The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-10-09

some wonders OF art, statues and paintings, {they
IRE but tfew,) which exert sort of intatuation
upon the spectator, so that he gazes on them
long, and still wants another look:--hcre was
wonder of nature, a work of Coo, -which, like
Niagara, like Mont Blanc, like the rainbow, like
the aurora, filed at once the mental and the ply
steal eye, and fixed it long. As the eagle sits
alone upon her eyre, as the lion walks alone in
the desert, 10 was Washington among men. He
stands alone in history; he never will know
compeer.
s HIS PERSONAL APPEARANCE.
Gilbert Stuart, whose painting of him has i'm
mortalized not his subject, but himself, and who,
as one long familiar with the human counten
ance, is eminently fit to speak on such subject,
often said, that the head and face of Washington
were unlike those of any other human being that
ever had come under his observation. There
was breadth about the base of the nose, and
largeness and peculiar form of the sockets of the
eyes, which distinguished the face from all 9TH
ers. 1t is not generally known, but it is never
theless true, that there was slight defect about
the eye: the eyelid did not rise entirely to its
place: this communicated that peculiar downcast
look which distinguished the eye of Washington.
giving it air of thought, of modest reserve, of
compose, almost approaching to heaviness, which
one who saw him never can forget. 1t affected
the carriage and motion of his head, occasioning
him to raise it, when looking upon stranger APP
preaching him, more than would have been
cessary, or natural, had the eyelid been entirely
free. Yet so slight was the cause, that by most
persons the effect only was noticed Stuart fail
ed to catch this expression, tho Peale has pre-
served it with admirable fidelity in the portrait
which hangs in the Senate Chamber at Wash
ington. When lie was reading, or writing, you
could not perceive it: when he was speaking, it
gave modesty, gravity and dignity to his express
sion: under strong excitement, in the heat of
battle, 1t vanished, and his eyes shone like stars.
Many persons have noticed peculiarly about
the mouth in Stuart's painting, which does not
appear in Peale's, nor Trumbulrs, nor, indeed,
in any other portrait, and which differs especial
ly from those painted in early life. This pecu-
liarty was nevertheless truly painted; it was &C
casioned by the fact that General Washington,
as Stuart him, wore an entire set of mineral
teeth then thing very rare in this country,)
made for him by Greenwood, of New York, Ito
whom he gave $500 for them,) and which caus
ed his lips to project somewhat beyond their ma
tural form. But nothing excel the perfect
truth TO nature Of the figure, and carriage of the
person, as given in Lord Lansdown's inmtabe
picture, and which Heath has with equal truth
and felicity transferred to copper. The mould
ing of his limbs, his step, and bearing, were as
peculiar, and as readily recognized, those of
Napoleon. His tread was measured and heavy,
carrying in its sound dignity and command. He
was born monarch, in the highest and best
sense of the term The noble soul within look
ed out from body as noble as itself; and no man
who ever stood in the presence of either thought
or felt himself a great man. 1t need hardly be
said that the idea of personal familiarity with
Washington never entered into the thought Of
any of the many, of all ranks, conditions, and
endowments, who at different times approached
him The awe of his presence fell alike on all
men.
REBUKED FAMILIARITY.
There was, indeed, a person, whether worthy
OF the name of man, is doubtful, certainly not
of an American,) who once, for a wager, made
the adventurous attempt of familiar approach
to him. AS, General Washington was walking
up Chestnut Street, in Philadelphia, having short
ly before left his lodgings, this individual, in the
view OF his companions on the other side OF the
street, who had witnessed the bet, and were Gu
rious to see the issue, came up to the General,
and slapping him Familiarity upon the back, ex-
claimed, with jocose air, "Well, my old fellow,
how do you find yourself this morning. Wash
ington stopped; turned round looked him full in
the face; and with freezing solemnty said, ''Sir,
what have ever sad or done, which induces
you to treat me in this manner? The man shranl1
into nothing, and was extinguished. No man
ever repeated the experiment.
And in this connection, though somewhat out
of place, suffer me to relate another anecdote
which is of kindred character. When Wash
ington had his quarters near Newburgh, he was
frequently occupied in writing those immortal
letters to Congress in which it is hard to say
whether the patriot, the general, the statesman,
or the father of the American army, shines the
most illustriously and which, of themselves,
would be enough to confer Immortality upon their
author; and he gave general order that at such
times he was not to be disturbed, or spoken to,
unless under the most urgent necessity. A Mi
came, one day, into the ante room, and asked to
see the COMMANDMENTS Chief Col. Trumbull,
the abide camp who was on duty, Informed him
that the General was not to be seen; but polite
iy requested the officer to entrust his business
to him. The officer, (never having seen Wash
ington,) little knowing with whom he had to
deal, and very proud of the opportunity Of hav-
ing personal interview, treated this intination
with hateaur, and demanded to see General
Washington himself, with whom he said he had
important business. Col Tsumbul stated the
positive orders that had been given, and said
that if he went to the Generals private room
the consequences must be upon the officer alone
ooh, certainly said he smiling, 81 II bear
all the consequences The aid slowly and re-
luctantly approached the chamber and gently
knocked. stWho's there ?" Numbered deep
voice within, in those tones which none heard
without dread. Col. Trumbul stated the case,
and said that though repeatedly warned Of the
orders, the officer insisted seing him. "He
does and at the same time the warlike tread
was heard, the door suddenly opened and Wash
ington came forth. 81 thought said TrumbulI
when relating to me the anecdote, 81 thought
he would have walked over him" ''Well, sir,
what is your business with me- The officer,
with widely altered tone and manner, stamE,er-
ed out some petty question relating to the Ell,
quette Of camp duty in which he had differed
with q fellow officer, and which he wished to
have decided by the COMMANDMENTS Chief
Washington had never taken his eye off of him
and when he was done, replied, "Ask that ques,
ton of your Orderly Sergeant and turned into
his chamber. TrumbalI said he never in hi:
life saw a human creature completely thun
derstruck. He never again appeared at hea'
quarters.
Yeti must not be understood from these in
stances, that there was the least want of cour
tesy in his general manner the reverse is true
he was truly and uniformly pohte but it wa
grave poteness, infinitely removed from tina
heartless artificial polish which is acquired b
frivolous minds, from long converse with tn
world There simplicity, and even sc