Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool reopens. Thoughts on the man, his enduringgreatness, and why over 24 million people visit annually and come away refreshed in mind and spirit.

by  Dr. Jeffrey Lant

Author's program note: I am amongst the most vociferous critics of excessive government spending and waste, but today I am proud of the overdue restoration of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, a key part of what makes the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. such a serene and pleasing place, an absolutely essential destination for all citizens; a place which like Mecca, one must visit at least once in one's life, thoughtful, respectful, yearning to be touched and uplifted by its lofty presence, never disappointed or let down.

The $34 million spent to restore the reflecting pool, the largest in the capital, is chump-change by Washington standards... but even if the cost was far more than it is, it would be money well spent...for the role of Abraham Lincoln, 16th president, is fundamental to understanding our Great Republic and reminding us just who we are and what we stand for.

Start by seeing and feeling what you see.

One of the several excellent vantage points for this revered tableau is from the Washington Monument. From this grand obelisk forever pointing up, the only suitable direction for our great endeavors, you see the long, rectangular pool which punctuates the National Mall. No true American, indeed no lover of freedom anywhere, can see this sight without a pang, for to walk the Mall and regard its monuments is to be touched by the greatest people of the nation, their exalted deeds and, always, their searing words which moved multitudes, inspiring the people, opening their minds and shaping our mission for bettering not just our lives but the lives of people worldwide, for that is a crucial and essential aspect of our national work.

How it all began.

There is a deep irony about the Lincoln Memorial and its jewel, the reflecting pool. If he had lived to complete his second term, it is unlikely Lincoln would have had such a monument. Instead, it might have been something like the nearby Jefferson Memorial, respectful to be sure but without the impact of what exists today. But a Southern sympathizer named John Wilkes Booth assassinated the president, and a nation riven by anger, rage, revenge, and a determination that this man and his mission be remembered forever, impelled the creation of an unparalleled civic temple which could not fail to impress and awe every visitor.

Its objective was to glorify Lincoln and the federal union he preserved. The resulting monument must, all agreed, make this abundantly clear, unmistakable, resounding through the years to come. Thus must Lincoln and his great deeds be remembered and raised high. The living Lincoln may not have wanted so much, probably would not... but for the martyred president the grieving, adamant nation would have it so and so it was.

Squabbles.

But, of course, nothing in Washington then or now can be accomplished without disagreement, argument, posturing and rancor. Lincoln, for all that he was the savior of the Great Republic, was the first Republican president and as such anathema to the gentlemen of the defunct Confederacy and the Northern Democrats who relied on their votes and block support. Monument to Lincoln there might ultimately be, but the road to that end would be as acrimonious and obstructed as the defeated Confederates could make it and as unimpressive as their potent congressional power could influence.

Thus, starting in 1867, Congress passed the first of many bills designed to advance matters, this time by creating a commission to erect a Lincoln monument. But it and a plethora of similar legislation were stalled, not just for years but for decades, most notably by House Speaker (and Democrat) Joe Cannon who between 1901 and 1908 made sure every such bill was defeated. Great Lincoln had defeated these rebels and their pernicious notions in life. They would do what they could to defeat him in death. But even here they failed, and at long last in 1910 the necessary legislation was passed, funds voted, design and location approved. Now the great work could be started in earnest...

And so a classic Greek temple featuring Yule marble from Colorado arose. It had 36 fluted Doric columns, one for each of the 36 states in the Union at the time of Lincoln's death. Above the colonnade, inscribed on the frieze, are the names of the 36 states in the Union when Lincoln died. Every aspect of this graceful monument of simplicity even severity, elegance and restrained grandeur reinforced just one concept: the integrity of our federal union, united, indissoluble, eternal. And there, in solemn majesty, the one man who more than any other made these words a reality.

There, as rendered by sculptor Daniel Chester French, Abraham Lincoln, 19 feet tall from head to foot, resides for the numberless ages, a man of power, determination, resolution, contemplation... and most important a man of mercy, empathy, and love as evidenced by the words selected to adorn the walls and make it clear to posterity who he was and what he believed.

Of course, the Gettysburg Address, once known by every school child (but not today), was inscribed. And so were the immortal words from Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address (1865): "With malice towards none; with charity for all... to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations."

Now it was time for the Reflecting Pool.
Along the way, it was decided that this temple as much to the Great Republic as to Lincoln, could be made glorious with a reflecting pool that would dramatically show the treasures of the National Mall while magnifying in its waters the Mall's trees and an expansive sky seemingly without limit. And so the Reflecting Pool of 2,029 feet (over a third of a mile) was added, modeled on the grand canals of Versailles and Fontainebleau, to be dedicated along with the Memorial itself in 1922.

