The American patriot., 1855-02-28

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WAsnMoroN IN A RAoE--Griswold. in his
" Republican Court" relates the following an
ecdote of Washington: ,.,,.. 49,. ~. r.
Edmund Randolph had been al object Of
Washington's kindly interest from his youth;
bis powerful influence had caused him' Aoa b
elected Governor Of Virginia; he had appointed
him successfully Attorney General and Secre1
tary Of State, and had treated him in every
way with unlimited confidence and alrnost pa
rental fondness. Tho vulgar and violent sbuso
with which he was assailed in, tho disgracsd
minister's "Vindication," therefore incensed
him to an extraordinary degree; the occasion
was one Of those in which his feelings for mo.
u,ent obtained m1stdfy over his habitual self
control. We have ffpm unquestiouable author.
ity an anecdote illustrating this, which has not
been hitherto published. Upon the settlement
of the boundary between Pennsylvania and
Virginia, some Of Washington's lands fell with
in the former State, and the late Mr.. Janes
Ross, Of Pittsburg was his agent for the sale of
them. He came to Philadelphia to settle his
account, and sending word 10 the President
that he would wait on him at his pleasure was
invited to breakfast next morning sins '1q2d
y On arriving, ghe found all tho ladies--the
Custises, Lewises, Mrs, Washington and others
lin the parlor, obviously in great alarm. Mr..
Ross described them as gathered together in
the middle ofthe room, like flock Of partridges
in q fold, when hawk isin tho neighborhood.
Very soon the President entered, and shook
hands with Mr.. Ross, but looked dark and
lowering. They went in to breakfast, and af-
ter little while, the Secretary Of War came
in and said to Washington, "Have you seen Mr..
Randolph's pamphlett"' II have" said Wash.
ington, t'and by the eternal God, he is the
damnedcst liar on the face Of the earth!" and
as he spoke, he brought his fist down on the
table with all his strength, andwith'a violence
that made the cups and plates start from their
places Ross said he felt infinitely relieved,
for no had feared that something in his own
conduct had occasioned the blackness in the
Presidents countcnance. Ross himself and
he mentioned it at the house of tho late John
B. Wallace, of Philadelphia, as showing that,
Washington was man Of extraordinary pas.
sons and scnsibilities. ''"F
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FACTS FROM History William the conquer
or originated the Curfew Bell, which was rung
at eight o'clock in tho evening, to warn the
people to put out their 6ros and candles; law
made with the good intention Of preventing
the terrible conflagrations that often happened
in the towns whom so much wood was used in
building. 'fJ '-I u ol n.1 -so h
During the reign of William the Conqusror,
the absurd mode of trial by ordeal, which had
been in general use among the Saxons, was
discontinued, and the Norman fashion Of set.
Ting legal differences by single combat was
brought into England ia-aaaasm"o2 ati "a
In the reign Of William Rufus WAS intro.
duced the fashion of wearing shoes with long
points turned up before and fastened TO the
knee with chain. The clergy sndcavored by
their preaching to abolish this ridiculous Gus.
tom; but the people still persisted in wearing
long points in their shoes, in spite Of all oppo.
sition.
Before, the conquest, surnames were not used
in England; but the Normans adopted second
name by way Of distinction, and it usually ex-
pressed either some personal quality, as Rufus
the Red, or indicated some post at court, or
was the name Of the family estate, in which
last case "de" was prefxed. gt .S9 p"
In the reign Of Henry tho First, when the
rents were due, the King made what was then
called "a progress" through his estates, accom-.
panied by train Of mobiles, knights, squircs,
and domestics of all sorts, IS cooks, confection.
ers, tailors, BARRIERS, and others, who travelled
on horseback, or in very clumsey vehicles
The progress" was made for this reason, that
as the tenants could pay but very little Of their
taxes in money, the rest had to be taken in
'kind" that is, cattle, corn, poultry, pigs, or
any thing else they had; therefore, as the King
could not take away all these things, he and
L c,1 po1 ~ pkn I'M
until they had consumed provisions equivalent
to the taxes. 'r 'f'
In the reign of Henry the Second, carpets
were not in use, and it was considered the
heighest Of grandeur to have the tioors strewed
with clear straw or rushes every morning.
Goats Of arms were brought into fashion in
the time of Richard the First and were adopt
cd that the knights who were encased in armor
might be known by the devices on their shields.
In the reign Of Henry the Third, . character
was granted to the inhabitants of Newcastle,
authorizing them to dig for coal, Which had not
before been much used for fuel; but it was a
long time before it came into general estima.
ton; the only people who purchased it for fuel
were brewers, dyers and othors, who required
large fires. Subsequently the use of coal was
forbidden on account Of its smoke
In tho reign Of Edward the First, there were
only two clocks in England; the one was placed
in an older tower Of Westminster Hall, the
other in Canterbury Cathedral; but they wore
both of foreign workmanship, and it was NOT
until the time of Edward the Third, that clocks
were made in this country.
When Queen Elizabeth died, three thousand
gowns were found in her@wardrobe!
HARD SroRy.-The Louisville Courier tells
some tough yarns 1t says that . fishing party
in Kentucky got out Of "bait," and no worms
were to be found. At last young lady sug'
uested the following: