The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-09-04

. l"nacco Is IL narcolic--thc fact that
VINO smoke derive considerable cr,
, 'r"h the practice, ca,inot he denied.
, dIHluicctant, ana often actually couI
ACTS the d"ltcrinuS influence Of contario,
disease. 1t Is Il gentle stimulant, and may
preserve the tlsSucs from that wear and tear
which the fierce pursuits Of men at the
! present day cause. Let the arguments
against the use Of tobacco bc directed
against lis obusc, and they may 10 more
cilectual.-,St. Louis Ntms
/ Gen. Washington a Marshal of Franc :.
/ 1t is, VIC believe, not commonly known
That Gen. Washington during the war Of the
, i'cv"!niion, received the honorary title Of
/ H"rcHrh"l dc truncc ;:,"or, if statement
to Inns effect has hcen received rs anon. the
lr;''i'tiohS handed down respecting our Pater
la'r'", It's historical accuracy in point OF fact
! may have seemed to lack confirmation. We
fln'l Ill The last number Of the Frc,lrrirl,
/ (M!) Examiner and reference to this Incl
dent in the lie Of Washington which seems
to have been very generally overlooked by
his hio@Tarlcrs, whether from ina,lvcrtcnce
o" their part or from doubts respecting lis
authenticity we are unable TO say. The cir
rn'nN'ances which have led to the present
! H'ScuSS'on and the snhioincd confirmaorv
! letter OF the venerable Mr.. Gusts. of Arliuc-
ton, are stated below - Wash Ln;on.
| tFron, the Frederick Examiner Of An.nst41o. !
Some weeks ago, in conversation in the
! Examiner office, Il gentleman OF this city
remarked that he had in his possession an
old porcelain mug, with an cfliwy of Gen.
! Washington Oh horseback, and the inscrip-
ton beneath, "Gcorgc Washington, Esq,
General in Chief of the l.. S. Army and
Marshal Of France" y discussion thcrcup-
! on arose rs to whether Washington had
ever received the baton Of II Marshal OF
France. To resolve the doubt, Col Limmcl
SAID he would address the venerable G.. w.
! Parker Gusts, the surviving member of
" aahin@tuns household, Oh the subject.
| lie did SO, and received in reply the follow:
/ ing letter, which has brcn handed us ior,puL-
lic;i'i"n, on account ofthc important histor-
ic;' fact To which it refers. Mr.. Custfs" let
ter is dated:
"ARLrNc-oN lTorsE, Aug. -, 1857.
"MY DEAH CoI~ KIMMEr: Your very
acceptable letter came duly to hand. In
regard to Washington as Marshal OF France,
have in this hour proof as strong as holy
writ III an engraving Of Napier Of Merchis-
loun, the celebrated inventor Of the Lo.a-
rtims, which was presented TO Washington
by the Earl of Buchan, relative OF the
philosopher, with this endorsement in the
!iandwritin" Of the Earl TosMarslIakGen-
eral Washington, with the respects of
l'uchan.' :, Now, Buchan lived in tho age
OF the Revolution, and was the associate of
Courts, aud certainly would not have nd
dressed to one he SO lovcT and admired, as
he did TO the Chici,a little to which the
Chief had 10 claim. Lord Napier, on a
visit to A,ingtan House, was greatly grati-
fled by IL sight Of n rclninisccncc Of lis ancess-
tors treasured among the relics Of Washing
ton.
"Thc history Of the American, Marshal
Of France is simply this y: When, in 1871,
Colonel Laurcns went TO France as special
ambassador, Il difficulty arose between him
and the French Ministry rs to the command
OF the combined armies in America. Our
heroic Llnrcns said: sour Chief must com
mand; it is our cause, and the battle is on
our soil.' Ccn impossible" exclaimed the
Frenchman "by the etiquette q! the French
service, the Coant dc Eocliambaau, Icing
an old Lieutenant General, can only be
commanded by the King in person, or n
IMorrScAni re Frunce" "Thcn,' exclaimed
Laurcns, ''maEe our Washington Mercs-
cAaI de france, and the difficulty is at all
end 1t was done.
"a friend of mine heard Washington
spoken Of as Monsieur III Nureschnt at the
seige of Yorktown. Our beloved Washing
ton never coveted or desired rank or title;
but it is beyond n doubt that, from The force
of circumstances Just related, the rank and
title of 1fdrcSchnt lie Frdncc was conferred
upon the General in ,Chiefof the combined
armies Of America and France:
"Bclievc me, my dear sir, truly and faith
fully your obliged friend and servant,
Geo. w. =. CURTIS"