Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1843-02-11
PRESENTATION or wASIHNGTCN'SS SWORD
AND F~RANkIIN'S rA

tory, which he'd collected in anticip tion of the
interesting proceedings which were about 10 be Wit
ncs'ed. Many Senators ocrspied seats amongst
The members N the House, md .Ome Of The repre-
seniaiiNes VI foreign powers. accredited TO this Co
Sernmeni in diplom tic relations, were ranged be-
low iae barr and oil listened with profound stiffness.
while the honorable gentleman from virg, mia spike
as fllows;
Mr.. Speaker ] rise e. The purpose of dischnrg-
ing an oifice. mol connected with the ordinary bust
meas oi a legislative assembly. Yet. in asking per.
mission 10 interrupt. lor n moment. the regular or
der Of parliamentary Prorecd,nss. ] cannot dub,
I at TIE pi"PasitI'n which 4 have to submit will
prove as gratifying as IL may be unusual
Mr'Samuel Il. Washington citizen OF X 'naysha
coun y. in the Commonwealth Of Virginia. and one
Of m, Constituents. has honored me with ihe com.
mission Of presenting. in his name. ard on hi be.
hall. To the Congress Of The ,Uniied ISts;es. ond
through that body 10 the ecopl~ OF The United States.
Two most interesting and vs!uaLIe relics. connected
with The past history OF oir.cbuntry, aud with men
whose achisvsnsnis. 10th ia the field and in the
cabinet. best illustrate and adurn our snns'a
One "a iks -sN end worn by George Washington.
first as n colonel in The col"nial service cf Virginia.
in'F oroes' campaign against Ilic French and Indians,
aud afterwards. during the whole period OF the
war Of Independence. rs commander in.Sljef Of
the American army.
IL isa plain cutleau or hanger. Wiia a green
hall and silver guard. On The upper ward of the
s"abhard Is engravsn -. Bailey. .FiShkiil." ID is
accompanied by a bucksksn belt, which is secured
by q silver buckle and clasp; wherein are ensrayen
the letters &c. W." and the figures "l757." These
are all Of The plainest Workmanship. but suhstan.
tial, and la keeping with the man aud with the
times 10 which they belonged.
The history Of This sword is perfectly authentic.
ard lenves no shodo~ Of doubt rs TO lis identity.
The last will aad testament Of General Wash.
ing,On, bearing dsIe on the 9th day Of February.
lTS9, contains. among RSreai variety Of bcquesIs.
tho following clause: "TO each Of my Bsphews. !
William Augustine Washingros. George Lewis.
George Sieploe Washington, BushOd Washington,
and Samuel Washington give one Of the swords
or cutleauI Of whichI may die possessed; and they
are 10 choose in the order they are named. Thesc
swords are accompanied with an injunciiun. not to
nnSheaih hem for the purpose of shedding blood,
excep II be for selfdefeRce. or in defence OF their
country and its righIs; and in the latter case. to
keep Them unsheaIhed, and prefer falling with them
in their hands, 10 The relinquishmeni thereof"
In the distribution Of the swords, hereby devised,
among the fvo nephews therein enumerated. the
ono now presented fell TO the share Of Samuel
Washington. the .deyisee. last. named IN che clause
OF The vii! which i have just read.
This gentleman, who died q few years since in
tie county Of Kanawha. and who was The father of
Samuel T. Washington, the donor, I knew we'll
! have often seen this sword in his possession. and
received from himself the following account Of
The manner in which il became his property in the
division made among the deyisees I
lie said that he knew il TO have been the side
arms Of General Washington during the revolution
airy war-not that used ON occasions Of parade and
review, but the constant servIce stpord OF the great
chief; that he had himself seen General Washing
ton wear this identical sword. The presumed for the
last hme0 when. in 1884. he reviewed the Virginia
and Maryland forces. thor, concentrated at Cumber
land. under command Of Generalaee and destined
10 cooperate with the Pennsylvania and New
Jersey troops, then assembled al Bednrd, in sup
pressing what has been called "Ihe whiskey insur
reclion."
General Washington was at that time Presidenr
Of the United States, and as such, " Is commander.
an chIei OF Ae army. Ii - known that il wns his
inieniEon 70 leedihe arnyi IN person on that occasion.
had he ieund II necessary; ond he went 10 Bedford
and Cumberland prepared for that event. The
condition Of things did not require u, and he return.
ed TO his civil duties al Philadel 2hia.
MIR. Samuel Washington held The commission Of
a captain al that time himself. and served in that
campaign many oTIhe incidents Of which he has
related 20 me.
He was anxious TO obtain this particular sword -.
aud preferred il lo,ail the Others. among which was
the ornamenled ind costly present from The great
Frederick. |
At the time Of the division among the nephews.
without %intimaIing what his preference was, he
loosely remarked. That inasmuch as he was the
only one ct them who had participated in military
seryice. they ought 10 permit him 10 take his choice"
This suggestion wns mel in The same spirit in which
II was made: and the cnOIce being awarded 10 him.
he chose this, the plninest and inIrinsicnlly the least
valuable Of any, simply because il was the battle
sword"
Am 'aisoin possession OF the most satisfactory
evidence, furnished by Col. George Washington, Of
Georgetown, the dearest male relative Of General
Washington now liy wing, rs 10 The identity Of this
sword. HIS information was derived from his father,
William Augustine Washingfon- the davisrs 6rst
tanned in the clause Of the will which ! have read,
from his uncle, The late JSdge4Bushrod Washington,
Of the Supreme Court. ard Major Lawrence Lewis,
The acting executor Of General Washineion's will;
all Of whom coDcUned in the statement, that the
true service Sword was that selected by Capt. Wash
ingion. IL remained in this gentlemsn's possession
until hisdeath, esteemed by hmm the most precious
mOnenlo Of his illustrious kinsman. II then became
The property Of his son, who. animated by that pat.
noiIsm which so characts uZed the father Of his
country" has consented that such a relic ought not
10 be appropriated by an ipdiyIdual citizen, and has
Instructed me his representative. 10 uffer IL 10 the
nation, to be preserved in It's public repositories. rs
the common properly Of oil; since is Office has
been 10 achieve and deferd the common liberty Of
all.
lie has, IN like manner, req uesled me 10 present
ihIs cane 10 the Congress OF the United States,
dseming II not unworthy the public acceptance.
This vas once The properly Of The philosopher
snd patriot, Benjamin Franklin.
BY a codieil 10 his last will and testament, we fnd
il lhus disposed Of
My fine crab tree walking slick. with a gold
head. eurously wrought in the form Of the cap Of
liberty. I give 10 my friend, and The friend Of man.
Kind, Gsnenl Washington. II IL were q scepre,
he has msnisd IT, end would become a."
Genernl Washington, In his will. dsvisss this
cane as iollowE
"Item. To my brother Charles Washington. I
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