Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1843-02-16

~ inc u~aSe Of representatives, Feb. u. 1
Mr.. g. W. SUMMERS now rose, And address,
ed the Speaker, who lrecognised' the honorable
gentleman as in ps,sscssionsof The floor; aud
all eyes were at once turheito him, and the
whole house was at once hushed into silence.
The galleries were lensely filed with an anx-
ious andsatsen,ive auditory, whieh.hatl collect
ed in anticipation 'ofshe interesting rprccsed-
inys wifiekwere about to be Witnessed. Many
Senators occupied seats amongs, the members
in the House, and some Of the representatives
Of foreign powers, accredited to this govern
nent in diplomatic relations, were ranged be-
low The bar; and all listened with profound
stiffness, while the honorable gentleman from
Virginia spoke as follows:
; Mr. SPsAxsa: rise fortheputpose Of die
charging an office not connected with the or
binary businessofa Legislative assembly. Yet.
In asking permission 10 Interruption moment,
the regular order of parliamentary proceeding.
i cannot doubt that the proposition which I
shave,to submit will prove as CRAFTY ing as f,
NAV be unusual.
Mr.. Samuel II. Washington citizen Of Ka-
nawha county, in the Commonwealth of Viz
GINA, and one Of my constituents, has honor
ed me with the commission Of presenting, in
his name, and on his BEHALF to the congress
of the United States, and, through that body,
TO the people Of the United States, two most
interesting and valuable relics, connected with
the, past history Of our country, and with men
whose achievements, both in the field and in
the cabinet, best illustrate, and adorn our an
nails.
One is the sword worn BY George Washing
ton, first as colonel in the colonial service of
Virginia, in Forbes campaign against the
French and Indians; and afterwards, during
the Whole period of the war of Independence,
as commander-in-chief of the American army.
i is plain cutteau, or hanger, with green
hslt and silver guard. On the upper ward OF
the scabbard is engraven ~. Bailey, Fiskhill."
tits accompanied by a,buckskin belt, which
Is secured by silver buckle and clasp
wherein are engraven thc'letters &c. W. and
the figures "l757." These are all of the
planest workmanship, but substantial, and in
Keeping with the man and with the times to
which they belonged.
The history of this sword is perfectly au-
thentic, and leaves no shadow oi,d6ubt as to
its identity.
The last will and testament Of Gen. Wash
inton, bearing date on the 9th day of February,
l199, contains, among great variety of be-
quests, the following clause: s''To each of
my nephews, William Augustine Washington,
George Lewis, George Steptoe Washington,
Bushrod Washington, and Samuel Washing
ton, give one of the swords or cutteaux of
which may die possessed and they are to
choose in the order they are named These
swords are accompanied with an Injunction,
not to unsheath them for the purpose of she'd
ding blood, except it be for self-defence, or in
defence OF their country and its rights and, in
the latter case, TO keep them unsheathed, and
prefer falling with them in their hands, to the
REIMBURSEMENT thereof"
In the distribution of the swords, hereby
devised, among the five nephews therein emu
merated, the one now presented fell to the
share OF Samuel Washington, the devisee last
named in the clause Of the will which have
just read.
This gentleman, who died few wears
since, in the county of Kanawha, and who
was the father of Samuel II. Washington, the
donor, knew well. have often seen this
sword in his possession, and received from
himself the following account Of the manner
in which it became his property, in tile divi-
sion made among the dcvisees.
lie said that he knew it to have been the
ssidearins of General Washington during the
revolutionary war!-not that used ON occa-
sions of parade and review, but the constant
lserD,ce sacord of the grea; chief; that lie lad
himself seen General Washington wear this
identical sword, Che presumedfor thelast time, J
when, in 1894, he reviewed the Virginia and
Maryland forces, then concentratedat. Cumber-
land under command of General Lee, and .les-
tined to cooperate with the Pennsylvania and
New jersey troops, then assembled at Bed
ford. in suppressing what has been called sthe
whiskey insur-ec,ion.'
General Washington was at that time Presi-
dent of the United States, and, as such, was
commander-in-chiefo of the army. 1t is known
that it was his intention to lead the army in
person on that occasion, had he found it neces-
sary and he went TO Bedford and Cumber-
land prepared for that event. The condition
OF things did not require it, and he returned
TO his civil duties at Philadelphia.
Mr.. Samuel Washington held the .conrnis-
sion of captain at that time himself, and serv-
ed IN that campaign, many Of the incidents of
which he has related to me.
He was anxious TO obtain this particular
sword, and preferred it to all the Others, among
which was the orDamented and costly present
from the great Frederick.
At the time of the division among the me-
phews, without intimating what his preference
was, he loosely remarked, shat, inasmuch
as he.was the only one Of them who had par
tieipated in military service, they ought TO per-
init him TO take choiceo This suggestion was