The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-02-10
w ashingtOn.


Washington.
Correspondence Of the Herad.l
WASHINGTON, Tuesday Night,1
Feb. 7, 1873
Presentation or tho Sword of Gen. WASH
ingtOn and the Cane Of Benjamin Frank
lin, &c.
The only business of importance transacted to-
day was the presentation of Gen. Washngton's bat.
tie sword, and Benjamin Franklin's cane, TO the ma
ton, in the House of Representatives, by Mr. Sum-
mers Of Virginia.
In the House, Mr. ARNoID's Bill, No. 54S, was
made the special orderiof the day for Tuesday next:
After this nothing of importance was done, until
Mr.. Summers, of Virginia, to present the bat
tie sword of Gen. Washington, and the walking
cane of Benjamin Franklin 10 the nation. And as
these are historical records send you the speech.
es:-
Mr.. SUMMERS, Of Virginia, rose and addressed the
House as follows
Mr. SPEAKER rise for the purpose of dischsrging an
office connected with the ordinary business of rgis
lave assembly Yot in asking permission to interrupt
for moment the regular order of proc eed
mgs cannot doubt that the propos ton which have to
submit will prove gratifying as it NAV b. unusual
Mr. Samuel T. w ashiDgton, citizen of Kanawha eoun.
ty, in the Commonwealth OF Virginia. and Of my
stuents, has honored me with the commission of pre-
sentin in his and his behalf to the Congress Of
the United States and through that body to the People
United States eresring and valuable relics
connected with the past history of country and with
whose achiev both in the field and the
met best illustrate and adorn annals one is
Sword by George Washington, first Colonel in
the Colonial service of Virginia. in Forbess campaign
against the French and Indians aud afterwards turing
the whole deTod Of the OF Independence Command
erin Chief Of the American army. IL Isl plain cn,tesu
hanger with green hill, and silver guard On the ap
per ward Of the scabbaId is ensrayen, Bailey Fish
Kill" II is accompanied by o buckskin belt which is
cured by silver buckle and clasp wherein engraven
the letters G. W." end the figures 1901" These
all OF the plainest workmanship. but substantial and
keeping with the man aud with the times to which they
belonged The history of this sword perfectly authe
tic, leaves shadow doubt to s identity The
last will and OF General Washington bearing
date on the 9th day OF February $780, contains, among
great variety OF bequests. the following clause ;.
ton George Lewis George steptoe Washington, Bushrod
Washington ana Samuel Washington give one of the
swords cutteaux of which may die possessed; and
they to choose in the order they named These
swords accompanied with injunction not 10
sheath them for the purpose OF shedding blood except
be for selfdeence in defence ofher country and its
rights and in the latter case to keep them unsheathed
and prefer falling with them in their hands to the ren
In the distribution Of the swords hereby devised among
the five nephews therein enumerated, the pre-
sened fell the share of Samuel Washington the devisec
last named in the clause Of the will which have read
This gentleman who died few years the county
OF Kenawha, and who the father of Samuel T. Wash
ington the donor, knew well. have often this
sword in his possession end eceiv ed himself the fol
lowing account of the in which became his pro-
-
that he knew it have been the sdearm of Gen. Wash.
ngton during the Revolutionary war; that used on
occasions offs parade and review but the
sword of the great hef that he had himself General
Washin gon this identical sword he presumed for
the last time when in 1884, he reviewed the Virginia and
Maryland forces then Cumberland under
the command OF General Lee and destined cooperate
with the Pennsy and New Jersey troops then
sembled Bedford in suPpressing What has been called
the "Whskey Insurrecton" General Washington
then President OF the United States and such
mander. in.chief OF the army 1t is known that it
was his intention to lead the army in person upon
that occasion had he found it necessary, end he
went to Bedford and Cumberland prepared for
that event The condition of things did not
qurs and he returned to his civil duties at Philadelphia
Mr.. Samuel Washington held the commission Of captain
at that time himself and served in that campaign many Of
the incidents of which he has related to me- He was
anxious to obtain thl particular ord and preferred to
all Others among which the ornamened and costly
present from the Great Frederick At the time of the d.
vision among the nephews without inmating what his
preference was he loosely remarked that nasmuch
he the only of them who had participated in mill
This suggestion met in the spirit in which it
made and the selection being awarded him. he chose
this the plaines and nrinsicaily the least valuable of
any, simply because 1t was the "Bstle Sword" am
also in possession of the most satisfactory evidence fur
nshed by Colonel George Washington Of Georgetown,
the male relative living OF Gen. Washington
to the identity Of this sword His information 10 its
history derived from his father, william Augustine
Washington the devisee named in the clause of the
will which have read. from his uncle the late Judge
Buhrod Washington, of the Supreme Court and Major
Lawrence Lewis the acting executor Of General Wash
,
that the true service sword that selected by Captain
Samuel Washington. II remained in this gentleman pos
session until his DEATH esteemed by him the precious
memento Of hisiustrious knsmaD. II then became the
property Of his who. animated by that patriotism
which characterised the Father of his Country has
consented that such relic ought TO be appropriated
by individual citizen and has instructed me- his repre-
sentative to offer to the nation to be preserved in its
public repositories as the common properly Of all since
its office has been achieve and secsre the lber
ty OF ALL He has in like requested present
this Cane TO the Congress Of the United States deemng
not unworthy the public acceptance. This the
property OF the philosopher and patriot Ben amin Frank
BY codic to his last will and testament, 6ndt
thus disposed off,
"My fine crab.tree walking stick with a gold head,
curiousy wrought in the form of the cap Of Liberty
give my friend, and the friend Of mankind Gen. Wash
ngton. lit were asceptre he has merted 1t, and would
become IT,"
General Washington, in his WILL devises this
follows -
"IrrM To my brother, Charles Washington, I give
and bequea,h the goldheaded cane left by Dr. Frank
lin in his WILL.
Capt samuel Washington was the only son of Charles
Washington, the tvisee from whom he derived, by in
mitted il to his son, Samuel Y. Washington, the latter
thus seeks bestow it woithily by assocatng with the
bate-sword in gift 10 his country men. cordially
concur with Mr. Washington in the opinion that they
each merit public preservation and obey, with plea
sure his wishes in here presenting thsm in his name 10
the nation Let the sword OF the Hero and the staff OF the
Philosopher go together Let them have place among
the trophies and most honored memorials OF our
national achiey ements. Upon that staff leaned the
sage of whom has been said, He snatched the light
ming from heaven and the sceptre from tyrants."
mighty welded TINS sword IN righteous cause,
even unto the die membermen Of Empire In the hand OF
eton this was the sword Of the Lord, and OF
G ieon" drawn except in the defence Of
public liberty Il was never sheethed until glorious
out stain Of cruelty dshonor upon i,s blade ii
tn which