The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-03-06
LOCAL NEWS.
The Death of George washington.

ITS PRoXIMATE CAusE-HIs LAST LETTER.
General Washington died at Mount Vernon,
on the l4th of December, 1899, in the 6Sth
year Of his age. No intimation having been
given the country Of his previous illness, his
death caused great shock to the public mind
twas announced at that time that the death of
the Poter Patrir was caused by laryngitis--in-
hamation OF the upper part of the wind pipe,
or what is commonly known as the Adams ap.
pie. We propose to show how this fatal i'll
ness was brought about
A little more than five weeks before his last
illness, His Excellency, accompanied by a
number of his servants, visited Difficult Bridpe
locality in Fairfax county, near by where
some of his own landed possessions were loca-
ted, to re-survey them. The weather was wet,
raw, damp and disagreeable and the land of that
boggy sort that required a great deal of expo.
sure to properly perform the task he had allot-
ted to himself. He was about the undertaking
two days, and during that time he disco yered.
or imagined be discovered, that former en-
ployee, Mr.. WIN. Shepherd, had been get
ting land warrant for land always considered
by himself and his neighbors as his own.
He did no more than merely assure himself
of the correctness of the metes and bounds
of Mount Vernon and his adjacent propertv.
iUs
was mere bagatelle; but he acquired a vio-
lent cold, which was succeeded BY pneumonia.
and that by the laryngitis that hurried him
five weeks afterwards to the grave, amid a na-
tion's tears. His last survey proved fatal to
him, for he was never well man after reach
ing Mount Vernon on its completion. TO be
precise, we may state that the manner of his
death was just that Of the late Hon. Preston S.
Brooks, of South Carolina-he was choked to
death by the swelling of the ldryna, and so was
the great Washington.
In support of our position, we append three
letters of the Generals, copied from the
originals on file in the office of the Register of
the Land Office here, dated respectively No.
vember 7th and 9th, and the third December
I'd, 1893, written twelve days before his death,
and perhaps the last ON business ever
penned by him. AS mementoes of the great
patriot they will be read with interest:
FAIsFAx COUNTY, NEAR DIFFICULT BRIpey1
November 7th, 1899.
sIR-I came from Mount Vernon TO this place in
order to out some land which I hold in this
county, near this place.
In doing which, have dscovered--or think have
discoyered--some vacant land between my lines,-
the lines of the late Thomes Lord Fairfax and
these commonly called Iankerville's-now in the
occupancy OF Others, to whom they sold by his
agent
Having been but little in this State sir ce the
Revolution, am unacquainted with the legal steps
necessary and proper to be taken, to make an ell
try thereof which must be my excuse If the present
to you is wrong, or informal.
If it be proper, pray you to make such entry as
the case equires-and the cost as it is made
known to me. shall be Immediately paid by
Sir, your most osed't hole serv't,
Go. WAsHINGToH.
P.S. do not conceive that the waste land herein
described (if there be any) exceed hundred
acres
This letter is addressed
Surveyor General of the Land Office for the Com
monwoalth Of Virginia, hichmond.