The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-07-29
How Did the Polish Patriot Spell His
Name?

| GCinclnnatI Commercials remarks on MIR. W. T
FarIy'S Antiquarian Researches In Charlottes
ville.l
Mr.. Lewis j. Cst, of this city, who is The
| possessor of one of the most valuable auto
graphic collections in this country, permit:
us to copy and print the following letter
from Jetlerson--neyer before made public
in relation to this very matter. 1t is adj
| dressed to General John Armstrong, Rec
Hook, New York, and postmarked Milton
Virginia, 81 March, with Jetferson's franE
| in the left-hand corner. The letter is as
| follows:
MONTICELLO, Mar. 20, 49,
"DEAR GENERAL,--A. NJ. Julien, one OF
| the hterati of France, proposes to write the
| history of General Koscuzko (note Jeffer-
sons spelling of the name), and requests me
| to obtain for him the materials for that part
| OF it which he passed in the service OF the
United States. OF this know nothing my
self, for l believe hardly knew Kosciuzko
| personally during the revolutionary war.
our intimacy began on his last visit to
| America. Imagine you knew more about
| him during the war than anybody else, and
if you will be so good as to give sketch OF
| bis transactions here, you will oblige NJ.
| Julien and myself, and serve the memory of
our deceased friend. this may be mere
skeleton of facts and dates, or filled III,
whichever degree your memory and conVe-
| nience admit, or you please.
Il am surprised receive no authentic
document of the death Of the General.
Surely he had some friend who will send me
such an one, it would be predetermined to
claim administration I'M our Courts on news
paper information. | do not think ! can
myself undertake the execution of his trust.
II / do not, will find some one Of the most
unquestionable trustworthneSs to undertake
| it. will take care, Us soon as regularly
authorized, to have due attention paid to the
interest of your son. / salute you with en-
tire friendship and respect.
9TH. JEFFERSON.
"Gen'l armstrong;"
Though Jefferson omits the year, it is
tolerably conclusive the letter was written in
the spring of 1918, following the death of
Kosciuszko, rumors of which had reached
Jefferson through the public prints. He
must have read thei will, which is now
brought forward in evidence that the name
of the General has been universally mis-
spelled. But he writes it Kosciuzko, omit
ting the IS" preceding the "z"; had the
final syllable been "lio,' as the Charlottes-
burger endeavors to prove, it is curious that
those who were his intimates in the army, as
well as out Of it, should have been so pho
netieally deceived.
We think we can assist the Charfottesburg
antiquarian to solution OF his trouble. In
Mr.. Cist's collection are several letters In
Kosciuszko's own hand. One OF them is 10
Brigadier-G General 0. 81. Williams, of Mary
land. under date of 1882, complaining Of the
action of Congress in regulating the matter
of rank in the army by which his own
position Is made very uncertain and I'M
satisfactory. 1t is written in broken Eng
lish, SO much so as to require some study to
make out the sense, and signed "Thad.
Kosciuszko," but the signature is evidently
hurriedly written, and the "k" resembles
an " b, )" and might be read as the Charlottes-
burger has read in the will lio," the stroke
of the upper part of the Indicative line of
the letter being imperfect, and passing for
the dot of the letter "i.'
But there Is another document in MIR.
Cist's collection that settles the question con-
clusiyely. 1t was written after Kosciuszko
had Joined the "Legion Polonoise," and is
as follows:
]" Cltoyen Minsstre:
.'Jdi Fhonneur de Tous renett7e le Pa
qlet arec une lettre du Gel .Da6ro,csh qui
ma etc enUoyE. Je prends la li6ertE de Vous
prter dduo,r des egards pour les OFFICERS
PraSonniers ct Surnunaerd,res dams ce Corps.
Salut Ell respect, 7. KosCIUszKo
"Paris, VendemGsre."
Here the name is written with great dis
tinctness, each letter bold and firm, and as
unmistakable as il printed. 1t seems hard
ly worth while to devote so much space to
this matter, yet there is forever some pes
tiferous antiquarian rushing into old records
to discover that the world has been mis-
taken about names and dates. The amount
OF criticism expended over the proper spell
ling of Shakspeare's name serves to ad-
monisf, us that the sooner such questions
can be decisiyely settled the better for the
peace OF mind OF those who attach impor-
lance to such things.
We have recently been under many obliga-
lions to the bon. Andrew King, our ex-con-
gresham, for public documents. We should
feel under renewed obligations if he would
redeem the honor OF his district by returning
the back pay he both voted for and drew
Harrisburg MlssoarD Sentinel.
A New York Herald correspondent has
seen In Florida spider that would weigh
three or four pounds. We have often seen
one as heavy as this in our kitchen. What
skillet takes TO get up such storie LoaceH
Courier.
q. It is considered a big thing in Saratoga to-
have cold fried potatoes for lunch, or
amuneh, = as II is elegantly called there.