Maumee City express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1838-184?, 1838-09-01
MISCELLANEOUS.
MOUNT VERNON.
"IIe might have been a king
But that he understood ''i H

HOW much IL was meaner thlng
To be unjustly great than honorably good"
= Duke Of Buckingham on Lord Fai.far.
k On the Sd of February visited Mount Yer
non, in company with a large party Of gentle
men and ladies'. Ofall places in America, the
family seat and burial place of Washington is
that which strangers are most eager to visit.
i was introduced by Judge Story to the resi-
dent family, and was received by them, with
all my companions, with great civility and
kindness. s.g.s..rr =,ei 6...I .a.-,a-.'tf.
The estate of Mount Vernon was inherited
by General Washington from his brother
For fifteen years prior to the assembling of
the first general Congress in Philadelphia,
Washington spent his time chiefly on this pro-
perty, repairing to the provincial. legislature
when duty called him there, but gladly return
ing to the improvement Of his lands. The
house was, lin those days, very modest build
ing, tonsistipg of only four rooms on floor,
which form the centre of the present mansion.
Mrs. Washington resided there during the ten
years absence of her husband in the wars of
the Revolution; repairing to head quarters at
the close of each campaign, and remaining
there till the opening of the next. The de-
parture of an aidecamp from the camp to escort
anxiety as the echoes of the last shot of the
campaign died away; for the arrival OF Lady
Washington (as the soldiers called herlt was
the signal for the wives of all the general Off
GERS to repair TO their husbands in camp A
sudden cheerfulness dlffused itselfthrough the
army when the plain chariot, with the postil-
lions in their scarlet and white liyeries, was
seen to stop before the generals door. Mrs.
Washington was woat to say, in her latter
years, that she had heard the first cannon at
the opening and the last at the close of every
campaign of the revolutionary war. She was
a strong minded, even-tempered women; and
the cheerfulness Of her demeanour, under the
heavy and various anxeties of such a lot as
hers, was no mean support to her husbands
spirits, and to the bravery and hopefulness of
the whole army, ,whose eyesswere fixed upon
her. She retired from amid the homage of the
camp with serene composure whenthe fatigues
and perils of warfare had to be resumed, and
hid her fears and cares in her retired home.--
There she occupied herself industrously in the
superintendent other slaves, and in striving
to stop the ravages which her husbands pub
lie service was making in his private fortunes.
latter the peace of 1898 she was Joined by
her husband, who made serious pursuit OF
laying out gardens and grounds round his dwell
Hing, aud building large additions To it. He
then only enjoyed four years of quiet, be-
I ing called in1787 to preside in the convention
which framedthe Constitution, and in 1899 to
fillthe presidential chair. Mrs. Washington
as now obliged to leave the estate with him,
and 1t was eight years before they could take
possession of it again. In 1897 Washington
refused tobe made president for a third term,
and retiredintoas privatea life as it was pos
sible for him to- secure. Trains of visitors
sought him in his retreat, and Mrs. Washing
tom accomplishments as Virginia housewife
werefound useful everyday; but Washington
was at home, and3 he was happya In little
whilelhe was once more applied to, tosserye
the state at the head of her armies. He didnot
refIse,1 but requested to be- left oins peace till
there should be actualwant ofhis, s,presence.--
Before that time arrivedhe was no more. Two
wears after his retirement, while the osense of
enjoyment ofrepose was still fresh and his
mind was full of such schemes as delight the
Imagination of ofcountryg gentlemen, death over
took him, and found him, though the call was
somewhat sudden, ready and willing TO go.F In
little more than two years he was followed
by hisiwi From the appearance ,of the es-
date, it would seem to have been goirgtto de-
Ecay ever slnce.ie ie.9sb ssIs4 o. 1nods sY5 sgiels
bIs Our party, in thfeelcariage and FIVE or elk
on horseback, left Washington abont9oclock,
and reached Alexandria in about an hour and
fa hall, thodeh,ouf passage overthe long bridge
which crosses the Potornaclwasyery sluw,irom
its being in q cad state of dilapieation.4s Hay-
ti1g ordered a late dinner at Alexandtia.we pro-
tceeded on ours way,l occasionally looking be-
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