, 1863-04-07

We hAyo The pleasure 10 announce that the
ecal ut Washington, in general nsc by him
while living, and which has long been missed
from tho known memorials Of the "Fathcr Of
his County," is ut length discovered.
The following letter was recently received
by the Chicago Historical Society, from s. a.
Washington, esq, of Middleport, Illinois,
who obljgiDgly forwarded several Impressions
on wax Of the original seal, to be preserved
III the socicty's collections.
The description Of the seal Of. Washington,
as given by Losing, in his work entitled
"Mount Vernon and Its Associations, Is
shield, surmountel By q ducal coronet, over
which is the figure Of q raven, the shield
bearing on the superior part three spur-row-
els (resemblIng stars), under which are two
bars. The shield is cncircled either by q
wreath, or the fa1nily motto, "Eritus acta
probat."
Mr. Losing has giyen two impressions Of
Washington's seal, bearing his family arms
one as attached to the death.warrant Of q sol.
dier executed at Morristown, in 1880; the
other of his "seal-ring." The first bears the
".wreath," without the "motto;" the Sec
ond, tho ssmotto,'' without the "wreath."
The seal from which the Impressions now
sent to the Historical Society were made,
bears both the wreath and the motto. The
original from which these Impressions were
made, is evidently in good preservation; and
it is gratifying to know that it is in existence,
and in the custody Of member Of the Wash
ington family, a citizen Of Illinois.
3fr. Washington, the fortunate pos6essor o1
this most interesting memento Of our great
national bcncfactor, has been for many years
as NC learn, 4 resident Of Aliddleport, in thli
State, engaged in the legal profession, and
has proved his loyalty alike to our country
and to the memory Of its u1ustrious leader II
the great struggle for American 1ndepend
:. encc, by his patriotic devotion to the Unio1
during the present war for its maintcnanc
and preservation.
At the first call OF the President for th
!; three months volunteers, he raised compan
in Iroquois county, with which he proceede
to Cairo. His Oldest son, the probable inhcl
itor Of the family honors, as he himself II
forms US, is still in the army. God be thanke
that the Washington family in Illinois hay
no traitors, but are all true to the nam
|
in human history, and get, We trust, to t
T handed down with undivided honor. .t3 ii
l undivided land, whose lits55rtty aud 1ndepeni
G encc he achic7ed.
fl Mr. Washington is entitled to tho thanks
8 the people Of this State, in thus making o,
Historical Society the depository Of the
eacred mementoes Of our country's Create
:, benefactor-t' first in war, first in peace, al
Z first in the hearts Of his countrymen-"
e The following is Mr. Waslington's comm
pIcation to the Society:
!, MIDDLEroRT, Illinois, March 10, 1853.
d To the President Of the Historical Society Chicag
4 DEAR SIR: Some year or two ago {if my rnel
o1y eerves mc) fecollcct Of noticing that Edwa
J Everett, In ! number of his s'Nount Vern'
n Papers, mentioned the (snpposcd} fact that t
l. private zeal and coat Of aEms Of General Geor
Washington, wae either lost to History or vi
some member Of the family.
% The seal and coat Of arms Of the Tashiugs
el family, and worn By General Washington, a
IS with which he scaled both his private and o11c
ri correspondence, is not lost, but is in my poss
;, sion, and highly esteemed as an heirloom, a
~ been possessed BY nc for thirty-two years, and
10 now in my possession, several Impressions
which send you, which you are at liberty to pls
III In your Societys cabinet. They were made by
- from the original zeal, few days since, togetl
~ with others, which desire to send to the Houo
CT bic Edward Everett and George Bancroft.
is The seal WAS left to the late Judge Bush1
st Washington, Of Mount Vernon, who left the sa
to my father, the late Bushrod Washington, ,juni
the then nearest relative Of the name, who, on
ol DEATH in 1885, left the came to me, bis Oldest
&c with whom 1t has ever since remained, and bt
preserved az future gift to my Oldest son, Bu
y, rod D. Washington, now In the army, should
eurviye me,
~ Respectfully, your obedient ecrvant,
b. S.A. WAsHNoroz