Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-02-17
MEMENTOES OF WASHINGTON
AND FRANKLIN.

In the House of Representatives, on Tues
day last, after the transaction and disposal
Of some other business, Mr.. Summers, of
Virginia, rose and addressed tao House as
follows:
Mn. sPrAKrn: rise COR the purpose Of d,charg-
ing Off connected with thu ordinary busi.
ness of legislative Assembly Yet, is asking permis-
son to interrupt for moment the regular order of
parliamentary proceedings l cannot doubt that the
proposition which ! have to submit will prove as
gratifying as il may be unusual.
Mir. Samuel 4. Washington, a citizen of Kanawha
county, in tho Commonwealth of Virginia, and one
ofmy constituents, has honored me with the commits
slon Of presenting, in his name and on his behalf to
the Congress Of the United States and through tina,
body to the People Of the United States two most in
ierestne and valuable relics connected with the past
history OF our country and with men whose achieve
ments, both in the field and in the Cabinet best il.
lustrnte and adorn our annals.
One is the sword worn by George Washington, first
asa Colonel in the Colonial service of Virginia in
Forbes campaie On against the French and Indians
and afterwards during the whole period Of the war
Of Independence as Commander in Chief Of the Amer
isan army.
Its plain couIeau or hanger, with green hlt and
silver guard On The upper ward of the scnbbard is
bya buckskin belt, which is secured by a silver buck
10 and clasp, whercon are engraved the letters " G;
W. and the figures " l757," These all of the
P'aHeel OUT SupstuHlhl, ara IN Keep
ing with the man and with the imes to which they
b. lorged.
The history Of this sword perfectly authentic and
leaves no shadow Of doubt to its Identity The last
will and testament Of George Washington, BEARING
dste on the ninth day of February, 1899, contains
among q great variety of requests, the following
clause;
To each Of my nephews, William Augustine
Washington, George Lewis, George Septoe Wash
ington, Bushrod Washington, and Samuel Washing
/ n nf,u hIcn
do possessed: aud they are TO choose in the order
they are named. These swords are accompanied
with an injunction not TO unsheah them for the pur
pose Of shedding blood except il be for selfdefencs
or in defence of their country md it's rights and il
the latter case 10 keep them unsheaihed and prefe
falling with them in their hands to the relinquishmen
thereof"
In the distribution Of the swords hereby devised
among the five nephews therein enumerated the on,
now presented fell TO the share Of Samuel Washing
ton, the devsee last named in the clause of the will
which have just read
This gentleman, who died few yeare since in IN,
county of Kanawha, and who was the father of Sam
uel r. Washingto ton, the donor, knew we'll. hav,
often seen this sword ia hs possession. and received
from himself the following account Of the manner ir
which il became his property IN the division made
among the dcvsees;
lie said that he knew il 70 have beeen the side
Of General Washington dnrng the Revoluonary
war; not that used occasions of parade and review
but the constant serrce srord the great chsf tina
h. had himself seen General Washington wear this
identical sword he presumed for the last time, VIII
IN 1894, he reviewed he Virginia and Maryland for
sse tbrn concentrated ~ ph.rnrd under the coml