The anniversary of this great nation’s independence never was more
fittingly honored than on the Fourth of July last, when, in this city,
and in the front of the glorious old Independence Hall, Philadelphia
inaugurated her statue of him who was FIRST IN PEACE, FIRST IN WAR
AND FIRST IN THE HEARTS OF HIS COUNTRYMEN. There is not in the United
States a single spot more sacred to the cause of Freedom than that
on which stands Independence Hall, where our great fathers of the
Revolution so nobly pledged to the cause of mankind their lives, their
fortunes, and their sacred honor, and where the truly noble Washington
was heard and seen, when the hopes of an embryo nation rested on his
integrity.
Although the thought well suggests itself that an honor such as that
just now paid the great patriot’s memory should long ere this have
been credited to Philadelphia, yet it is never too late to do our
name justice before the world; and it is appropriate that the rising
generation of a closing century should thus mark the establishment of a
free government for which he fought and conquered.
Thanks to the school children whose contributions thus have given to
Philadelphia, what their sires so long neglected, a testimonial worthy
of our grateful recollection of the foremost of Americans.
On the 13th of December, 1867, a contract was made with our eminent
citizen artist, Mr. J. A. BAILEY, and on the 2d of July, 1869, the
material for the granite base was delivered on the ground. The
following day the statue was duly erected, where it now stands in front
of the entrance of that venerated Hall.
In the centre of the foundation is placed a box containing the names of
children and teachers, Directors and Board of Controllers, Mayor and
City Councils, heads of departments, records of the Association, etc.,
and a copy of the Holy Bible. The base of the statue is of Virginia
granite, from the Richmond quarries, and is in four pieces, weighing
about twenty tons. The statue is of white marble, 8 feet 6 inches high.
The left hand of Washington rests on the hilt of his sword, sheathed in
peace; his right hand rests on the Bible, the Bible on the Constitution
and American flag which drapes the supporting column on the right of
the figure. The weight of the figure is about six tons. The whole
height of base and statue is 18 feet 6 inches. On the north front the
base will bear the name—WASHINGTON; on the south, this inscription:
ERECTED
BY THE
WASHINGTON MONUMENT ASSOCIATION
OF THE
FIRST SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA.
The total cost, including a railing, will be about $6,500.
The ceremony of the unveiling was a most impressive one, the children
being in the act of singing “Hail, Columbia,” when, at a given, signal,
the flag covering the noble statue was raised, and from its folds came
forth innumerable small flags which flew among the people and were
eagerly caught.
As the marble image of Washington came into view the cheers of the
assembled thousands were only outvied by the cannon in the square, and
the national hymn was for the time drowned in the enthusiasm of the
event.
The President of the Washington Monument Association Mr. GEORGE F.
GORDON, in an appropriate address to the Mayor and Select and Common
Councils, presented the beautiful monument to the city. It was received
by the Mayor, Hon. DANIEL M. FOX, in a suitable reply, and the
benediction being pronounced, this most interesting event became part
of the brightest of Philadelphia’s chronicles.
* * * * *
The munificence of our fellow-townsman, W. W. Corcoran, Esq., has been
handsomely acknowledged by the National Academy of Design, at New York,
which has transmitted to him congratulatory resolutions with reference
to his recent foundation of a gallery of art in this city.—_Washington
Chronicle._