The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-07-25
Relics Of Washington.

relics of General Washington which ar,
now, and have been ever since the deatl
OF that eminent man, in the possession o
the Lewis family, of Virginia. This
family is one of the Oldest in the State
and its members are the immediate rela
| tives Of General Washington. In common
with nearly all the prominent families o.
what Is known as the Northern Neck
Of Virginia." where it resides, the Levi.
family was much reduced in wealth anc
prosperity by the devastations of the wal
and the abolition of slavery, so that the
preservation of these relics in the family
can no longer be the easy matter it once
was.
The examination of these relics and the
questions OF their purchase have been in
trusted to the Commissioner of Patents
and that gentleman made his report or
the 9th of May to the Secretary of the In.
terror. In the recapitulation of the relic.
occur the following:
Mirror chairs, one on which the
General sat few minutes before his
death.
One double brass candlestick, by which
the farewell address was written.
Silver caudlestcks.
One feld-glass; spy-glass used in the
Revolution.
One ledger kept monthly by General
Washington.
Knives, forks, one plated cake basket
Portrait of Washington.
The robe in which he was christened.
Silver-plated lamps; thirty-six pieces
of chinaware.
One bedstead, presented to Mr.. Law
renee Washington by his friend Admiral
Vernon, and by Lawrence left to his
brother the General.
Several surveys made by the General
himself
One guitar, presented by General Wash
ington to Miss Nellie Curtis.
Miniature portraits of the General and
Mrs. Washington, on wood, painted 10y
Trumbull.
One shaving-glass in frame, with
drawer.
An engraving of the Countess of Hunt
ington, presented by her to General Wash
ington.
The Commissioner says that these ar
ticles have been in possession of the Lewis
family since the dea tn of General Wash
ington; that they are all in an excellent
state If preservation, and that there can
be no doubt whatever of the genuineness
of every article. The half length portrait
of General Washington is of ite-size, clear
and well-preserved. 1t is a matter OF
tradition that it was the best likeness of
the General ever painted. Of more in
;erest than that is the ledger, which con-
tains the record Of all of Westinghouse
private transactions for more than twenty
years. Most of the record is in his
own hand. Every item of receipts and
expenditures, including even his losses
and gains at cards, he set down with the
most scrupulous cxactness. The articles
of household use are in their original CON
dition, and illustrate the style of living
of the first President of the United States.
The whole collection is far superior t"
that now in the possession of the G vern-
ment. The total number Of articles is
more than ninety. Added to those in the
possession OF the Government they would
form the largest and best collection of
the relics of Washington that could now
be made.
The family is reluctant to part with
these relics, but is impeled 10y the con-
sideration that inevitably in few years,
with the separation Of the family, the ar.
ticles will be scattered, and perhaps
great number in course of time los, OF
destroyed. The family feels that every
citizen will be glad to have these relics
made public property and accessible to
all. the sum suggested for them (sl2,-
000 the Commissioner says does not APP
pear to him to be excessive. In his j Idg
ment the relics could be sold for thai
amount, and perhaps more, to private
persons. This statement and recommen-
dation of the Commissioner of Patents,
aided by the natural feeling of veneration
cherished by all Americans for the name
and services of Washington, will probably
lead Congress to make the necessary APP
preparation to put these relics beyond the
risk of possible los, or of transfer to II
foreign museum.-N Y. Tribune.
LET those who are curiou, in coinage
-numinsmatology is the learned name
of that particular weakness-c"llnr
twenty cent pieces, if they can, and lock
hem up securely in their cabinets. What
twenty cent pieces will bring twenty
years hence, at auction or 10y private
treaty, who can tell2 Fabulous sum-,
perhaps, for no more of them are to be
coined, the bill to that effect having
passed both Houses. So they lapse into
the category Of curiosities, and the peck
cts " hich knew them will know them no
more forever. They will he scarce a
Hebrew shekels or Massachusetts pin'
tree shillings, or any Of the old colonial