[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 53 (Thursday, April 22, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4291-S4292]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             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

[[Page S4292]]

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.

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