Tribute to the Late Senator Thomas Ward Osborn

TRIBUTE TO THE LATE SENATOR THOMAS WARD OSBORN

Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, today I would like to speak of a man who was instrumental in the completion of the Washington Monument, a former Senator from Florida, Thomas Ward Osborn. The cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid July 4, 1848, but the monument itself was not completed and opened to the public until October 9, 1888. The construction of the memorial was stopped in 1856 due to the Civil War, a lack of funding, and political difficulties within the Washington Monument Society.

Senator Thomas Ward Osborn was instrumental in passing the legislation required to complete the monument after the Civil War. Many were reluctant to finish funding the project because of technical issues related to the construction and the perception among some that it was a waste of money. S. 245, a bill to secure the completion of the Washington and Lincoln Monuments, was introduced on the Senate floor by the Honorable Thomas Ward Osborn on April 1, 1869. Through Senator Osborn's efforts, this legislation was enacted and construction of the Washington Monument quickly resumed. The design of the monument was altered to remove much of the embellishment in the original design and the result was the 555 foot obelisk that is so recognizable today as the symbol of an exceptional man and an exceptional Nation.

Senator Thomas Ward Osborn was motivated out of a sense of patriotism and a desire to create a permanent reminder for posterity of the character of George Washington. It is important for citizens to retain a link to their country's origins in order to fully engage in civic life in the present. To understand the exceptional nature of Washington's character is to understand the exceptional nature of the United States as a Nation.

I believe that Senator Thomas Ward Osborn deserves recognition for his vital efforts in seeing to the completion of the Washington Monument. In fact, I have written to the Department of the Interior urging that some form of recognition, such as a plaque, be provided to remind visitors of Senator Osborn's efforts. It is my understanding that the regional director for the Park Service National Capitol Region has since directed the chief of Visitor Services to research Senator Osborn's efforts and share that information with the park rangers whose job it is to help interpret the monument for visitors. The late Senator Thomas Ward Osborn played a key role in seeing that George Washington received the recognition he deserves, and now it is my hope that Senator Osborn will receive the recognition he deserves.