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W By ELMO SCOTT WATSON MONO HONG all the Independence day celebrations celebrations cel eel throughout the United States this year none Is more Dore interesting than that which I will take place at nt Charlottesville Charlottes- Charlottes ville Va There on July 4 will be celebrated the one hundredth hundredth hundredth hun hun- anniversary of ot true he death of James Monroe fifth President President President dent of the United States author author au nu- thor of ot the Monroe Doctrine and three t times mes ambassador of ot 7 4 the United States to a foreign land The occasion will wUl be under the auspices of ot the James Monroe Centennial Memorial commission commission commis commis- sion lIon appointed d last spring by Gov Gor John Garland Garland Garland Gar- Gar land Pollard of Virginia and will mark the first honors ever paid to Monroe offic officially by his native native na na- tive five state The ceremony will begin with a minute five-minute Introductory talk which President Hoover will wUl make by radio from his camp on the the thel This will be followed by an address by William R. R Castle under-secretary under of of off state who will wUl speak at nt the University of ot Virginia and whose talk will also be broadcast over the National Broadcasting company chain The ceremonies will be attended by more than a hundred members members members mem mem- bers of the diplomatic corps corps' at Washington and following the morning 1 exercises the entire party will wUl go to to Ash Lawn Laton five miles from Charlottesville Charlottesville Char- Char the home of ot Monroe where a n luncheon luncheon luncheon lunch lunch- eon will be served by the owners Mr and Mrs Jay W. W Johns In Ia the afternoon a reception wIllbe will willbe willbe be held at nt Ash Lawn and another at Monticello Monticello Monti- Monti cello home of at Thomas Jefferson two miles away In the evening the visiting diplomats wIllbe will willbe willbe be given a dinner by the University of ot Virginia and following the dinner another address In memory memory of ot Monroe and his anniversary will be given by Prof Prot William E. E Dodd the historian of ot th the University of Chicago Although the principal centennial celebration will take place at nt the University of Virginia In Charlottesville particular Interest will center around Ash Lawn which Is to be made a new national shrine For this lovely old colonial house surrounded by a acre GOO estate has hns been thrown open to the public by Its owner Mr Johns a n patriotic Virginian who purchased It last year to prevent the estate from becoming divided and obliterated and to preserve It as a place of at inspiration for Americans Ash Lawn was the home for 26 years during the most active period of the life of at James Monroe the last of the famous Virginia dynasty Monroe seems never to have definitely decided on a n name for this estate Highlands near Milton heads most of his letters written here but It Is variously referred to by Monroe and others Jefferson called It Oakwood once at nt least That Monroe considered It for a name Is Is' highly probable In view of the fact that he be called the estate he purchased later Oakhill The name Ash Lawn may well have been his selection for It shows shoes a love of trees he Is known to have had The present owner considers it advisable to continue the use of the name Ash Lawn as the place has been known by that name oame ever since Monroes Monroe's time v J Historically the home Is most Interesting Monroe Monroe Mon Mon- roe speaks of It as ns A home of ot twenty-six twenty years standing From it he departed in 1817 to be Inaugurated fifth firth President of the United States He lie sold It late In 1823 1821 not long before the end of his second term in office It Is located at the eastern foot toot of Carters Carter's mountain on a rao of at ground overlooking the eastern volley valley Northward Northward Northward North North- ward lies Monticello and southward Morven the first Jeffersons Jefferson's home and the second that of William Short These rhese three men were friends as ns well as nel neighbors which probably accounts accounts' for the proximity of at the homes The first filst sign of Ash Lawn Is a towering Norwegian Norwegian Nor Nor- pine tree visible from miles around standing high above all nU the other indent ancient trees on the hilltop which Jefferson se selected at hi his trl friends friend's nd's request as ns the site for th the he hem m. m which he was planning during the years when he was minister to France One turns from the main road into a n locust locust- bor bordered i red lane winding up to the garden entrance Here stands the old stone mounting block worn feet in the dIspensed dispensed dispensed dis dIs- by many years ears when Monroe hospitality to visiting statesmen an and diplomats dip dip- One Imagines Monroe turning back at nt this spot for tor a n last look Jook at nt his beloved home before riding to Washington to take the oath of ot office a n last look at the great pine tree ree which dominates the estate From the mounting block the white pillars of the house are almost obscured by the great box trees almost 10 feet tall taU which form the entrance to the garden These two clumps are faced by two similar ones at the opposite side sida of ot an nn oval formed by English dwarf box box- From this oval opens the walk flanked by double ro rows s 's of ot bo box leading adIng to the doorway The garden garden gar gar- den planned while Monroe was In France sho S decidedly the French Influence When it Is re remembered remembered remembered re- re that this type of boxwood under the most favorable conditions only about half hall an anInch aninch aninch inch Inch a n year pear the size and beauty of ot the trees which were the pride of ot Ash Lawns Lawn's original owner owner Is all the more impressive The front part of the house was built after niter Monroes Monroe's time but one steps down from the entrance hall ball Into the original rooms where at nt every turn one notes architectural details which t characterize the handiwork of Jefferson Monroe had written from France to his friend at Monticello Monti- Monti cello asking him lm to choose a site for tor the home he was to build on his return specifying that It sh should uld be In easy distance of at Monticello and Inclosing several tentative plans for tor the house Here are arc the small paneled cupboards beside the fireplace such as ns Jefferson built bunt In his own home and a graceful archway opening from a small hallway Into the side garden 1 II Here ere and there are bits of rare old pewter a spinning wheel 9 old d chairs on which Monroe and f i his friends