The last surviving Lincoln was present that notable day, eldest son Robert Todd, more a Todd  than a Lincoln. He never said what he thought about the apotheosis unto civic saint of the rough, ungainly, uncouth father who had so often embarrassed him. Whatever it was went with him to the grave.

Glorious again.

Over the years, this grand conception went steadily downhill, fetid, fouled with dirt, duck droppings, and trash. It was a monument to nothing more than poor management and oversight and because of its decaying fabric the loss of 500,000 gallons of city water a week, 30 million gallons a year. Now, thanks to public outrage and good old American technology and expertise, these problems are solved, not least the pool's water supply which has been updated to eliminate stagnant water (and those noxious smells) by circulating water from the Tidal Basin. This place of a nation's veneration is now magnificent again, ready for its unending stream of visitors, all needing Lincoln's message of humanity and harmony, more necessary now than ever.

Author's program note. For the music to accompany this article, I have selected "Dixie" written by Dan Emmett in 1859. Why this song, the finest reel ever written? Because of Lincoln himself. In 1865, he said "I have always thought that 'Dixie' was one of the best tunes I ever heard." And so it is... You can find it in any search engine.

 About the Author

Harvard-educated Dr. Jeffrey Lant is CEO of Worldprofit, Inc., providing a wide range of online services for small and-home based businesses. Services include home business training, affiliate marketing training, earn-at-home programs, traffic tools, advertising, webcasting, hosting, design, WordPress Blogs and more. Find out why Worldprofit is considered the # 1 online Home Business Training program by getting a free Associate Membership today. Republished with author's permission by Ruthsella Corasol http://WorkingAtHome101.com

The lady from Maine laments and quits; the gentleman from Oklahoma saysshoot 'em, and we revisit the savage beating -- on the Senate floor no less -- of Sen. Charles Sumner by Rep. Preston Brooks

by Dr. Jeffrey Lant

Author's program note. There's a whole lot of lamenting going on in Washington, D.C. It goes like this: once upon a time the Congress of the Great Republic was a genteel place where ladies and gentlemen put on their white gloves and best manners, taking tea while cozily arranging America's affairs... thence home to a Dickens novel and well-earned slumber. The problem is that such a time never existed in the Congress of these factious United States. It's the merest myth... for all that the poor lads and lassies who represent us yearn for such a place, such a time, and such amiable, thoughtful, sympathetic colleagues on both sides of the aisle.

And so, these folks give way to frequent tears and even more frequent sighs and vapors... with lamentations loud, frequent, poignant, heart-rending -- and silly.

The most recent to give way to this "feel sorry for me" rubbish is the lady from Maine, senior Republican Senator Olympia Snowe. On February 28, 2012 the Honorable Olympia announced her inability to stomach the poisonous, internecine, downright nasty senatorial environment for another term. And so, lamenting, petulant, self-pitying, she said "basta!"... and started packing her valises with the accumulated treasures and heirlooms -- not to mention the pensions and emoluments -- of over 33 years in Congress. These will be substantial indeed.

As for me, I cannot find a single tear for the lady, rather the reverse. She says she was armed for another campaign, had money aplenty to fight the good fight... but she clearly lacked the stomach for so much closeness to her feisty and outspoken Mainers. Senators are revered, coddled, kowtowed to in Washington, D.C. Back home amidst the problems and bleakness of Portland, they are asked, insistently too, just what have you done for us lately, Missie... and you'd better have a detailed answer at the ready. Demigods like Senator Olympia find such directness rude, and long for fragrant camomile in a fragile cup of Old Worcester while aides fan her with cooling air.... unlimited incense... and deference to every word and wish.

Ms. Olympia says she's a Greek from Spartan stock... and while that might have been true 30 years ago in her elected salad days, it is most assuredly true no longer. She's gone Athenian, and now demands reverence, not the stark choice of returning with her shield -- or on it. And so she must retire... because she is no longer able to fight the good fight for Maine, for Mainers, and for the Great Republic which needs visionaries, fighters, not aging voluptuaries who crave comfort, not confrontation.

Enter Congressman John Sullivan (R-Oklahoma).

February 22, 2012 Representative Sullivan made a few red-blooded observations during one of his regular "town hall" meetings with constituents. The subject was how to get the Senate of the Great Republic to get serious, I mean really serious, about balancing the out-of-control federal budget.

"I'd love to get them /the senators/ to vote for it. Boy, I'd love that, you know. But other than me going over there with a gun and pointing it to their head and maybe killing a couple of them, I don't feel they're going to listen unless they get beat."

