Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1823-01-11
rgr MEDALS AT THE CAPITOL.

ground which our city covers, making ih'el-
coprss between its inhabitants less convenient
than il is in most cities, and partly to our ne.
cessary confinement to our haunts of business,
that We frequently hear, by way Of New York
or Richmond, Of things and transactions 'nthe
heart of BUR CITY which are entirely new to US.
Sometimes, indeed, we hear Though those
channels WHAT IS not true but it does not Of
ten turn out SO. What viii appear yet more
extraordinary is, that we often, indeed we NAV
saw more often than otherwise, learn the News
Of the day, particularly news of confidential
character, from persons who are strangers IN
the city. This we have always attributed to
the curiosity of strangers being more keen
than that of residents, whose appetite for news
is stated by having been SO long in the midst
oft.
Not longer to detain the reader by formal
introduction, we present to him, in the follow
ing article, an interesting and accurate &C.
count of the Medals lately presented to Con.
gress by q, w. Erving, Esq. It is copied
from the New York Statesman, where it ap.
pears in the shspe of letter from Washington.
National inteligencer.
WAsHINaToN, Dec. 81, lS22-The
limits Of my last letter would not per-
mir me, as l intended, to add to that
sketch some account of the fine collec-
rion of medals. deposited in the Libra
~, by G. W Erv'ng, Esq. whose let
ter to the Speaker Of the House was
published in the S atesman of the 18th
inst. On Friday morning, ! passed an
hour in examining this handsome do
nation, which does great credit to the
liberality and taste of the donor. The
collection of French medals comprises
lac in number, all in beautiful bronze,
and commemorative of persons and g.
vents in the reign of Napoleon Bona
parte. They are tastefully arranged
in seven horizontal slides, covered with
green cloth, and neatly put up in box
made for the purpose The donation
il accompanied with catalogue in
French, enumerating & explaining the
medals. In the collection are many fe-
male heads celebrated for talents and
beauty slso, several Of the Emperor's
generals, who were the most distin.
Suished in his campaigns. His PARTIAL
ity towards his favorite Dssaix, is dis.
coyerable IN the frequent honors that
we're paid him. In this collection are
several medals commemorative OF his
achievements and military fame.
In a smaller box, also presented by
Mr.. Erving, and labelled with the ap.
propriate motto from Latin poet
Post ingsntia facta Dsor~m in tenn
pla rscept,"-there is another slide
containing seven American Medals in
Partisan bronze. George Washington
occupies the centre, with the inscrip-
tion-s Supreme duci erercituHns as
sertori libsrtGtiS.' Around the Fa-
sher Of his Country are arranged the
heads of Columbus, Franklin. kosclus-
ko, Paul Jones, William Washington,
and Col Howard. Ga the reverse of
the latter medal, is the following in
scription in Latin" Quod an RWtan.
tsm hestium aciem subito irruenS pre- .
claran beilice virtatis Specimens dedit
an pugRa ad CoacpenS.." IL is pi y
that so fine sentence, the greater
part of which. if my recollection is cor
roct. is taken from Livy, should con-
oiude with such perfect specimen Of
the bathos I'D Coupons is mos, I'M
fortunate close, and reminds one of a
sentence in the Rejected Addresses.
where .sthe Musselmsn perambuia,ed
the streets of C onstansinople, proclaim-
ing in thapane of the prophet-fgs "
This fiditulous termination was not,
however, the fault of the author, but a
rose wholly from the unfortunate name
of the place, 1t 10 subject of regret
that some of the scenes consecrated by
the event of the Revolution, were not
blsst with appella,ioos of more dignity.
Two Of the most brilliant actions, du-
rang the wac of Independence, were
fought at Mud Island and the Coppens,
neither of which can the historic muse
clo'he with much elevation of style,
without encountering the difficulty all
lnded to above.
Belonging TO this collection are two
metallic medals struck at the mint in
Pbiladelphia, the one in honor of Gen.
Gates, and the other of Captain HUI.
0n the face Of the former is likeness
Of the General, with the inscription
e Horatio Gates, duel strenuo" The
reverse contains representation of
the surrender of Burgoyue, with the
words at the top, Salus regioaUna