sat about a n a blazing log fire a n cradIe cradie cra- cra die dle mirrors reflecting the sun which comes in through the wIn windows of French design Much Mucha of the atmosphere of the original home has been a restored In t the e few months since the estate was purchased by U the e present owner I In the basement on one finds the e old kitchens with the original floors of ot brick laid in a n zigzag pattern and the heavy doors still perfectly balanced balanced bal bal- on massive hinges shaped like the letter II H. In the kitchen one finds many of the original Iron griddles and kettles and scarred old wood woodblocks bI blocks cJ's From the kitchen door a few steps leI le- le lead led d I to th the Icehouse the overseers overseer's house and the smokehouse where fine old Virginia hams were prep prepared red Some of Monroes Monroe's letters show how reluctantly he left his home when he went to to the White WhiteHouse WhiteHouse House In 1817 For s seven ven years ot of his term as ns r President be he used Ash Lawn Lawn as a summer White WhiteHouse House se He ne often declared to friends that Ash Lawn would be the last of his possessions to go if he should be in financial straits Like his friend Jefferson Jerrerson he found himself after a long life lite of ot public service hard pressed to meet his creditors r Finally in 1830 he sold Ash Lawn Lawnin in order to meet a n pressing debt to the Bank of at th the United States Ash Lawn boasts a n garden unique In plan and composition of this continent Historically it has no equal for tor It was almost entirely planned and planted by Monroe himself The garden Is evergreen and is one of Qt the finest boxwood gardens in America The north and south sides are arc hedged with arbor r vitae and bush boxwood The house forms the western boundary the driveway the eastern Through the openings In the trees of the orchard which is on the other side of t the drive the plateau is visible the land rolling gently as ns far as It may maybe maybe be seen l To one side the north of the entrance there extends a n row of tall brush box perfectly shaped and pla plated ted In an S curve of at gentle swing This same f oration formation on the other side Is not quite complete but the sou south southe the tn to portion la is partly missing and Is believed to have been destroyed by fire The narrow houseward end of the oval Is flanked with two large pieces of at bush box boxon boxon boxon on each side From each of these four straight rows of ot english dwarf box run to the front of ot the house where the rows are closed by four pieces of ot the larger boxwood Between the two Inside rows an nn old brick hrIck walk leads from oval to house This quadruple row of english dwarf box Is unique being known only In foreign gardens The original brick walk goes ar around und the left lett side of the house where there stands a n magnificent magnificent magnificent cent white oak one of ot the largest In the state fifteen feet teet In circumference The foundation planting of the house Is rhododendron rhododendron rhododendron rhodo rhodo- dendron and the base of the arbor vitae hedge on the south side of the garden arden Is filled fined In with the same shrub This planting was at nt one ana time In boxwood The arbor vitae hedges on the north and south sides of the garden were probably planted by some one who was Impatient of ot the growth of the boxwood This and the vicissitudes of at time no doubt account for tor the fact that the entire garden Is not now entirely enclosed In a solid hedge of boxwood as It was originally This Independence day celebration at Charlottesville Char Char- Is the climax of at the centennial celebration celebration celebration tion In honor of Monroe which has been arranged by the Memorial commission previously referred to This commission also had charge of ot a n celebration celebration celebration cele cele- bration at nt Charlottesville on the anniversary of ot Monroes Monroe's birth April 28 23 of this year when the famous Lost Statue of ot Monroe a great figure 11 feet teet high carved from a solid soUd block of Carrara Carrara Carrara Car Car- rara marble 33 years ago for tor the Republic of ot Ven Venezuela zuela was unveiled at nt Ash Lawn The statue was made by Attillio New York sculptor by order of President Cre Crespo po of ot Venezuela Venezuela Venezuela Vene Vene- zuela following a dispute between England and Venezuela in which President Grover Cleveland Intervened under the Monroe doctrine PresIdent President President dent Crespo had planned to place the statue before before be be- fore tore the capitol In Caracas but before It could be sent to South America a n revolution overthrew v Crespos Crespo's govern government ent and he lie died In Jail jan Since that time the statue had remained In the sculptors sculptor's sculptors sculptor's tors tor's stud studio o and It was by accident that Mr Johns discovered and purchased it to be erected at Ash Lawn One other long delayed honor came to Monroe this year A bust of him was one of ot the four which was unveiled In the ot hallof fame tame at NewYork NewYork New NewYork York university last May I He was the last of the early Presidents to 10 be thus honored a fact tact which seems all al the more unusual because of ot his Importance in American history Monroe has been called one of at the most versatile of our Presidents The Tune following resume of his als varied career will indicate what a n busy Jfe te was his from the two y years ars previous to the Revolution down to his death on Independence day Just one hundred years ars ago ngo 1 Entered 1774 Entered William and Mary college 1770 Lieutenant 1776 Lieutenant In Continental army 1780 1780 Military Military commissioner from tram Virginia to South Southern rn army 1780 Studied d law with Jefferson 1782 C Chosen Chosen to the assembly Member of ot the executive council Member 1783 Member of ot the C Continental con con- gress M Married Married Miss opened law lav office In Fredericksburg 1788 Member l Member of at Virginia convention to ratify the Constitution 1704 1700 United United States senator 1704 United 1704 United States minister to France 1802 1700 Governor Governo Governor of Virginia twice tw elected 1807 1803 Minister 1807 Minister to France Spain and England 1810 1810 Chosen Chosen en to assembly t for r third time 1811 Again 1811 Again chosen governor govern r of Virginia re re- c- c signed 1811 17 Secretary 17 Secretary of at state under Madison and 1814 15 also secretary of war 1317 1817 Inaugurated Inaugurated President 1821 1821 Inaugurated Inaugurated second time 1823 1823 of at Monroe Doctrine 1824 Reception 1824 Reception to Lafayette 1 2 Retired from office by Western Union |