Cornered by the ever present Thought Police, Representative Sullivan, that able and forthright member for Tulsa, backed down. He didn't mean it....shouldn't have said it... certainly didn't imagine... and would never, ever do... You get the picture. The Honorable John was tripping over himself, back pedaling to beat the band. But why?

After all, he is far more what we actually want in our elected representatives, even while we say we prefer the Olympia model. No, we want our reps to represent us robustly, directly, rudely, shrewdly, without limits ... because unless they do that our share of the pie -- and the extra bucks we covet -- will go to others more able to bring home the bacon than our shrinking violets... and that will never do.

The great example of Representative Preston Brooks.

In 1856, the great issue of the day was slavery. It was a question which overshadowed all others. It was intractable, divisive, perhaps insoluble... certainly unavoidable. And because moderates could not prevail in resolving the matter, it was left to the zealots on both sides to see what they could do, using whatever means they chose to use.

And so on May 18, 1856 the Honorable Charles Sumner, the Senator from Massachusetts, arose to see what he could do to resolve the irresolvable... his vehicle being his great speech "The Crime Against Kansas" given to ensure that slavery did not encroach into the Kansas Territory and so augment the South and the slave owners he despised.

It was a great speech in every way -- 50 single-spaced pages in length, a detailed analysis of the problem, the most brilliant, vituperative language; language meant to insult, to scald, to enrage, with a position that absolutely no one could misunderstand, whatever side they supported.

Picture the scene. Not a cup of camomile to be seen.

Great Sumner rises sustained by sanctimony, rectitude and rage; each word is sonorous, delivered with venom, designed to sting, outrage, rebuke, condemn, no quarter asked, none given.

And so this man of Harvard, of Boston, of Massachusetts, this man of certainty, no doubt or hesitation rose to challenge the nation and to reshape the Great Republic.

Every eye was on the man, a mere man no longer, but the agent of a stern, implacable God, God the Avenger, majestic, awe-inspiring, I Am that I Am.

"Mr. President," he began, "You are now called to redress a great transgression."

And every word that followed in that vast torrent of words beat home this point.

There was no note of accommodation, no politics as usual, nothing less than total victory would do.

In the course of this great philippic, which ultimately saw one million copies distributed, Senator Sumner attacked Senator Andrew Butler of South Carolina, not just the man or his ideas but his stroke-impaired physique. It was brutal, it was hurtful; it was insulting... and a few days later inspired the Senator's outraged nephew, South Carolina congressman Preston Brooks to enter the Senate Chamber and, with his gutta-percha cane with solid gold knob, beat Sumner insensate, even when Sumner was comatose, lying in his puddling blood.

So did immoderate Sumner make his case...so did immoderate Brooks retaliate.

And so was the Congress of the Great Republic shortly peopled by representatives carrying devices of every kind, guns, knives, and of course the gutta-percha sticks with gold knobs made fashionable -- or abhorrent -- by this incident which moved the Civil War appreciably closer.

That is why, Senator Snowe, your decision to leave is a bad decision. The people of Maine need you.. the Congress needs you... the Great Republic still has great need of your services. No, it is not convenient for you; not least because you must present yourself again to your constituents, and, being Mainers, they will question you closely, for they are no respecters of persons and so may affront you. What of it? You have the Great Republic's work to do. And that is far more important and pressing than your own personal feelings or comfort. They count for nothing against what you can do, must do and cannot abandon now.

Thus I give you this song, "John Brown's Body", a rousing tune which arose from the American camp meeting tradition in the early 19th century and, after many changes of words, became the marching tune for people who understood the implementation of Truth was a long, difficult, often dangerous process. Go now to any search engine and find the rendition you like... and bookmark it, for you will have need of it in the work ahead:

"John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave His soul's marching on."

And so must you, too, Senator Olympia Snowe, for your work for the people is most assuredly not finished yet.

Dedication: The author is pleased to dedicate this work to Joshua Aaron Sumner and Roshelle Elena Sumner, descendants of the magnificent Yankee who alerted the world to "The Crime Against Kansas," children of dear friend, Lance Sumner, fellow Internet argonaut.

About the Author

Harvard-educated Dr. Jeffrey Lant is CEO of Worldprofit, Inc., providing a wide range of online services for small and-home based businesses. Services include home business training, affiliate marketing training, earn-at-home programs, traffic tools, advertising, webcasting, hosting, design, WordPress Blogs and more. Find out why Worldprofit is considered the # 1 online Home Business Training program by getting a free Associate Membership today. Republished with author's permission by Ruthsella Corasol http://WorkingAtHome101.com.