December 24, 1799, on motion of John Marshall, in the House of Representatives, it was resolved by Congress, among other things, "that a marble monument be erected by the United States at the City of Washington, and that the family of General Washington be requested to permit his body to be deposited under it; and that the monument be so designed as to commemorate the great events of his military and political life." A copy of the resolutions was sent to his widow by the President of the United States. In her reply, acceding to the request, she said: "Taught by the great example which I have so long had before me never to oppose my private wishes to the public will, I need not, I cannot, say what a sacrifice of individual feeling I make to a sense of public duty." The select committee which was appointed to carry into effect the foregoing resolution, and of which Mr. Henry Lee was chairman, reported on the 8th of May, 1800, that a marble monument be erected by the United States, at the Capital, in honor of General Washington, to commemorate his services, and to express the feeling of the American people for their irreparable loss. It was further directed by this report that the resolution of the Continental Congress of August 7, 1783, should be carried into immediate execution, the pedestal to bear the inscription which that Congress had ordered for it. Upon considering the report and resolution of the select committee that part in reference to the equestrian statue was so amended by Congress as to provide that a "mausoleum of American granite and marble, in pyramidal form, one hundred feet square at the base and of a proportionate height," should be erected instead of it. To carry these resolves into execution no appropriation was then made; but on the 1st of January, 1801, it appears the House of Representatives passed a bill appropriating $200,000 to cover the objects of their resolution. The Senate, however, did not concur in this act. The reason, perhaps, may be found in the political questions then absorbing the attention of Congress and the people, and which continued until the War of 1812.