The Legislature of New York, April 20, 1871, by a two-thirds vote, appropriated the sum of $10,000 "as the contribution of the State of New York, to be paid by the Treasurer on the warrant of the Comptroller to the Treasurer of the National Washington Monument Society whenever the Governor shall certify * * * a sufficient sum has been subscribed from other sources to enable the said Society to resume work with a reasonable prospect of completing the obelisk or shaft."
By the second section of the same act the Governor was to transmit copies of it to the Governors of other States, "with a request that they communicate the same to the Legislatures of their respective States."
The New York "Jewish Messenger," of its own account, undertook to raise the necessary funds, and appealed to the Jewish people, and especially the Jewish ladies, to complete the National Washington Monument; "that the Israelites in America should be Americans in every relation of life, and distinct only in their fealty to the faith of their fathers. The Jewesses of America will earn the kindest and most-enduring acknowledgements of America's sons; they will rear a proud monument for themselves in working together for the accomplishment of this national duty."
Receipts this year from collections, chiefly at the Monument, and accrued interest, were $1,008.
Following the act of New York, the Legislature of Minnesota appropriated, February 27, 1872, the sum of $1,000 towards the completion of the Monument.
Also, by act of February 28, 1872, upon the like conditions, the Legislature of the State of New Jersey appropriated the sum of $3,000 towards the work, which was followed on July 30, 1872, by an act of the State of Connecticut appropriating on the same terms the sum of $2,000. But these examples of duty discharged, not less than of patriotism, were not imitated by any other of the State governments.
In February, 1872, a bill was introduced in the House providing that the affairs of the Society should be vested in a board of directors, to consist of five members of the Society and President and Secretary ex officio. Any person on payment of $5.00 to be a member, with all the rights and privileges of incorporators, to vote and hold office, except that of President of the Association. The bill was referred.
The Society once more addressed a memorial to Congress praying a direct appropriation might be made towards the completion of the Monument, or that "such action might be had as to the assembled patriotism of the Nation might seem meet."
The memorial was referred in the House of Representatives to the Committee on the District of Columbia, which subsequently reported the subject back, April 19, 1872, recommending that "it be referred to the Committee on Appropriations," and it was so ordered, but no action was taken on the report at this session.
January 27, 1873, a select committee of thirteen was appointed by the House under a resolution adopted to confer with the Society as to the practicability of completing the Monument by the "approaching Centennial."