The Port Gibson reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 185?-1857, 1854-04-05
Death of Washington.


We find the following on the death Of Wash
lngion in the New York Courier and Enqui.
rer, which even at this distant day cannot fail
to lie Of interest 10 the reader:
Proceeding still farther overa very bad
road. we came suddenly in view Of the Poto-
mae; aud Mount Vernon. with It's mansion
hous' and smooth green lawn. was hofre us
Having sent in our address, We received per-
mission from the courteous bvanch of the
inmlly, who now held the estate, to enter and
survey the interior. We were struck with it,
extreme simplicity. the lowness of the walls
and ceilings, aud the bare floors which were
waxed. not as with rs. carpated
Passing through the great hail. ornamented
with pictures Of En-lsh hunting scenes, we
assembled the oaken staircase. with lis carved
aud antique bllustrade we stood at the door
we pressed the handle-the room anil the
bed where he del were before us. Nothing
in the lofty drama Of his cxistence, s1rpasses
;he grandeur Of that final scene; the cold
which hc had taken from exposure, in over
seeing some pats Of his grounds, and which
had resisted the earlier domestic remedies Tint
were applied. advanced in the course Of two
short days into that frightfl' form Of the dis
case Of the throat. karyugitis It became
necessary, for him 70 take 10 his bed. Ills
valued friend. DR.. Craik was instantly sum.
moaed and assisted BY the best medical skill
Of the surrounding country. exhius'el all the
means Of his art, but without aifjrling him
relief lie patiently submitted. though IN
great distress to the various remedies proposed,
tut il became evident from the deep gloom
setting upon the cOantcnance of the medical
gentlemen th1t the ease was hopeless; adgan-
cling insidiousy, tic dca bal la,t'ned itself
with deadly certainty. Looking with perfect
calmness upon the sobbing group around him,
hc said "Grevc not, my friends; i Is as
anticipated from the first the debt which we
an owe is now about 10 be pail am resign
el 10 IN. event" Requesting Mrs. Wash
ing'un to brirg two wills from his escTu'olre,
h. directed one to be burnt, and placed the
other IN her hands. as his last testament, and
then gave some final instructions to Mr. Lear,
lis secretary and relative, as to the adjust.
mont of his business affairs. lie soon after
became greatly distressed; and. rs IN the
psroxvsms viii h became more frequent AMI
violent. Nlr Lear, who was at his side, assist.
cd him 10 turn he with Kindness bu. with
difficulty, articulaied-"I fear 1 give you
great trouble. sir-but--perhaps, i i duty
which We al owe one to another trust that
you may receive the same attention when you
shall require it. =
As the night waned. the fatal symptoms be-
came more imminent-his breath more labor
cd and suifJcating and bis voice soon laii"d
him Percciving his end approaching he
stretched himself to his full length he i'iied
I lis own hanls IN the necessary attitude upon
\ his chest placing his finger upon the IN lss OF
4 his left wrist. and thus calmly prepared. and
I watching his own dissolution, he awaited TIE
su,nn;ans of lis Maker. The last faint hope
Of Lis friends had disappeared; Mrs Wash.
/ ington, stupiicl with sriei s., a the ioIt ot
I the bed. her eyes fixed stealnstly upon hlm !;
4 DR.. Craik. III deep gloom, stood with ms ilee
/ buried in his hand, at the FIRE his illtlii n
i black servant. Christopher. the tears uncan-
+ trolled, tricsling down lis face, on ona siie
took the list look Of his dying master "h,'e
I Mr.. Lear in ,recchlcss grief with folded hands,
bent over hi. pillow on thc other
Nousht broke the stiffness OF his last mo-
ncnts but the suppressed .ols Of h's affection
a., servants collected on the stair case the
tick Of the larg, clock in the bail as it meas
ured of with painful distincin'ss. the la's
aeeting moments Of his existence, aud the
low nj, AN of the winter wind as u swept
through the leades- snJw.cogcred tree'. Iht
laborins and wearied spirit drew nearer an'i
nearer ifs goal; the blood lausaidly coursed
sowcr and more slowly through is channels,
the noble heart stopped-siru sslei-stoft-
aaitered: the right hand slowly slid from
the wrist. upon which its hng'r hal been
placed--it fell at the sids-and the manly en-
Is Of Washington was all that remained up
o. the death couch.