height, thus bringing it within the means of all to a.s.sist us in our n.o.ble work.

"If the Council deems it advisable to collect subscriptions outside of the Council, but within its jurisdiction, let it recommend a suitable person to act as agent, who will receive a compensation for his services by a commission upon the amount collected. Upon such recommendations being received, there will be forwarded to the agent named a certificate authorizing him to receive contributions. The Council will determine whether the proceeds of such collections be received and transmitted by the committee having charge of the collections within the Council or be remitted by the agent direct to the Treasurer. It is intended that the amount of such collection be placed to the credit of the Council in the reports from the Board of Managers to the State Councils and National Council.

"May we not rely upon your best exertion to aid us in the work in which we are engaged? We know that our brethren will cheerfully contribute their mites if the subject is properly placed before them. We wish to dispense, as far as possible, with the services of special agents; that all contributions may be applied directly to the purpose for which they are intended, and we must rely mainly upon those whose abilities or position enable them to render us the aid required; and who, like the officers of the Society, will desire no compensation for their services other than the pleasure of engaging in this patriotic undertaking.

"Fraternally yours,

"CHAS. C. TUCKER, "_Secretary W. N. M. S._"

The following "Notice to the Public" was issued by the "Know-Nothing"

Board: