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access ; and the disagreeable scenes, which, from time 

 to time, will necessarily occur, in consequence of 

 this, without furnishing a proper occasion for censure 

 upon any one, should, if possible, be avoided in re- 

 gard to all matters connected in any way with the 

 memory of the great genius of the spot. 



It is, therefore, desirable, on every account, that 

 Mount Vernon should be purchased by the people, 

 and held as a national property. The sacrifice, that 

 would be necessary in order to acquire it, is too 

 trifling to be mentioned ; and although the family of 

 Washington must, of course, set a high value on his 

 patrimonial domain, they would naturally be proud 

 and happy to cede it for the honorable purpose of 

 being consecrated as a perpetual monumental ground 

 to the memory of the Revolutionary fathers of the 

 country. The house and grounds should be kept in 

 perfect order, and, as nearly as possible, in the condi- 

 tion in which they were left by Washington. On 

 some elevated spot should be erected an equestrian 

 statue of the hero, that might catch from a distance 

 the view of citizens as they ascended the river to 

 visit the place, and might serve as an indication to 

 them that they had reached the end of their journey. 

 This imposing figure, towering majestically above 

 the clumps of trees that adorn the grounds, would 

 form a noble object as seen from a distance. Every 

 ship that passed, would strike her top-sails in honor 

 of it, as the mariners of Athens, when they entered 

 the Piraeus on their return voyages, were accustomed 

 to salute the tomb of Themistocles, which stood at 

 the bottom of that harbor. 



