Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-05-17
REcoLIEcTloNs OF WASHINGTON.


The following extract, on the personal char
acter and habits Of Washington, is copied from
Familiar Letters on Public Characters and Pub
lie Events from the Peace of 1883 to the Peace
Of 1916.
The following are recolectiens of Washing
ton. derived from repeated opportunities of see
ing him during the three last years of his public
life. He was over six feet in stature; strong,
bony, muscular frame, without fitness of COW
ering well formed and straight. He was man
ofmost extraordinary physical strength. In his
house his action was calm, deliberate, and Dig
ni6ed. without pretenson to gracefulness, or
peculiar manner; but merely natural, and such
as one would think it should be in such man.
When walking in the street, his movements had
not the soldierly air which might be expected.
His habitual motions had been formed long be-
fore he took command ofthe American armies,
in the wars of the interior, and in the surveying
of wilderness lands, employments in which
grace and elegance were not likely to be acqui-
red. AT the age of sixty-five, time had done
nothing towards bending him out OF his natural
erectness His department was invariably
grave; it was sobriety that stopped short OF sad
ness His presence inspired veneration, and
a feeling of ave. rarely experienced in the pre-
sence of any man. His mode of speaking was
Glow and deliberate, not as though he was in
search of fine words, but that he might utter
those only adapted TO his purpose. 1t was the
usage for all persons, in good society, to attend
Mrs. Washington's levee every Friday evening.
He was always present. The young ladies used
to tbrong around him, and engage him in con-
yersaton There were some ofthe well remem~
bered bellies of that day who imagined them
selves to be favorites with him. As these were
the only opportunities which they had OF con-
versng with him, they We're disposed to use
them One would think, that gentleman and
III Ill ho c6u 6pvor orr rocc
his countenance IN smiles, would do so when
surrounded by young and admiring Beauties
But this was never so; the countenance of w ash
ington never softened nor changed its habitual
gravity. One who had lived always in his fam
ily. said that his manner in public life, and in
the seclusion of most retired life, was always
the same Being asked whether Washington
could laugh this person said, that this was rare
occurrence, but that one instance was remem-
bered when he laughed most heartily at her mar
ration of an incident in which she was party
concerned, and in which he applauded her agen-
CIV. The late General Cobb, who was long a
member Of his family during the war, (and who
enioyed laugh as much as any man could, J
said, that he never saw Washington laugh, eX-
cepting when Colonel SCANNED (if this was the
person) came TO dine at headquarters. Scam
mel had fund of ludcrous anecdotes, and a
manner of telling them, which relaxed even the
gravity of the commander in chief
General Cobb also said, that the forms of pro-
ceeding at head quarters were exact and pre-
else; orderly and punctual AT the appointed
moment, Washington appeared at the breakfast
table He expected to find all the members of
his family, Cobb, Hamilton, Humphreys, were
among them,) awaiting him. He came dressed
for the day, and brought with him the letters
and dispatches of the preceding day, with short
memoranda of the answers to be made; also the
substance of orders to be issued. When break
fast was over, these papers were DIST ibuted
10 kNo into ff,rYS Slfln Of
ter he mounted his horse to visit the troops, and
expected to find, on his return before noon, all
the papers prepared for his inspection and sig
nature There was no familiarity in his pre-
sence; it was all sobriety and business His
mode of life was abstemious and temperate
He had decided preference for certain sorts
of food, probably from early associations
Throughout the war, as it was understood in his
military family, he gave part of every day to
private prayer and devotion.
While he lived in Philadelphia, as President,
he rose at four in the morning; and the gene
raj rule of his house was that the fires should De
covered, and the lights extinguished att certain
hour; whether this was nine or ten, is not recol-
lected.
He devoted one hour every other Tuesday,
from three 10 four, to these visits. He under
stood himself to be visited as the President OF
the United States, and not on his own account.
He was not to be seen by any body and every
should be introduced by his Secretary, or by
some gentleman, whom he knew himself. He.
lived on the south side of Chestnut street just be-
low Sixth. The place ofrecephon was the din
ing room in the rear, twenty-five or thirty feet
in length, Including the bow projecting into the
garden Mrs. Washington received her visiters
in the two rooms on the second floor, from front
TO rear.
AT three o'clock, or at any time within u quar-
ter of an hour afterwards, the visitor was con-
Quoted to this dining room, from which all seats
had beenremoved for the time. On entering he
saw the tall manly figure of Washington clad
in black velvet; his hair in full dress, powder
ed and gathered behind in large silk bag; yell
low gloves on his hands, holding a cooked hat
with cockade in it, and the edges adorned with
a black feather about an inch deep. He wore
knee and shoe buckles, and long sword, with
finely wrought and polished steel hiltwhch APP
reared at the left hip; the coat worn over the
blade, and appearing from under the folds be-
hind The scabbard was white polished leather.
He stood alwaysin front ofthe fire place, with
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