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

by Frederick L. Harvey

"Earnestly recommended to the favor of our countrymen,

Z. Taylor,	Millard Fillmore,
James K. Polk,	John Quincy Adams,
G. M. Dallas,	Daniel Webster,
H. Clay,	Albert Gallatin."

There was also prepared for distribution through the Society's agents other lithographs, portraits of Washington, it being thought the contributor might prefer such a portrait to the lithograph of the Monument.

The results of this special appeal are to be found in the subsequently stated accounts of the Treasurer, but the amounts returned did not meet the expectations of the Society.

May 25, 1844, a joint resolution (No. 514) was introduced into the House of Representatives, accompanied by a report submitted by Mr. Pratt from the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, which provided "that the Washington Monument Society, in the City of Washington, be, and they are hereby, authorized to occupy that part of reservation No. 2, bounded by the Canal, B, Seventh and Twelfth streets, south, for the purpose of erecting thereon a monument to Washington, under the direction of the President of the United States, according to the design proposed by the Committee on Public Buildings, and to aid the said Society in completing the same, and for defraying the expense of enclosing the grounds, laying out walks and planting trees, the Committee on Public Buildings is hereby authorized and required to cause to be laid into lots and to sell at auction or otherwise, on condition that three-story brick, granite or marble buildings be erected thereon within five years from the day of sale, the piece of vacant ground bounded by the circular road, New Jersey avenue and B and First streets, north, and the piece of ground bounded by the circular road, Delaware avenue, B and F streets, south; also twenty-seven lots between the circular road and Third street, on Pennsylvania avenue, and twenty-seven lots between the circular road and Third street, on Maryland avenue, northwest, or so much as shall be necessary to complete the same. The same to be designated as 'Monument Square.'"

The report stated, the proposed park would contain about fifty-two acres, which it was designed "to fence in and lay out in drives, walks, and trees, and to erect thereon a National Monument in the center thereof." The position would command a view of all the public buildings, particularly from the Monument, "which is to be one hundred and fifty feet high," and "devoted to the public as a place of resort where busts, statues, and paintings of all the great men connected with the history of our country may be seen." The site is nearly opposite to the "Patent and Post Office buildings, or center of the city, and but a square or two south of the great thoroughfare of the city, the Pennsylvania avenue, which, in point of magnitude and of easy approach to our citizens, there is no ground in the District, or in any other country, which could vie with it as a public square of beauty and recreation."

Lots were to be sold at auction and proceeds used for creating the park, as described in the resolution, and "so that preparations may be immediately made" for a "site for a National Monument, which in the course of a few years will become a beautiful resort for the citizens and visitors of the District as well as for strangers from all parts of the world." The park would have circles and every device of walk, all the emblems of the Nation together with forest trees of every State, plants, flowers, &c. The construction of a national monument the committee regarded as of great interest to the American people. Half a century had passed away, and no worthy memorial is found in the Capital. The committee recommend the "temple form" as best for a monument, "built to contain busts and statues of Presidents and other illustrious men of the country, as well as 'paintings' of historical subjects." The construction of the Monument "would carry out the views of this Society to erect a monument to Washington," and which it is understood will apply its funds toward this object "whenever Congress shall authorize its erection on some portion of the public ground," the site to be due west of the Capitol. The construction was to be under the direction of the President of the United States and the Washington Monument Society. A plan of the proposed temple form of monument accompanied the report, a statue of Washington surmounting its dome.

While the Society at this time was willing to concede a change in the form of the Monument, and apply funds collected to speedily realize such change, no action by Congress resulted from the report quoted so far as authorizing the building of the National Monument suggested by the committee or lending aid to the Society, or granting a site for the Monument it had projected.

In 1845 the Society removed generally the limitation of one dollar as the amount of a subscription. This action seems to have been wise, as the later annual gross receipts were for a time greatly increased.

In view of the previous recognition by the Society of this evil of limitation of contributions, it is surprising that it was not generally removed when it was specially removed for the occasion of the census in 1840.